There are a large variety of coatings on the market today and there is constant innovation by some of the more established manufacturers. So when researching the best coating for your floor, try to make sure the information you use is as up to date as possible.
In basic terms, the most commonly used coating types are:
- Water based polyurethane.
- Oil Modified polyurethane.
- Hard Wax Oils
- Solvent based moisture cured polyurethane.
- Tung Oil
The majority of quality projects today use Water Based Polyurethane. There are a number of factors involved in this decision with some being, good wear, speed of completion and curing time. Probably the most important reasons are, they are environmentally friendly, with the majority of products being classified NON toxic, and still have speed of project completion, fantastic wear characteristics and a modern appearance as a benefit.
Hard wax oils are often specified for architectural projects because of their subtle and timeless appearance, although not considered as hard wearing they have the benefit of being patchable so wear is not the main concern. If you have seen an old yellow floor it is most likely moisture cured polyurethane, these are the dinosaurs of the coating world. They are often used by contractors for an ease of use to benefit themselves. The downside to the clients being a toxic coating with extreme fume levels that yellows badly. It is also likely that these coatings will void any timber warranty if applied to a new floor, due to potential edge bonding problems.