High Gloss, semi-Gloss or matte finish: Which is best for your flooring installation?

When getting a hardwood flooring installation, you’ll have to eventually decide what finish you would like to have for your planks. Choosing the type of finish for your slats is a separate decision, after having selected the wood species. It's an equally essential decision to make since the finish will play a huge factor in the safety, maintenance, longevity, and appearance of your floors. Not sure which one would be best for your space? Let’s take a closer look at the options!

Sheen – What is it precisely?

Simply put, the sheen is the degree of reflection produced by the chosen finish. While matte gloss gives you the least amount of sheen, the high gloss gives you the most. Semi-gloss, on the other hand, sits somewhere in the middle, offering a medium degree of gloss. Before calling a flooring installation service, you’ll need to figure out which varnish you would like for your planks.

Higher gloss

The greater the sheen on your flooring installation, the more dramatic the look and higher level of detail displayed. It’s a style that offers a great deal of pizzazz for spaces like bedrooms, studies, libraries, sunrooms, and dining rooms. The wood grain is more defined with higher gloss styles, giving the planks a darker appearance that’s also very elegant. However, depending on the type of finish, high gloss also tends to wear off faster. So, you may want to think twice before adding it to high traffic areas. Additionally, finish with high gloss can often highlight debris and dust on the planks, thus requiring more upkeep. 

Lower gloss

If you want hardwood but wish to skip the extra upkeep that high gloss finish requires, then a semi-gloss option would work very well. It’s still an excellent investment in terms of flooring type, but the lower degree of gloss makes it easier to maintain – while still providing loads of dramatic flair. Yet, for some homeowners, a semi-gloss is still too shiny for their preference. In that case, a satin finish is an alternative. Often called a lacquer, you’ll still get an upscale look but with a slight sheen.

Get quality floors at Completely Floored

At Completely Floored, our Everett, WA showroom professionals can guide you towards the most ideal flooring installation for your home makeover. Servicing the Arlington, Bellingham, Bothell, Burlington, Camano Island, and Everett, WA regions, we can also help you find a local flooring installation service for your renovations.