Raw flooring has incredible charm, but it stains too easily. There’s only one solution: protect it by varnishing, oiling, or waxing. Varnishing a floor offers a refined decoration and a finish resistant enough to protect your parquet well, but it also has disadvantages. What are the advantages and disadvantages of varnishing a floor?
Varnishing your floor: undeniable advantages
– The high resistance of varnish: one of the primary advantages of a varnished floor is its extreme resistance to external aggressions: it is indeed scratch and dirt-proof, as the varnish protects the wood for many years, even up to 15 years. The high resistance of varnish makes it a perfect finish for areas with heavy foot traffic such as hallways or living rooms.
– Varied finishes: although varnished floors are considered less aesthetic and less authentic than oiled or waxed floors, the products applied today offer a wide choice of shades and give the varnished parquet a beautiful appearance, whether glossy, satin, or matte. Nowadays, you can even find varnishes that allow you to achieve an aged, patinated, waxed, or oiled finish.
– Easy to maintain floor: varnished parquet is the easiest finish to maintain. After sweeping or vacuuming, simply mop the floor to make it impeccable. Totally waterproof thanks to its thin layer of transparent varnish, the varnished floor doesn’t absorb stains and doesn’t let liquids penetrate. Over time and with washing, the varnish may lose some of its shine, but it’s enough to polish it every six months to restore all its brilliance.
But also disadvantages
– You can’t just varnish one area: it happens that only a few specific areas are really damaged, but unfortunately, it’s not possible to sand and re-varnish only parts of the parquet, as the connections are not homogeneous. There’s then no choice but to treat the entire room to achieve a uniform color.
– Varnish is not the most aesthetic finish: although pleasant to look at, varnished parquet doesn’t have as much charm as a waxed or oiled floor, two finishes that offer a more authentic look.
– It emits a strong odor: the smell of varnish is strong, unpleasant, and some products are even toxic. This is why, during application, it’s generally essential to wear a full mask and relocate residents.
– Varnishes are often harmful: even if residents leave the house during the work, the most sensitive people may experience side effects for up to several weeks after varnishing, as the concentration of solvents contained in the varnish and the level of air toxicity decrease over time, but don’t disappear completely immediately. Varnish also contaminates food: it’s therefore necessary to remove all non-vacuum-sealed food from the house before the work to avoid any risk of contamination.
– Some varnished floors yellow over time: parquets varnished with an oil-based varnish like crystal can yellow after several years, especially if the floor is heavily exposed to light. It’s then necessary to sand the wood and varnish it again.
Even if it has disadvantages, varnishing a floor allows it to be effectively protected from external aggressions for several years. Moreover, varnish still remains to this day the best solution for people who want to have a floor that is easy and quick to maintain.
