How do Oil Based and Water Based Finishes Differ

by guest on April 12, 2011

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If you plan to have hardwood flooring fitted in your home, it is important that you get a proper finishing done on the flooring so that the wood not only looks better, but also lasts longer.Since there are different ways to get the finishing done, it is important that you understand the pros and cons of each type and then decide the option that is well suited to you.One of the best ways of finishing a hardwood floor is to get a surface finish done, where a garnish is applied on the wood and it dries to form a solid protective layer to improve the durability of the floor.

In case your floor is going to face a lot of action due to kids or pets prancing on it, then you will need your wooden flooring to be highly durable and since it provides the maximum durability, a surface finish is the best option for you.The other benefit of the surface finish is that it accentuates the texture of the wood, thus making the floor look grander.The surface finish can be classified into oil based finish and water based finish, depending on the solvent used for the finish.

Oil Based Finish – Salient Points
Once they are dry, the oil based finishes provide amber like finishing to the floor thus making it look very rich. This feature had made these finishes a very popular choice in Naperville.Moreover, the floor looks richer and grander as time passes by because the polish makes the wood darker with age.But, these oil based finishes make the room very pungent during the treatment period, since they emit a lot of volatile compounds. Since these oil based finishes even emit volatile organic compounds after drying, the use of these finishes has been banned in some areas.

Water Based Finish – Salient Points
The water based finishes contain water along with various polyurethanes and acrylics to create the varnish.Because the solvent is water, the finish dries faster compared to oil based finish and the room would be fit for use within hours of the treatment.Moreover, since this method of finishing a hardwood floor not only emits much lesser volatile organic compounds, but also provides much more durability as compared to an oil based finish, the water based finishes are very popular these days.

Apart from this, various Companies also provide restoration and refinishing services to bring your hardwood floor back to life.Check out the various online and offline directories of your region to get the relevant information.For instance, if you were in Naperville, searching for a term like hardwood floor refinishing Naperville would quickly provide you with the list of possible options.

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