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Hardwood Floor Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the terms you'll encounter when researching floor restoration.

Acrylic and Wax BuildupLayers of wax or acrylic products that accumulate on hardwood floors over time, causing dullness, stickiness, and adhesion problems for new finish coats.

Buff and CoatAnother name for a screen and recoat—using a floor buffer to lightly abrade the existing finish before applying a fresh protective coat.

Engineered HardwoodA flooring product made of a real hardwood veneer bonded over a plywood or HDF core, offering greater dimensional stability than solid hardwood.

Floor Sheen (Matte, Satin, Semi-Gloss, Gloss)The level of light reflectivity in a hardwood floor finish, ranging from matte (minimal shine) to high-gloss (mirror-like reflection).

Hardwood Floor FinishThe protective coating applied to hardwood floors that provides durability, sheen, and protection against moisture, scratches, and wear.

Hardwood Floor RefinishingA full restoration process that sands hardwood floors down to bare wood, then restains (optional) and applies multiple new coats of finish.

pH-Neutral Floor CleanerA cleaning product with a neutral pH (around 7) that cleans hardwood floors without breaking down the finish, unlike acidic or alkaline cleaners.

Polyurethane FinishThe most common type of hardwood floor finish—a clear plastic resin that cures to a hard, durable protective coating available in water-based and oil-modified formulas.

Screen and RecoatA floor maintenance process that lightly abrades the existing finish with a screen pad, then applies a fresh coat—restoring shine and protection without sanding to bare wood.

Solid HardwoodTraditional hardwood flooring milled from a single piece of wood, typically ¾" thick—the most durable and longest-lasting wood floor type.

Water-Based vs. Oil-Based FinishThe two main categories of hardwood floor finish, differing in dry time, odor, color tint, and durability characteristics.

Wear LayerThe top layer of a hardwood floor that absorbs daily foot traffic and scratches—for solid hardwood this is the entire board thickness; for engineered hardwood it is a distinct veneer layer.

Looking for comparisons?

Our comparison guides put these terms side by side to help you choose the right service—recoating vs. refinishing, professional vs. DIY, and more.

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