Matte vs Satin red oak wood floors and dogs

2 years ago

Okay so we’re renovating and just put in red oak floors. Decided to go with minwax provincial stain as it seemed to be a nice neutral medium brown without the red orange of many other options.
We like simple classic casual and above all low maintenance 🤪. Floor finish options of matte vs satin… we don’t baby our floors, we have dogs and kids!
Photo shows provincial on left which we chose (over the early American to the right that looked too amber).

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typeandrun

2 years ago

We have what flooring mfr called a cashmere finish, that hides everything. There is no sheen whatsoever on our floors, though there is a finish. We have dogs, and regular visits of sticky but loveable grandkids. The floors take a beating and still look great

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Comments (8)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
IMO kids and dogs and hardwood are never a great combo so when finishing this flooring ask the refinisher what finish they think is best with the issues. My gut says matte but I could be very wrong. No matter what you choose the dogs will need claws clipped on avery regular basis.
chispa
2 years ago
Kids, dogs and hardwood work just fine ... you just need to have the correct expectations that it is a floor and will get wear and tear and it is not some precious priceless antique table!

Matte will probably hide scratches better, but I think I remember people saying that their matte floors showed "sweaty" footsteps when walked on. You might want to search some old thread on the building forum.

We went with engineered floors with a rustic look with hardwax oil finish and so far really happy with the decision. The finish is closer to matte, but has a very slight shine.
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cpatte2
Original Author
2 years ago
Yeah I’m fine with them wearing. Just reading conflicting info over easier care and which shows the inevitable scratches more. My thought was a shiner floor would make the scratches more prominent 🤷🏻‍♀️
kara0303
2 years ago
Trying to decide this very thing as well. Floor stain samples are going on the floor next week and I've told them Matte finish but now scrambling to be sure matte and not satin. I have dogs as well. Did you happen to decide? Would you post pics once complete either way, pretty please?
Carol Demas
2 years ago
I think you might be happy with satin. My 67-year old maple parquet was recently refinished using 3 coats of satin polyurethane. I also got a few new pieces laid down in my bedroom and had a devil of a time matching the older reddish finish but after copious experments I settled on one coat of minwax polyshades honey on top of one coat of early american.

i don't clip the dogs' nails but we walk about 3 miles a day on mostly pavement.

this is satin.
cpatte2
Original Author
2 years ago
Our floor guy recommended satin. We went with that and the stain color is Minwax Provincial. It looks nice and it will just be a matter of time to see how it wears. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I would have liked a bit lighter stain but we put in red oak and this was the best I saw to keep a nice neutral brown (not yellow orange red).
H Gilbert
last year
Is this a satin finish or a matte finish?