What does it mean to polish timber floors?

Can you polish timber floors? This is a very common question people ask when they call the timber flooring contractor. What does it mean – polishing the timber floor? Most of the time people want to know, if you can refinish their timber floors, like sanding and sealing with polyurethane or a natural oil finish. Most of the time people ask for a polyurethane finish. A very little percentage of the timber floor market in Sydney these days are using the wax coating. And, this is exactly, what polishing timber floor means – polishing wax on timber floors until it shines enough. The majority of customers at present prefer to use polyurethane finish, rather than wax finish. Polyurethane finishes can be done in multiple sheen levels – extra matt, matt, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss. Hence, when the gloss or satin polyurethane finish is applied on the timber floor, then the final result will make it look very similar to the polished wax floors. And, I think, that this is one of the reasons why people do not distinguish the difference between both and simply ask for polishing timber floors. However, there is some difference to the result in the long term like maintenance, durability, and look. I guess the second reason, why people still ask for polishing timber floors in Sydney, is because of the well-established old habits. Old fashion words and expressions are very much used by people in Sydney and surrounding suburbs, especially between mature generations. And, lastly, I think that it is much easier to ask,- Can you polish timber floors?, rather than,- Can you sand and apply polyurethane satin gloss finish?

In my next post, I would like to discuss the benefits of using polyurethane or natural oil finish verse waxed polished floors.

This is an example of how looks solvent-based polyurethane finish on the engineering Canadian maple floors.