Hardwood is an excellent choice for flooring, especially here in Boise, Idaho, where we have four regular seasons and fairly predictable weather patterns. The sheen on your hardwood floors is the level where you get luster or glow from the flooring finish. Having hardwood flooring involves a lot of decision making, and here again, you have a choice to make. What are the different hardwood flooring sheen options? You may be excited to choose because of the variety of different, distinct results you get with different types of sheen. Alongside choosing the color of stain, picking the right sheen for you can be one of the best parts of having hardwood floors.
The type of sheen on the floor is a big detail. It determines how much light is reflected off of your floor and therefore the amount of light and the ambiance in the room where your hardwood floor is. You need to be happy with your result, and you need to be aware of what happens with different types of sheens. The glossier your floors are, the more they show imperfections and dirt. There are four levels of sheen and here we will go over all of them and their pros and cons.
First, we have matte. This will leave your hardwood floor with a natural look. It is low gloss and has about 25% luster. Matte sheen is good for high traffic homes and homes with pets. This is because it hides imperfections and dirt well. Some people think that matte is not a good choice because it can make your floors look dull. However, other people argue that it is a great decision to make because it makes your floors look clean and that type of vibe is desirable. So really, a matte sheen is a matter of taste. It just depends on if it’s right for you or not.
Next, we have satin sheen. This is the most popular type in Boise, Idaho and is fairly easy to keep clean. It has about 40% luster to it and it disperses light without showing all of the imperfections and dust. A satin sheen will look newer for a longer period of time than a high gloss sheen will. It will give your home a formal, classic look that will tie together different types of furniture sets and highlighted colors in the house.
Third, we have a semi-gloss sheen. This is a bit harder to keep up with. This is a shinier look for your floor, with about 55% luster. You’ll need to clean it more often, and you will start to see imperfections and scratches sooner with this type of sheen, but not as much so as you would with a glossy one.
Finally, we have the glossy sheen. This is not very popular in homes, but it is an option. You will see glossy sheens in places like basketball courts and bowling alleys. They reflect a lot of light and look shiny. You will need to clean these floors daily because they show all imperfections and dirt due to the amount of light that reflects off of them. A glossy sheen is definitely not a good choice for a busy home.
Each of these four levels offer a different look and feel for your home. Usually, functionality is one of the biggest aspects to consider when you are choosing a sheen. Whatever you do, be sure to choose the one that goes with the overall aesthetic of your home. This will ensure that you are happy with the look of it for longer.