Choosing your Waterlox Finish
One question that we are asked frequently is, “Which Waterlox product(s) should I use on my floor?”  All  Waterlox Tung Oil Finishes offer a durable, protective  finish that is formulated for use on wood floors. It is available in satin, medium (semi-gloss), and gloss sheens. Your choice of sheen is a matter of personal preference. The sheen does not affect the product’s durability.

Tip: Regardless of the sheen desired, we strongly recommend applying a coat or two of our Original Sealer/Finish to your floor first to seal the wood and act as a  base coat for our satin or gloss products

Unfortunately there really is no “universal sheen level” standard in the wood coating industry.  Terms like “gloss,”  “semi-gloss,” and “satin” are subjective at best. Our gloss may be glossier than that of another manufacturer’s.  Your idea of what semi-gloss is might be someone else’s gloss… add to the mix that the same finish may look different an various wood species… our “Original Satin” may look glossier on Brazilian cherry than it does on yellow pine! While we do describe the sheen level of our products by using a “degree of gloss” scale,  we encourage our customers to always do a test area… that’s why we sell “trial sizes” of our most popular floor finishes.

Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish
55-degree sheen level is our “medium” or semi-gloss.  We recommend this product as the first coat for ANY floor finishing job. Used alone, it will give most floor surfaces a shiny but not “glaring” appearance.  It must look pretty good, as it is by far our most popular floor finish.

Original Satin Finish
25-degree sheen level, offers a  “subdued” level of gloss.  There is a sheen but very little reflection. Newly formulated for those who are looking for a subdued look.  Popular on “character” floors.   Note: Waterlox Original Satin Finish contains flattening agent which can settle to the bottom of the can. For best results use a paint shaker, and stir contents  during use.

Waterlox Original High-Gloss Finish
85-degree sheen level gives you our shiniest floor finish. When you desire a very reflective “glass” or  “gym floor” appearance.








The right Waterlox product and application for YOUR wood type
Wood, like all natural products, can vary in characteristics. Two boards of the same species of wood can vary in how they accept stain and finish due to differences in age, moisture content, and milling method.  It is recommended that you "test finish" a piece of scrap wood or an inconspicuous area of the floor to ensure your complete satisfaction.  How to “test finish” your wood: Most wood floor types can be divided into two categories, hardwood and softwood floors.  Most hardwoods require a total of 3 coats of one or more of our Waterlox Original product(s). Softer woods like pine or Douglas fir require 4 coats. The charts below describe the Waterlox products that you’ll apply to achieve the sheen that you desire for your wood type.

Tip: All Waterlox Original  products should be applied at 500 sq. feet per gallon per coat, using a lambswool applicator to ensure proper penetration and film build.

Waterlox for Hardwood Floors
(oak, ash, hickory, cherry, maple, walnut, teak, chestnut, etc.)
Applied at 500 sq. feet per gallon per coat of desired sheen

Desired Sheen	Waterlox Product and Application
Satin finish	25° Gloss Level 1 coat of Original Sealer/Finish 2 coats of Original Satin Finish
Semi gloss finish	55° Gloss Level 3 coats of Original Sealer/Finish Our most popular finish
Gloss finish	85°  Gloss Level 1 coat of Original Sealer/Finish 2 coats of Original High Gloss Finish

Waterlox for Softwood Floors
(pine, fir, poplar, etc.)
Applied at 500 sq. feet per gallon per coat Desired Sheen

Desired Sheen	Waterlox Product and Application
Satin finish	25° Gloss Level 2 coats of Original Sealer/Finish 2 coats of Original Satin Finish
Semi-gloss finish	55° Gloss Level 4 coats of Original Sealer/Finish Our most popular finish
Gloss finish	85°  Gloss level 2 coats of Original Sealer/Finish 2 coats of Original High Gloss Finish

How Much Finish Will I Need? 
Now that you have used the charts to determine the Waterlox product(s) that you will apply, you need to know how much finish you will need to coat your floors.  To determine the amount of finish needed, simply multiply the square footage of the floor times the number of coats needed and divide by 500.  Please use our Material Calculator to determine how much finish you will need to finish your floor.