Polyurethane vs water based hardwood floor polish

10 months ago

When we renovated a few years ago my husband wanted to go with this polyurethane finish as he says it's more durable than waterbased. I, however, would have loved to stick with the waterbased finish. Our baby does bang everything and anything on the floors and thus has made many scratches and a few dints, so I'm just curious to know did we go with the right option? Would the waterbased finish have heaps of dints on the floor already?

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Comments (4)

PRO
ArvCorp Construction Pty Ltd
10 months ago
Hey there!

Choosing between polyurethane and water-based finishes for your floors can indeed be a tricky decision, and each comes with its pros and cons.

Polyurethane finishes are renowned for their durability and resistance to scratches and dents, which can make them a fantastic choice in a household with kids and pets. So, in that sense, your husband was absolutely correct!

On the other hand, water-based finishes, while not as resistant to wear and tear as polyurethane, do offer benefits like quicker drying times and less odour during application. They also tend to yellow less over time compared to oil-based polyurethane.

However, when it comes to preventing dents and scratches, no finish is damage proof. Even with the best polyurethane finish, dents and scratches can still occur, especially with heavy impacts.

I hope this helps.
Kate
10 months ago
We regret going water based. Didn’t last as long
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PRO
VICTORIAN COASTAL FLOORS
9 months ago
Hi I’ve done floor sanding and coating timber floors for over 25 years so can explain the differences between finishes
Solvent based is possibly still the most common finish used on floors in Melbourne.
It’s very durable has high chemical resistance and is the most cost effective finish. Negatives are has strong solvent smell and prone to yellowing over time Available in Matt satin and gloss.

Waterbased finishes range greatly in durability depending on what type you get.(not what brand)
Single pack WB finishes are the cheapest least durable are also prone to yellowing over time although they are classified as non yellowing, I feel this is misleading.
They also have a low chemical resistance to household spills.

2pk Wb finishes are far more durable and some are as much as 3.5x more durable than the same branded single pack.
Some of the top quality WB are also unaffected by by u.v.
This is particularly important with lighter toned or white washed floors.
Other advantages of WB is low odour and are available in ultra flat Matt finishes.
Hope this helps.
siriuskey
9 months ago
I find that a matt finish doesn't show the marks as does a gloss finish, WB interior and exterior doesn't wear as well as the solvent based so I would choose the latter every time

Polyurethane vs water based hardwood floor polish

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ArvCorp Construction Pty Ltd

Kate

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