What Is A Sealed Floor

This is the most common type of wood floor.

What is a sealed floor.

Protip don t do this in the middle of the floor where you could stare at it for a few days. Sealed floors have been coated with a protective top coat such as varnish or polyurethane. They can be shiny high gloss or have a matte finish. To tell if your laminate floor is sealed or not go to an inconspicuous area of the floor the back of a closet perhaps and start with the water bead test.

Almost all hardwood floors are sealed even if the seal is just a coat of penetrating oil and a layer of paste wax. Each type performs a particular way at varying price points with different qualities and produces a specific finish. If you have an older home a country home or perhaps a historic home you may have an unfinished wood floor. Many newer homes today have sealed hardwood floors.

The sealant world is vast and covers a multitude of options. Gentle cleaners are best for any hardwood floor finish but oiled and waxed floors require a type. Technically speaking a sealer is a product used to enhance and protect concrete. Place a drop of water on the floor.

If the water soaks in or the floor changes color it is unsealed. Sealing the wood protects the floor from moisture which is the floor s worst enemy. Sealed wood will not change color when coated with water or if left too long the sealer will turn white but bare wood will darken. If it beads sits there looks at you and says whatchya gonna do it s sealed.

Most laminate flooring is sold already sealed but it is obtainable in an unfinished state. In the meantime there s a quick way to test and see if your hardwood is sealed or not. Understanding what a sealed hardwood floor is and how to take care of one properly is critical to the life and durability of hardwood flooring.