Water Based Vs Oil Based Polyurethane For Floors

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Water based vs oil based polyurethane for floors.

Durability of water based vs oil based polyurethane. There are many factors to think about when deciding on the finish of your hardwood floor. Woods with a hint of yellow in them already such as pine fir and ash become even yellower with an oil based finish. There s an ongoing debate over which is more durable long lasting.

An oil based polyurethane will continue to amber and darken over time while water based poly will remain clear for the lifetime of the hardwood floor. If you want your floor to stay the same color choose water based polyurethane. It s due to the chemical makeup. Some still insist that durability is the main deciding factor between water based oil based polyurethane.

The water based material is more expensive so often you will pay around 10 25 more. Wood that is gray white or light looks better with a clear coat i e a water based finish. The biggest difference is in appearance. But on top of the initial cost you also need to consider that you will need to redo the whole job sooner you will probably redo them almost twice as often.

Oil based used to be unquestionably more durable. This color difference is less noticeable over a stained hardwood floor but an oil based poly will still exhibit an amber hue that will continue to darken over time. We ve given some key points to consider when making your decision oil based poly is simply more durable and lasts about twice as long as water based polyurethane. Water based and oil based polyurethane each offer good protection.