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Advice

Engineered Wood Flooring Finishes: Types & Benefits

Written by: Yarl Christie

Published on: June 08, 2023

What Are The Different Finishes of Engineered Wood Flooring?

Engineered wood floors come in a variety of different finishes. Each provides a differing level of protection, while also impacting the floor’s aesthetic design.

Illustration of various engineered wood flooring finishes, featuring a layout of planks and a colour gradient strip, highlighting options for oil, lacquer, and other finishes.

To help you make the best decision we have detailed the different finish options of engineered wood flooring available.

Oiled Finish Engineered Planks

Many of our engineered wood floors come with an oiled finish. A high-quality oil is applied to the real wood veneer and from there it seeps through to the layer’s underneath. This provides a very strong protection, allowing you to sand the floor down and simply reapply the oil to any damaged areas, rather than having to re-oil the entire floor.

Brushed oiled finish engineered wood flooring in a herringbone pattern, showcasing natural wood grain and varying tones.

Unless the floor has been UV oiled, it will be susceptible to fading when exposed to natural sunlight. Oiled finished engineered wood flooring tends to give the most natural and authentic appearance.

Lacquered Finish Engineered Planks

Another popular finish, lacquered floors have a glossy and smooth appearance. Unlike the oiled finish, when the lacquer is applied to the surface of the wood, it doesn’t seep through. This means it is only the surface of the wood which is protected. However, it also means that the surface is highly resistant against daily wear and tear, including scratches.

Lacquered finish engineered wood flooring with a glossy surface, showcasing natural wood grain patterns and textures.

Another benefit to lacquered engineered wood flooring, is that it isn’t as susceptible to fading as an oiled engineered wood floor.

Smoked Finish Engineered Planks

One of the more unusual finishes available is the smoked finish. This means the wood has been placed into a confined space with ammonia added to the atmosphere. This causes the wood to darken, creating a beautiful smoky appearance.

Smoked finish engineered wood flooring showcasing a rustic, aged appearance with visible grain patterns and knots, ideal for traditional interiors.

Smoked engineered floors tend to have an aged and rustic design, making it a popular choice for those more traditional, cottagey interiors.

Brushed Finish Engineered Planks

You will find that some of our engineered wood floors come with a brushed finish. This means the top layer of wood has been brushed away to reveal the older, harsher grains underneath. Floors with this style of finish tend to look much more authentic.

Brushed finish engineered wood flooring showcasing natural grain patterns and textures, ideal for rustic and traditional interior designs.

You will also notice you can choose from a brushed lacquered or a brushed oiled surface. This refers to the level of protection provided to the floor, as well as its aesthetic appearance.

Whitewashed Finish Engineered Planks

Some of our engineered floors come with a striking whitewashed finish. The surface of the wood is brushed before being given a white stain coating. Due to its bright design, this style of finish looks especially great in darker rooms.

Whitewashed finish engineered wood flooring with a brushed texture, showcasing light tones and natural grain patterns, ideal for enhancing darker room aesthetics.

They are packed full of character and boast a chic, stand-out look which really enhances the room.

Unfinished Planks Engineered Planks

Although there are hundreds of great designs and colours to choose from, you may not find one which perfectly matches your needs. In this instance, we recommend our unfinished engineered wood floors.

Unfinished engineered wood flooring plank showcasing a natural wood grain finish, suitable for custom staining and coating options.

These are designed to allow you to finish the floor yourself, staining it or coating it however you like. We also offer samples so you can practice with different styles of finishes to find the right one for you.

Distressed Finish Engineered Planks

If you are looking to achieve a worn, antique look, floors with a distressed finish are ideal.

The distressed appearance is produced using a variety of processes. These include aging, sculpting, and brushing the planks. Distressed engineered floors come in a wide range of designs to suit any interior.

Distressed engineered wood flooring with a textured, antique appearance showcasing rich brown tones and visible grain patterns, ideal for achieving a vintage aesthetic in interior spaces.

When choosing the right finish for your home, consider the environment it is being installed, as well as your personal preferences. The finish is just one factor you need to consider when choosing a new floor.

About The Author

Yarl Christie

Yarl is the Managing Director of Stories Flooring. started his career in the flooring industry by becoming a floor fitter at the age of 18 (2004). Yarl finally decided to move with the times and set up an online flooring store (Flooring Yorkshire, 2018). He works closely with the business managers and resource team to source new products from wholesalers, which in turn brings down the sale price. This enables Stories Flooring to be one of the leading UK flooring retailers.