Trying to decide if UV lacquer or UV oil is better for your hardwood floor can be a frustrating process. It feels like every website is telling you something different. But here at PurezaWood, as a wide plank hardwood flooring manufacturer that offers both UV oil and UV lacquer, we’re uniquely qualified to break down the pros and cons between the finishes. We’ll tell you the truth that no other companies will regarding these two types of finishes. We set straight some of the most common myths about UV lacquer vs UV oil.
Myth: UV oil looks and feels more like real wood while UV lacquer feels like plastic
Truth: When done right, UV lacquer looks the same as UV oil. While it’s true that UV oil creates a finish that feels more like real wood, ask yourself: when was the last time you felt a floor with your hands instead of your feet? While walking on the floor, you won’t notice a difference between the two types of finishes.
Myth: UV oil requires maintenance at the minimum every 6 months
Truth: True. UV oil needs frequent re-oiling. UV lacquer requires zero maintenance to maintain its fresh look. With UV oil, you’ll need to re-oil your floors every 3-6 months depending on how heavy the traffic flow is. And if you skip this re-oiling, your floors will show it. They’ll look aged prematurely and dull — your 3 year floor will look 10 years old. Meanwhile, with the UV lacquer, the floor is a maintenance-free product.
Myth: It’s easier to fix a scratch on UV oil than UV lacquer
Truth: It is a lot harder to scratch a floor finished with UV lacquer than it is for oil. The lacquer has an extra hard top coat that sits on top of the wood and acts as a protective layer. UV oil finish soaks into the wood, which means it doesn’t have a protective layer and is therefore easier to scratch.
A light scratch on UV oil flooring will scratch the wood; the same scratch on lacquer flooring won’t damage the wood. If there is a deep scratch to the wood, the type of finish won’t make a difference; the damage cannot be reversed. However, wood repair experts can easily fix light scratches to UV lacquer flooring.
Myth: UV lacquer creates a more durable floor than UV oil
Truth: While both finishes are durable, the floor’s durability depends on more than the finish. This is why it’s extremely important to use only the highest quality materials in every step of your floor’s manufacturing process.
Myth: UV oil is healthier than UV lacquer
Truth: Neither finish has negative health effects on the homeowner. At PurezaWood, we only use reputable brands for our finishes to ensure the quality of the floors and health of the homeowners.
Myth: UV oil is better overall than UV lacquer
Truth: Many hardwood flooring brands push for their customers to use oil products because it costs less to make; many companies also don’t have the capability to produce UV lacquer flooring in the first place. Making UV lacquer flooring is a much more complicated process that requires an on-site expert. In order to properly make lacquer-finished flooring, hardwood flooring companies need 4 times the labor, time, and utilities than oil-finished flooring.
The finishing line for lacquer floors is 4 times longer than for oil (200 ft vs 50 ft) and requires more land, which PurezaWood has thanks to owning our own factory. Key to making a high-quality UV lacquered flooring is having a master finishing expert onsite. Lacquer finish can’t be bought pre-mixed, and it requires an expert who can properly mix this finish at the factory.
PurezaWood has invested in hiring a master finishing expert because we believe in creating the best flooring for our customers. While everyone can make UV oil flooring, it takes extra dedication to make UV lacquer flooring, and only the highest quality companies offer it.