Home / Wood Flooring Finishes Guide
Oiled, lacquered, brushed, smoked or limed — how to choose the right finish.
The finish defines how a wood floor looks, feels and wears. The same oak board can read warm or cool, matt or satin, rustic or refined, depending entirely on how it is finished.
Oiled floors look and feel natural and can be refreshed in busy areas without sanding the whole floor. Lacquered floors offer a tougher surface film and a little more sheen. For most Cambridge homes we recommend a hardwax-oiled finish for its natural look and ease of repair.
We develop bespoke colours and finishes to match your interior, with full-size samples to approve in your own light before any floor is made.
Finishing and supply across Cambridge and beyond:
Both are excellent. Oiled is more natural and easily repaired; lacquered is tougher with more sheen. We will recommend based on your room.
Yes — we develop bespoke finishes and provide full-size samples to approve.
Sweep regularly, clean with a barely-damp mop and pH-neutral cleaner, and re-oil busy areas occasionally.
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The finish on a wood floor decides how it looks, how it feels underfoot and how you live with it. The two main families are lacquer and oil, with brushing and colour layered on top.
A matt lacquer sits on the surface as a hard, protective film — very durable, low-maintenance and ideal for busy kitchens and family rooms, though a worn area generally needs the whole floor refinished. An oil soaks into the timber for a softer, more natural feel that can be spot-repaired and re-oiled in place, at the cost of a little more routine care.
Brushing the board before finishing opens the grain for a tactile, characterful surface that hides wear. Colour — from limed whites and greys to smoked browns — is built in at the finishing stage, and our bespoke service can mix a tone to match a specific scheme. Whatever you choose, we will prepare a sample in your own light first.
Neither is simply better — lacquer is tougher and lower-maintenance, oil feels more natural and is easier to spot-repair. The right choice depends on the room and how you want to look after it.
Yes, when it is sanded back to bare wood a floor can be re-toned with a stain or coloured oil before sealing. It is the ideal moment to change its character.