THE CHANGING FACE OF
FLOOR
FINISHES
By Bill Price
EPA regulations and new technologies
are changing the way we finish wood floors
Many species and patterns of wood
flooring have been used for hundreds of
years. But no matter what type of wood
floor or where it is used-whether
kitchen or bedroom, residential or commercial-
they all have one thing in
common. They all need finishes to protect
them from moisture and wear.
While the flooring itself has changed
little over the years, the finishes have
gone through drastic changes in the last
35 years.
Shellac, varnish, penetrating seals,
and waxes were commonly used prior to
the early 1950s and are still used today
in some regions. But the