Engineered wood flooring is an every-stylish and practical choice for any home design, providing homeowners the chance to experience the beauty of real wood floors with enhanced durability and strength. However, choosing the best finish for engineered wood flooring can make a big difference throughout the home. the right finish will not only impact the overall aesthetic of your floor but also the longevity and maintenance it takes to keep it looking its best.
The best option for you depends on many factors, some of which include foot traffic, aesthetic preference, and how much upkeep you’re willing to put into the space. High-traffic areas like hallways and living rooms need something a little more durable and protective, while a softer, more natural look might be better suited for low-traffic rooms. Some finishes, like lacquered or UV oiled, offer resilience against sunlight and scratches, while others like brushed and oiled or hand scraped, enhance the natural wood textures and characteristics for a rustic finish.
We’re here to help you decide which finish is best for you and your home, whether you’re looking for a sleek, contemporary feel, or something with a little more rustic charm.
Brushed and Lacquered
Brushed and lacquered engineered wood flooring goes through a process where a wire brush is swept across the surface, to scrape the first layer of fresh wood away and expose the older wood underneath, highlighting its authentic wood grain, knots and texture. The benefit of this is that it will be harder to notice scratches and scuffs across the floor as they appear over time. Brushed and lacquered flooring is then lacquered, offering that same traditional wood aesthetic with a layer of strong, protective coating that even protects your floors from the potential damage sunlight can cause. This particular feature makes it a great flooring for conservatives and sunrooms.
Above, Langdale Natural Engineered Wood Flooring 14mm Brushed & Lacquered
Brushed and Oiled
Brushed & oiled engineered wood flooring uses a similar process to that of brushed and lacquered, in that the initial process involves the fresh wood being removed from the surface with a wire brush to expose the natural beauty and detail of the wood. This gives the flooring a lot of extra character, concealing scratches and marks across your home, further making it ideal for high-traffic spots. When the process of brushing is complete, then the wood is oiled. Doing this improves the overall strength of the flooring, and enhances the aesthetic of the authentic wood knots and grains. Brushed and oiled engineered wood flooring needs to be re-oiled periodically, but this isn’t a hard job to accomplish!
Above, Hartwell Natural Engineered Wood Flooring 14mm Brushed & Oiled
Brushed and UV Oiled
Brushed and UV-oiled engineered wood flooring goes under the same process, where its fresh wood is brushed to highlight the natural knots, grains and variation. It then gets oiled, similarly to the bushed and oiled finish, however, this layer is then cured in UV light, resulting in a finish that is incredibly strong, low maintenance, and aesthetically pleasing! This method provides a textured, natural look with extra protection against scuffs and marks. Brushed and UV oiled is a preferred finish for those looking for a rustic and “well-loved” look.
Above, Anglesey Grey Oak Engineered Wood Flooring 10mm Brushed & UV Oiled
Lacquered
Engineered wood flooring with a lacquered finish has a smooth surface, as the lacquer sits on top of the wood itself, creating a strong protective layer. This finish is known to be easy to clean and resistant to spills and splashes, making it ideal for use in the kitchen! This finish, aesthetically, often offers a glossy, polished finish that reflects light around the room, providing a more vibrant and airy scheme. A lacquered finish is also great at protecting your floors from sunlight, so would be ideal for rooms that catch a lot of natural sunlight.
Above, Grande Rustic Oak Engineered Flooring 14mm x 180mm Lacquered
Invisible Oiled
An invisible oiled finish offers a natural, authentic look while providing the same quality level of durability and ease of maintenance as oiled engineered wood. The main difference between oiled and invisible oiled engineered wood flooring is that with invisible oiled, the oil actually soaks into the wood itself, rather than sitting on top like it does with oiled engineered wood flooring. The benefit of the oil soaking into the wood is that it enhances the look of the wood grain without altering the wood’s natural colouring. This makes invisible oiled engineered wood flooring ideal for homeowners seeking a detailed, natural wood floor design.
Above, Alpes Grey Oak Herringbone Engineered Wood 15mm Invisible Oiled
Smooth Lacquered
Smooth lacquered engineered wood flooring is a sleek, durable, and easy-to-maintain option for the home, offering the same protective layer as lacquered flooring, with a few key differences that set it apart. One of the most important differences to note between lacquered and smooth lacquered engineered wood flooring is the level of sheen that you see across the surface. Smooth lacquered is less of a polished look than lacquered flooring, providing a more refined, natural wood appearance. This enhances the gorgeous natural wood grain we all love!
Above, Parquet Oak Herringbone Engineered Wood 10mm Smooth Lacquered
Hand Scraped
Hand-scraped engineered wood flooring offers an aged, worn, rustic statement piece for interiors. and-scraped floors used to be a very expensive option for homes, as it was a manual, labour-intensive process that took time and resources. However, with modern flooring technology and machinery, that same rustic hand-scraped finish can be easily replicated for a much more affordable price. It’s all about aesthetics with this option, with the choice to finish the floor exactly how you wish or leave it completely unfinished for a highly varied, “well-loved” look.
White Washed
White-washed flooring goes through the wire brush process, where it gets brushed enough for the top layer of wood to get removed, exposing the natural beauty of the wood knots and grains. the wood then gets treated with a white stain, which results in a beautifully bright and airy wood design. White-washed floors are an effortless way to open a room up, so are perfect for smaller rooms that need a little extra light.
Smoked
The process for smoked engineered wood flooring is by placing the wood in a confined space and pumping ammonia into the space. The ammonia that is in the air then reacts with the food and creates a darker, smokier colouring across the surface of the wood, for a hardwearing, timeless look.
Above, Medio Storm Oak Engineered Flooring 14mmx130mm Lacquered
Conclusion
Choosing the best finish for your engineered wood flooring really comes down to your individual taste, practical needs, and the overall design and style you envision for your home. Whether you prefer something a little more sleek and contemporary with the appeal of a smooth lacquered finish, or the authentic warmth of brushed and oiled floors, there is a perfect match for every home design. Remember, a well-chosen finish not only enhances the beauty of your floors but also ensures its longevity and ease of maintenance. We would love to see your finished projects, so tag us in pictures on Instagram, @Tilemountainuk, and share your beautiful spaces with us!
