When you’re choosing a new floor, you want the best choice of wooden flooring options available, from colours, to grain to price to finish. Many people don’t really consider what kind of finish will be right for their floor, but it’s actually an important factor to take into account, as it could mean the difference between loving your floor and wanting to show it off, or regretting your choice and hastily covering it with a rug. So, when it comes to the most popular flooring finished, which is right for you? Brushed or lacquered?
What is a brushed floor?
A brushed floor is one where the planks have been brushed with a steel comb prior to being installed. This highlights the natural beauty of the grain, and creates a beautiful, textured appearance on your new floor. This is obviously a finish that applies to solid wood floor or engineered wood which has a real wood top layer. It is common to have both brushed and oiled floors and brushed and lacquered, which have subtle differences and offer different levels of protection when it comes to daily wear and tear.
What is a lacquered floor?
A lacquered floor is one which has had a clean, thin resin applied, which forms a hard film over the floor. This allows you to protect the floor while still retaining its natural colour and grain pattern for you to enjoy. The lacquer also gives the floor a smooth, glossy and hard-wearing finish which is easy to clean and mop up any spills, although it is susceptible to scuffs and scrapes which can be more visible in the light, so it’s not an ideal finish for high traffic areas in your home or if you have pets whose nails could scratch the floor. In this case, an oiled finish might be more suitable for you. An oiled floor will still retain the natural character of the wood while increasing durability and has a subtler sheen than a lacquered floor.
Our customer favourites for each flooring finish
Brushed and oiled – this Gold series Solid Oak floor has the most luxurious looking finish, and would instantly add warmth to any room. The boards have been brushed to emphasise the grain, and give it a more authentic feel, and the oils help to highlight the natural beauty of the woodgrain and make it more durable.
Brushed and lacquered – for fancy flooring, look no further than the timeless engineered flooring in Oak Smokey Grey, with amazing colour and texture. The lacquer on this floor also helps to protect from UV discolouration, so if it’s the colour you love, you can be sure it’ll stay this way. These boards can be sanded and resealed up to three times during their lifespan, meaning you’ll get a floor you can enjoy in your home for years to come.
Lacquered – Go dark and daring with a floor like the Exotic Indulgence Click Bamboo Dark Brown with lacquered finish – the dark, glossy colour looks so luxurious and is the perfect hue to have a bit of sheen to it. It will instantly add a touch of glamour to any room. Best suited for a bedroom though, as the lacquer finish can show up scuffs in you were to use it in a living room or dining room where chairs can be scraped back and forth on it.