More From Doityourself. Learn more... Polyurethane can bring out a beautiful color in your hardwood floor, in addition to protecting it from heat and scratches. Due to huge varieties – polyurethane, varnish, paint, etc. A polyurethane coating will increase the lifespan and durability of your flooring significantly. Whether you want to give the finishing touch to the bare wood of your hardwood floors or furniture, this product from Minwax got both stain and polyurethane to make the woods look more beautiful while adding a protective layer as well. Click to add item "Varathane® Interior Oil-Base Clear Wood Floor Polyurethane - 1 gal." As far as durability is concerned, these are the most durable ones that last way better than most expensive water-based polyurethanes. Some polyurethane sealers, like oil-based polyurethane, can leave wood with a warmer, amber-like finish so if you prefer a … Oil-based polyurethane has a slight amber or yellowish tint and can yellow even more over time, which adds a bit of rich, warm, amber color to the floors if that’s your goal. As far as the durability is concerned, it will make your floors durable like no other. It contains fairly less chemical odor, unlike most other polyurethane formulas out there in the market. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. The 5 mistakes you'll probably make in your first relationship. Therefore you need to consider a few things to make sure the one you get suits your wood type as well as staining requirements. Wood Floor Stain Removal. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All of the green building references I have found say that wood floors should be finished with a low VOC water-based polyurethane, but none of these articles provide recommendations for a brand. As you can see from this picture, the difference is pretty dramatic. Think about the biggest threat to your wood, and consider getting a finish that can battle the threat with protective properties. Besides, it creates low odor. So, you can recoat on the floors much faster as you don’t have to wait too long in between coats. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. The finish will handle daily stains, minor scratches, and pet marks with ease. Even though it takes more time to dry, it’s still worth waiting an extra few hours when you see the expected better results on floors. If you are to get a polyurethane finish for your hardwood floors, be sure to check these top 5 picks. If you are a DIYer, you need to make sure that the polyurethane is easy to apply so that you don’t have to rely on a professional and spend extra money on applying it. Best Hardwood Floor Finish for High-Traffic: Oil-Based Polyurethane. Shipping ADD TO CART. With a little time and effort, your floor will have a smooth and flawless finish! You can easily apply it on the surface without asking for professional help. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. All polyurethane floor finishes are as durable as each other and they will stand the test of time admirably. Stain finishes tend to leave brush marks on the floors, which you don’t expect. Most finishes on the list are very easy to apply. Polyurethane is one of the formulas that you can use to finish your wooden floors. If you are looking for the best water based polyurethane for floors, look nowhere else; this floor finish provides excellent results and offers you great advantages that are hard to find in other water-based ones. Conventional polyurethane requires you to sand between coats to provide a good looking finish. Add To List Click to add item Varathane® Interior Water-Base Crystal Clear Wood Floor Polyurethane - 1 gal. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. With this fast-drying polyurethane from Minwax, you are assured about the beauty as well as the protection of the floors. Not that it only increases the beauty but also protects, nourishes, and enhances the quality too. Some finishes create a strong bond with the wood texture of all kinds. Polyurethane Application Tips How to Apply Polyurethane: When working with any finish. Even if you need to color an already finished wood, this finish can do it without even removing the existing finish. The use of tough polyurethane protects your floor firmly. Applying a good quality finish onto the floors will also make them look more attractive as well. In addition to that, you can apply on the floors very easily all by yourself — no need to ask for professionals and spend money unnecessarily. Let’s get going! Polyurethane takes hours, not minutes, to dry; that's a lot of time for dust to settle or bugs to land on the surface, marring the final product. Get the best polyurethane for hardwood floors to enhance its beauty and make it more durable so that you don’t need to invest money in repairing it soon. Polyurethane is comparatively inexpensive, and can save money in floor repairs in the long run. Generally, you would want to add 3 coats of polyurethane for the best longevity. In contrast, you no longer need to sand between coats whatsoever using this formula to get a top-notch finish on the floors. Also, you will get superior durability due to its abrasion and scuff resistance. You no longer need to worry about pet scratch marks and spills once you coat the entire floor with the Polyshades. People think that water-based formulas don’t last as long as oil-based ones. Pretty much all of them contain odor more or less. Then, prep your floor by sanding and cleaning it. to your list. This water-based polyurethane formula is almost odorless and dries much faster than typical oil-based counterparts. 4 Ways to Waterproof Your Wood Shed. Minwax Polyurethane has an ultra-fast drying protective topcoat with superior durability for interior wood. Start by choosing a type of polyurethane (oil or water-based) as well as a finish (matte or glossy), and make sure your work area is well-ventilated. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. So, even if you want to experiment, you cannot go wrong with this. Its self-leveling formula works great and smoothens on its own when you apply it on wood surfaces. It can be cleaned easily with warm water and soap. Oil-based Polyurethane used to be preferred simply due to the fact that it was significantly more durable, but the water-based option has come a long way since its initial creation and now provides a hard and long-lasting finish for your floor, and if you get a good quality one, … Note: Floor will bear light foot traffic in 24 hours. You don’t have to wait for too long to add another layer of coating on floors or furniture. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/12\/Polyurethane-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Polyurethane-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/12\/Polyurethane-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg\/aid9191420-v4-728px-Polyurethane-a-Floor-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"