Satin and gloss polyurethane are among the most popular sheens available for hardwood flooring.
Gloss polyurethane emphasizes the distinctive qualities of wood surfaces more effectively than satin. It strikes a balance, enhancing the wood’s appeal without an excessively shiny appearance. This balance is a key reason why semi-gloss tends to be the favored choice among polyurethane finishes. However, satin has its perks.
Keep reading to find out all about satin and gloss polyurethane, with pros and cons that will guide you toward the best choice.
What is polyurethane?
Polyurethane is a synthetic resin, irrespective of its finish. Once applied, it dries either transparent or with a slight yellow hue. This depends on its type: water-based or oil-based polyurethane. Its main role is to furnish a protective coating on hardwood floors.
Interestingly, all types of polyurethane begin with a high-gloss appearance. Before packaging for sale, manufacturers insert a zinc oxide paste that alters the finish to matte, satin, or semi-gloss. During transportation, the zinc oxide might separate from the polyurethane so, before application, it’s essential to thoroughly stir the contents to ensure the desired finish.
What is a satin polyurethane?
Satin polyurethane boasts a more subtle sheen, sitting between matte and glossy finishes. Its sheen’s moderate nature allows it to better camouflage dirt and imperfections compared to shinier polyurethanes, making it a preferred choice for certain applications. It’s also easier to maintain, making it ideal for surfaces that commonly face scuffs and scratches.
Applications
Satin polyurethane can be used across multiple surfaces, being the second most popular polyurethane, trailing behind semi-gloss polyurethane.
Besides its main usage on hardwood floors, it can also ensure a subtle shine on kitchen and dining room tables, cabinets, stairs, interior walls, doors and their frames, chairs, desks, end tables, dressers, and window frames.
Pros of satin polyurethane finishes:
- Application and maintenance: Easy to apply, touch up, maintain, and remove.
- Color retention: Slower fading compared to glossier finishes.
- Durability: Resistant to scratches, dents, and fingerprints.
- Protection: It effectively shields surfaces from dust, dirt, and other abrasive elements.
- Versatility: Satin polyurethane is suitable for a wide array of surfaces.
- Aesthetic compatibility: It suits various decor styles.
- Traction: Offers better grip compared to glossier finishes.
Cons of satin polyurethane finish:
- Maintenance: Heavy-foot traffic may require frequent cleaning and touch-ups.
- Prone to accumulation: Scratches or gouges can trap dirt and dust, making it more difficult to clean.
- Aesthetic limitations: Might not suit vintage pieces or antiques due to potential clashes in sheen.
What is gloss polyurethane?
There are two options of gloss polyurethane: semi-gloss and high-gloss polyurethane.
These offer a higher shine compared to satin and matte polyurethanes, resulting in increased slipperiness. Both finishes serve to enhance the innate characteristics of a surface while ensuring protection against erosive elements.
What is semi-gloss polyurethane finish?
Semi-gloss polyurethane enjoys more widespread use mainly because of its balanced sheen. It avoids extremes of glossiness or dullness. In many aspects, it shares similarities with both satin and high-gloss polyurethanes, offering a blend of their best features.
If maintained properly, this finish serves as a barrier against dirt, moisture, and other things that gradually deteriorate surfaces.
Typically oil-based, semi-gloss polyurethanes get that sheen from oils present in their composition. Although water-based polyurethanes generally present a lesser luster due to their chemical composition and lack of oils, there are also some of these options available.
Applications
The semi-gloss polyurethane finish complements a diverse range of wood and wood-derived surfaces, extending its applicability to materials such as metal and stone. Known for its aesthetic charm, resilience, and additional advantages, semi-gloss polyurethane finds its way onto hardwood floors, kitchen cabinets, tabletops, stairs, floors, railings, wood trims, vanities, chairs, window and door frames, nightstands, desks, and bed frames.
Pros of semi-gloss polyurethane finishes:
- Protective shield: It efficiently protects surfaces against dust, dirt, and abrasive substances.
- Enduring strength: Resists scratches, dents, and fingerprint marks.
- Color preservation: Slower color fading when compared to shinier finishes.
- Improved grip: Offers better traction compared to more reflective finishes.
- Aesthetic compatibility and adaptability: Its balanced sheen blends well with various interior design themes. It’s also versatile across many surfaces.
- Ease of use and upkeep: Simple to apply, touch up, maintain, and remove as needed.
Cons of semi-gloss polyurethane finishes:
- Increased maintenance: Semi-gloss finishes require more upkeep mainly due to their tendency to show defects more prominently.
- Touch-up challenges: Repairing a semi-gloss poly finish can be trickier as it requires ensuring uniform shine across the surface without any section appearing shinier than the rest.
- Compatibility concerns: The more reflective sheen of semi-gloss polyurethane may not suit certain furnishings, especially in vintage settings.
Differences between satin and semi-gloss polyurethane
There are some criteria to guide you in choosing the right type of polyurethane finish: cost, formula and VOC levels, ease of application, dry time, appearance, scratch resistance, sheen level, practicality, durability, and maintenance and cleaning requirements.
Cost
In terms of pricing, both satin and semi-gloss polyurethanes fall within a similar range at First Atlanta Flooring. You can choose from brands such as Bona, Pallmann, DuraSeal, Basic Coatings, and Absco. The most common prices range between $40 and $80 per can. The cost of polyurethane is predominantly influenced by its constituents, although factors like drying time and market demand also play a role.
The widespread use of semi-gloss polyurethane on the market might be a reason for its slightly lower price. Conversely, the satin finish might be considered less expensive because it doesn’t enhance wood surfaces as prominently as semi-gloss.
Formula and VOC Levels
Both satin and semi-gloss polyurethanes have similar compositions and VOC levels. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. VOCs are responsible for the odor of scents and perfumes as well as pollutants.
However, water-based polyurethanes generally contain lower levels of VOC compared to their oil-based counterparts.
Ease of application
Both satin and semi-gloss polys can be easily applied, permitting use with a paintbrush, roller, or sprayer. However, when opting for a sprayer, water-based polyurethane is more advisable. While applying oil-based poly with a sprayer is possible, it typically requires thinning with paint thinner or denatured alcohol to ensure proper spraying.
When applying polyurethane, make sure to ensure it’s uniform. Overapplication on a specific area may result in uneven shine upon drying. While a sprayer can provide a consistent finish if used skillfully, using a roller can help avoid brush marks for those uncomfortable with a sprayer.
Drying time
Oil-based polyurethane may take five to seven hours to dry, while water-based polyurethane dries within one to two hours.
However, it’s important to note that dryness doesn’t equate to complete curing. Oil-based satin or semi-gloss polyurethane typically undergoes a curing process lasting about a month, while water-based polyurethane requires around two weeks to cure fully.
The real sheen of polyurethane only becomes obvious post-curing. If satin polyurethane initially seems too glossy, giving it time to cure will reveal its actual muted sheen.
Appearance
When choosing between satin and semi-gloss polyurethane finishes, satin contains more flattening paste, resulting in reduced light reflection and a subdued appearance.
On the contrary, semi-gloss polyurethane contains less flattening paste, reflecting a substantial amount of light and presenting a shinier appearance. Both fall within the mid-range of sheen levels, with matte being the least reflective.
Scratch resistance
Satin polyurethane is better at masking surface imperfections when compared to semi-gloss polyurethane. Due to increased light reflection, flaws are more noticeable on a semi-gloss surface than on a satin finish. However, in terms of scratch resistance, semi-gloss polyurethane offers better durability than its satin counterpart.
Sheen level
Semi-gloss polyurethane boasts a 55% sheen level, positioning it below the high gloss category. Meanwhile, a satin finish stands at a 40% luster, preferred in many settings for its compatibility with various shades of hardwood floors.
Still, there are situations when the reflectiveness of semi-gloss becomes less desirable. For instance, in rooms furnished with items coated in semi-gloss poly, excessive natural or artificial light may create overwhelming reflections and discomfort.
Practicality
While a high gloss polyurethane finish holds greater visual appeal, its slippery nature often makes it impractical for household use. It’s more frequent in commercial settings.
Semi-gloss and satin urethanes are favored in homes because they offer less slipperiness. Moreover, satin urethanes are popular for concealing surface imperfections compared to high gloss finishes.
Durability
Oil-based polyurethane stands out for its superior durability when compared to its water-based counterpart. This is due to its composition, which also contributes to its sheen — specifically, the presence of oils that lend it its glossy appearance. So, whether you’re choosing satin or semi-gloss oil-based poly, you can expect very good resilience against erosive elements like grime, moisture, heat, UV rays, and most chemicals. While water-based polyurethane is durable as well, it doesn’t match the durability of oil-based polyurethane.
For high-traffic areas, a satin finish proves to be better since it effectively masks footprints and marks left by rain or snow. In contrast, in less frequently used spaces, a semi-gloss finish might be more suitable because there are no concerns about a glossy finish getting dirty quickly. The choice between the two ultimately depends on the frequency and nature of the area’s use.
Frequency of maintenance & cleaning
The frequency of maintenance and cleaning is primarily dictated by the regular exposure of the polyurethane to certain conditions. For instance, a floor treated with satin or semi-gloss polyurethane should undergo touch-ups approximately every month. In contrast, surfaces at lower risk of damage may require cleaning and touch-ups only two to three times a year.
Semi-gloss polyurethane tends to emphasize flaws such as scratches and gouges, requiring constant maintenance, while semi-gloss finishes encounter less frequent damage due to their general durability.
However, both polyurethane types are easy to maintain, with a routine that is neither time-consuming nor costly.
Which is better for hardwood floors: satin or gloss polyurethane?
Both options are used to coat hardwood floors, each having its own set of pros and cons. Satin finish is best for concealing imperfections, dirt, and similar things that diminish the floor’s appearance, yet it doesn’t entirely protect against the damage caused by these factors. On the other hand, a semi-gloss finish offers greater durability and enhances the natural beauty of wood surfaces. Even if it’s somewhat slippery, it remains the most popular choice for floor applications.
If you’re looking for the right products for your next hardwood flooring project, or have any questions or inquiries about our products and services, reach out to First Atlanta Flooring and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
