The Easiest Way To Seal Hardwood Floors (And The Best Products To Use)

There's nothing quite like the warmth and luster of a hardwood floor that has been looked after properly. However, get it wrong, and hardwood floors can be a high-maintenance nightmare. Moisture will penetrate unprotected wood, causing boards to distort and leaving stains. The same can be true of any spilled liquid, so a key step in protecting your hardwood floors is to apply a sealer. It does sound like a bit of a chore though, so we've been looking at the easiest way to seal hardwood floors and the best products to use. There are numerous hardwood floor sealers to choose from, and some are definitely easier to apply than others. 

Water-based polyurethane like Bona Traffic HD Commercial (which is also for residential use) is recommended by professionals but is a two-part product that needs to be mixed carefully. Loba WS Easy Finish is also highly rated and comes ready to use straight from the can. So, as the name suggests, it is among the easiest ways to seal hardwood floors effectively. It is also a DIY-friendly choice that can be applied with a brush, T-bar, trim pad, or roller (we'll look at the process in detail in a moment). It is quick-drying and, in addition to being non-toxic, has low VOCs (volatile organic compounds), so it's more environmentally friendly than oil-based equivalents. Oil-based polyurethane is often recommended for high-traffic areas, but downsides include a strong odor and high VOCs, with some having long drying times.

For the purposes of this article, we're going to assume you have a new, unfinished hardwood floor. If it has an existing coating, there are a number of ways to bring old hardwood back to life you might want to try. You can still use a sealer, but different preparation is required.

Each water-based polyurethane has its own instructions, and these should be followed carefully. However, the process is usually similar. The hardwood floor should be clean, sanded, and free from dust. Vacuum it thoroughly. For application, you could use a brush (and they are good for awkward corners), but a T-bar, trim pad, or roller is faster. The Duratool 18-Inch Lightweight T-Bar will cover large floors quickly, although the Duratool Durafoam 10" Floor/Trim Pad is more affordable. Applicators should be synthetic so they don't drop hairs or fluff.

Most products require stirring, which should be done gently to avoid bubbles. Apply the polyurethane with your chosen tool in the direction of the wood grain. Allow it to dry. Bare wood will absorb a lot of the first coat, and it could look patchy, so a second coat will be needed once it is dry. It's vital to be patient, or you could ruin the finish. After the second coat, allow time for the surface to cure properly, following the manufacturer's advice. That's it. Applying water-based polyurethane to your hardwood floors is as easy as that.

Penetrating oils like tung oil, linseed oil, and Danish oil are another alternative. As the name suggests, these soak into the floor. Results can be beautiful, and because they penetrate the surface, they give deeper, longer-lasting protection than polyurethanes, which are eventually prone to wear. However, applying oils is quite a painstaking process, so they are far from the easiest sealers to use. Hardwax oils, which typically blend waxes with linseed oil, can also produce a deep, rich, and lasting finish, but again are time-consuming to apply.

To round out the subject properly, we need to include aluminum oxide, acid-cured, and moisture-cured urethane. However, while these can be more hard-wearing than polyurethanes, among several drawbacks are high VOCs, long curing times, and that all three need to be applied by professionals. Although they are effective, they are neither budget- or DIY-friendly ways to seal hardwood floors.

There are numerous ways you can damage your hardwood floors without noticing. Using a modern, water-based polyurethane as a sealer gives you less to worry about. However, while they do a terrific job, ongoing care is still important. Regular cleaning with a damp mop (and our secret ingredient for cleaning hardwood floors) will help protect your investment and ensure it keeps on providing that welcoming warmth for many years.