Semi Gloss Vs. Full Gloss Polyurethane for Wood Floors

High-Traffic Areas

• In high-traffic areas, semigloss is the better choice. High gloss polyurethane is a harder finish but it will not hide scratches, nicks and scrapes. Any unevenness or flaws left in the wood after it is stripped and sanded will be glaringly magnified after the full gloss polyurethane finish dries. Scratches and scrapes that happen after the polyurethane dries are also more obvious on full gloss than semigloss.

Dirt and Dust

• High gloss polyurethane shows the dirt and dust on wood floors more than semigloss. They must be vacuumed or dusted more often if clean-looking floors are a high priority.

Stairs

• On stairs that do not have a carpet runner down the center, high gloss is a slightly better choice. High gloss polyurethane is actually slightly less slippery than semigloss. While stairs can be a high-traffic area, they are generally not subjected to the harsh punishment from high-heeled shoes and hard-heeled boots that high-traffic areas on a flat floor sustain.

Bright Lighting

• Rooms that are brightly lit, either naturally or artificially, should have a semigloss polyurethane finish instead of full gloss on a wood floor. Full gloss polyurethane is extremely shiny and reflective. Very shiny floors in brightly lit rooms can be distracting.

Best of Both

• Both full gloss and semigloss can be used on a wood floor to get the best qualities of both. Apply two coats of full gloss polyurethane with one coat of semigloss on top. Applying the polyurethane in this way will give the harder protection of full gloss on the wood with a better visible finish that hides dirt and wear. Full gloss polyurethane tends to coat the wood better, too. Be sure to allow plenty of drying time between coats and sand each coat, also referred to as buffing between coats, before applying the next coat.