Wood Floor Finishes Satin Vs Semi Gloss

Satin is often mistaken for semi gloss owing to its partially reflective nature.

Wood floor finishes satin vs semi gloss.

It has a medium sheen that reflects more light than a satin finish. A satin finish floor is easier to care for than a high gloss floor and will last longer without needing to be refinished. It used to be one of the more popular floor finishing choices but it s not used nearly as often in modern designs. The higher gloss level of semi gloss makes it slightly more durable than a satin finish.

For some the appearance of shine indicates clean. Semi gloss on the other hand is sometimes used in residential spaces. The satin finish comes next with a kind of glow about it but not that light reflective high gloss look. Satin is as the material states and very shiny and silky looking.

Hardwood floor finishes have varying levels of ease durability even glossiness. Scratches imperfections and dust are more readily. This gives a more formal feel that really highlights the beauty of hardwood. Even with good prep some more will show up after the semi gloss paint goes on.

A satin is a lovely lower gloss finish with a bit of glow to it but without heavy reflection. This means more light reflects off your floors. A glossier finish will require more prep time. So satin is the most popular and it also the most practical option.

But semi gloss will be easier to clean. Semigloss finishes if you like a shiny look but don t want to be a complete slave to floor care a semigloss finish may be a good choice. While most homeowners prefer a high gloss water based polyurethane you ll also find satin and semi gloss. Its shine falls anywhere between 45 55 making it more reflective than satin wood floors.

The reason for that is that the shinier you go the more it shows the dents and scratches as well as the dirt. More gloss shows more dings and dents so they have to be filled and sanded prior to painting. This is lovely so long as you are not a person who likes to see shiny clean. Satin finish for your hardwood floor.

I ve literally had people clean off their finish because it wouldn t stay shiny. In terms of practicality though satin ends up lasting or looking better for a longer period of time than semi gloss does. The luster of a semi gloss finish is between a satin and high gloss finish. Again in the same way you may choose to stain the hard wood floor before you apply the satin top coat.

In the range of finishes glossy finish is the most shiny finish.