Hardwax oil
Oil soaks into the timber rather than sitting on top of it, so the grain stays tactile and the sheen is low. Damage is localised: a scratch can be cleaned, re-oiled and blended in a small area without touching the rest of the room. The trade-off is a re-oil every few years in high-traffic zones.
UV lacquer
Lacquer cures into a hard film over the surface. It resists spills and everyday scuffing well and needs nothing more than sweeping and a damp mop. When it does wear through — usually in a doorway or in front of a sink — you cannot patch it invisibly; the room needs re-coating.
Which we recommend where
Rentals and busy family kitchens usually get lacquer, because nobody is going to maintain an oiled floor on schedule. Owner-occupied period rooms and anywhere you want a natural, matte, close-to-raw look get hardwax oil.
- Oil: repairable in patches, matte, needs periodic re-oiling
- Lacquer: low maintenance, harder film, room-wide re-coat when worn
- Both are available brushed, smoked or stained on the same board
Site-finished vs factory-finished
Factory finishes are cured in controlled conditions and are ready to walk on immediately. Site finishing lets us colour-match to an existing floor or joinery and leaves no micro-bevel line between boards. Restoration work is site-finished by definition; new supply is usually factory-finished unless you want a bespoke colour.