Glossy Vs. Satin Polyurethane on a Hardwood Floor

Glossy Advantages

• A glossy hardwood floor provides a room with a high-end, beautiful ambiance. A high-gloss polyurethane brings out the beauty of natural wood grain and reflects light from the floor, helping to make the entire room brighter and more inviting. Glossy floors are most frequently found in homes with modernist and minimalist interiors. The shine of a glossy floor harmonizes well with simple furniture, abstract paintings, and large windows. Beautiful shiny floors reduce the need for rugs in an interior. When the floor is spotless, it is best shown off by keeping it minimally covered.

Glossy Disadvantages

• A high-gloss finish is more difficult to maintain than semi-gloss, matte or satin finishes. Because it is so reflective, scratches, scrapes and smears are very visible on a high-gloss floor. While glossy finishes are appropriate for art galleries and high-end houses, they may be less so for working families or households with pets. A dog's claws can quickly destroy the high-gloss finish. For people who have a lot of house guests, asking everyone who enters the house to remove their shoes to protect the floors may become tiresome.

Satin Advantages

• A floor with a satin finish reflects less light than one with a high-gloss finish. This means that it won't show scratches and blemishes quite as readily, although bad damage will still be visible. A satin finish is the most appropriate choice for most homeowners, because few people relish the thought of constantly protecting and repairing their pristine floors. A satin finish creates an attractive floor with a more informal effect than high-gloss and, thus, can be enjoyed with less concern for every high heel or dog claw that comes into contact with it.

Satin Disadvantages

• A satin finish may not provide the effect that some people are looking for. If you are seeking a very high-class, special effect on your hardwood floors, you may not be satisfied with the lack of sheen on a floor that has been finished with satin polyurethane. In a home with no children or pets, where shoes are removed at the door, high-gloss may be a more appropriate choice for maintaining that special effect.