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Better, or Just Safer? How to Know a Wood Floor Lacquer Is Good Before It Goes Down

Five questions to ask before choosing a wood floor lacquer, shown with a lacquer tin on an oak floor

It is the night before a big kitchen job. The floor is booked for sanding tomorrow, the client wants it finished by Friday, and you are ordering the lacquer. Ask most contractors what they are looking for and they will say the best finish. Watch what they actually order and it is something different: the one least likely to let them down.

That is not a criticism. It is how sensible people make decisions when they cannot see inside the tin. We rarely choose one product over another because we think it is better. We choose it because we are more certain it is good.

So the useful question when choosing a wood floor lacquer is not which one claims to be the best. It is how you can be certain a finish is good before it goes down on a paying job. This guide sets out five questions you can ask of any lacquer, explains why the words on the tin cannot answer them, and shows how Arboritec answers each one.

The short version

  1. Claims are cheap. Every tin says durable and hard wearing, so the label alone cannot give you certainty.
  2. Five questions cut through it: who makes it, what is in it, how the chemistry works, who supports it, and whether the maker invests in you.
  3. Then test it yourself. A sample board you have made and abused yourself is worth more than any brand name.

The question was never which lacquer claims to be best. It is which one you can be certain of.

01
The problem

Why the words on the tin cannot give you certainty

Every lacquer on the market says it is durable, hard wearing and easy to apply. Those are cheap claims: they cost nothing to make, so anyone can make them. They tell you what the maker wants you to believe, not what the finish will do in a hallway with two dogs.

  • Everyone uses the same wordsWhen every tin promises toughness, the promise stops carrying any information.
  • A familiar name proves marketing, not chemistrySeeing a brand everywhere online tells you about advertising budget and distribution. It is a reasonable shortcut, because a big name has a reputation to protect, but it says nothing about what is in the tin.
  • The failure shows up laterA finish that goes on beautifully can still wear through in a year. By then the client is living with it, and you are the one they call.
Certainty comes from things that are hard to fake: where a product comes from, what is in it, how it works, who stands behind it, and whether the maker invests in the people using it.
02
The checklist

Five questions to ask of any wood floor lacquer

Use these whatever brand you are looking at. A finish that answers all five clearly is one you can trust on a paying job.

QuestionA good answer looks likeWhy it matters
Who makes it, and for how long?A named manufacturer with years of floor finish historyA long track record is a reputation the maker cannot afford to lose
What is in it, and will they tell you?Current SDS and TDS, and real answers when you askOpenness is a sign of confidence in the formula
What does the chemistry actually do?A clear explanation of how the film resists wearA mechanism you understand is one you can explain to a client
Who answers when something goes wrong?Someone technical who has done the job themselvesSupport only matters on the day you need it
Will the maker invest in you?Training and recognition from the manufacturer itselfNobody spends money training people on a product they expect to fail
03
The answers

How Arboritec answers the five questions

Question oneWho makes it, and for how long?

Founded
1999
Where
Jörlanda, west coast of Sweden
First name
Nanofloor
Synteko
Floor finishes since 1944

Arboritec was founded in 1999 by a small team of Swedish coatings specialists. They set out to solve a problem contractors had lived with for decades: how to make a waterborne floor finish that performs like the old solvent based systems, without the fumes. Their answer was ceramic nanoparticles built into the lacquer, and they developed their first products under the Nanofloor name, after the technology itself.

Arboritec is owned by the Swedish industrial group Röko, and in 2019 it also took over Synteko, a Swedish floor finishes business founded in 1944. The name may be new to many UK contractors, but the company behind it has been making floor finishes for longer than most of us have been sanding them.

Question twoWhat is in it, and will they tell you?

Safety data sheets and technical data sheets are available across the Arboritec range, and when a question comes up that the paperwork does not answer, it goes straight to Arboritec's R&D team in Sweden.

An example

The nano ceramic in Vibrant primer does not appear in Section 3 of its safety data sheet. That is not an omission. Arboritec's R&D team confirmed the particles are chemically bonded into the polymer itself rather than added as a separate free ingredient, so they are not listed as one. A maker that will explain a detail like that is comfortable with you looking closely.

Question threeWhat does the chemistry actually do?

  • Bonded nano ceramicArboritec primers and lacquers contain ceramic particles under 14 nanometres across, surface treated so they bond chemically into the resin as it cures. Think of steel reinforcing bar tied into concrete, compared with gravel scattered on top. Loose particles are passengers in a film. Bonded ones carry load, from primer right through to topcoat.
  • A primer that fills, not just coatsParticles that small can get into the open pores and micro fissures sanding leaves behind, which are the same routes oils and extractives use to migrate up into a finish. That is why Vibrant is the primer to look at on awkward species such as iroko, always with a test patch first.
  • Crosslinking for toughnessAvenue 2K and Genuine 5 use Dual Cure Technology: water evaporates to form the film while the hardener crosslinks the resin into a tougher, more chemically resistant network. Classic+ is a 1K with a built in ADH crosslinker, so it keeps crosslinking as it cures without any mixing.
  • More build per coatPolyRapid shares the Classic+ formulation at a higher viscosity, so each coat lays down a thicker wet film. That makes a full system of primer plus two coats of PolyRapid.
Most primers coat the wood. Arboritec's primer fills it.

Question fourWho answers when something goes wrong?

  • One point of accountability. HF Flooring Supplies is Arboritec's sole UK distributor, so there is no chain of resellers passing your question along.
  • People who do the job. You speak to people who sand and finish floors themselves.
  • A short line to the chemist. Anything we cannot answer goes directly to Arboritec's technical and R&D staff in Sweden. When a job throws up an unusual timber, an old contaminated floor or an odd reaction, that matters more than any promise on a label.

Question fiveWill the maker invest in you?

This is the hardest signal to fake. Anyone can say they are committed to the UK market. Flying senior people over to train contractors in person costs real time and money, and that tells you far more about how long a manufacturer plans to be here than any words could.

Arboritec training course, 4 and 5 February 2027

Arboritec's CEO, two of its technical team and its R&D manager will be in the UK for a two day wood floor coatings course run through HF. Contractors who complete it can join the Arboritec endorsed Approved Applicator register. Places are limited, so contact us to register your interest.

04
The cost

The price question: count it differently

The price per tin is the wrong way to judge any finish. Work it out per square metre, then per year of wear. The finish is a small part of the cost of a sanding job, yet it is the only part the client touches every day for years. A finish that holds up longer between recoats, and keeps callbacks away, is cheaper in the way that matters to your business.

  • Arboritec First Coat waterborne wood floor primer, 5L
    PrimerFirst CoatNano ceramic primer for most timbers£82.37 + VATTrade price shown after loginView product
  • Arboritec Vibrant deep ambering wood floor primer, 3.78L
    PrimerVibrantDeep ambering primer for awkward species£71.79 + VATTrade price shown after loginView product
  • Arboritec PolyRapid high build 1K wood floor lacquer
    1K lacquerPolyRapidHigh build 1K, primer plus two coats£102.31 + VATTrade price shown after loginView product
  • Arboritec Avenue 2K waterborne wood floor lacquer for heavy traffic
    2K lacquerAvenue 2KDual cure for the heaviest traffic£132.69 + VATTrade price shown after loginView product

Prices shown are our standard prices. Trade account holders see lower trade pricing once logged in.

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05
For contractors

How to find out for yourself

Certainty you have earned yourself is worth more than anything we can tell you. Here is a simple way to get it.

  1. Order for a job you know well. Pick a hallway or kitchen where wear shows quickly, and order the system online.
  2. Make a sample board. Finish one half with Arboritec and the other with your usual system, following each technical data sheet.
  3. Test it yourself. Once fully cured, drag keys across it, leave a damp glass on it overnight and try a drop of red wine. Use whatever your clients actually put their floors through.
  4. Show the client. Let them see the board and hear why you chose the finish. A contractor who has done the test has something better than a brand name to point to.
  5. Go back and look. Revisit the floor after a few months of traffic and judge it on how it has worn.

Want to see finished floors first? Our case studies show real jobs by named contractors.

06
For homeowners

If you are a homeowner reading this

You do not need to understand lacquer chemistry to make a good choice. Ask your floor sander three things.

  • Which exact finish, and how many coats? A good contractor will answer without hesitating.
  • Why did you choose it for this room? A busy kitchen or hallway needs a tougher finish than a bedroom.
  • What training have you had in applying it? Manufacturer training shows they have invested in doing the job properly.

If you would like an Arboritec finish on your floor, ask your floor sander about it, or contact us and we will help where we can. Still deciding on the type of finish? Our guide to oiled versus lacquered wood floors explains the difference.

07
Conclusion

Certain before it goes down

The key takeaways

  • People choose the finish they are most certain is good, not the one they think is best, and that is a sensible way to decide.
  • The words on the tin cannot give you certainty, because every tin says the same thing.
  • Five questions cut through the claims: who makes it, what is in it, how it works, who supports it, and whether the maker invests in you.
  • Arboritec answers all five: Swedish floor finish chemistry since 1999, open data, bonded nano ceramic and crosslinking chemistry, a single UK distributor with a direct line to R&D, and manufacturer led training.
The question was never which lacquer claims to be best. It is which one you can be certain of, and now you know how to check.

Try Arboritec on your next job

We are the sole UK distributor for Arboritec, with stock on the shelf and technical support from people who finish real floors. Log in to see your trade price.

  • Orders placed Mon to Fri before 2PM are dispatched the same day for next working day delivery
  • Not sure which Arboritec system suits a job? Contact us
Questions

Choosing a wood floor lacquer

How do I choose a wood floor lacquer?

Look past the claims on the tin and ask five questions. Who makes it and for how long? What is in it, and are the SDS and TDS available? How does the chemistry resist wear? Who gives technical support when something goes wrong? Does the manufacturer offer training? A finish that answers all five clearly is one you can be confident in. Then make a sample board and test it yourself before using it on a paying job.

Is Arboritec a reliable brand?

Arboritec has been developing professional floor finishes in Sweden since 1999, when its first products were developed under the Nanofloor name. It is owned by the Swedish industrial group Röko, and in 2019 it took over Synteko, a Swedish floor finishes business founded in 1944. HF Flooring Supplies is the sole UK distributor and provides technical support with a direct line to Arboritec's R&D team.

What makes Arboritec lacquer different from other waterborne lacquers?

Arboritec primers and lacquers contain ceramic particles under 14 nanometres across that bond chemically into the resin as it cures, rather than sitting loose in the film. The 2K lacquers, Avenue 2K and Genuine 5, add Dual Cure Technology, where a hardener crosslinks the resin for extra chemical and abrasion resistance. Classic+ uses a built in ADH crosslinker to toughen a 1K finish without mixing.

Which Arboritec lacquer should I use for a busy kitchen or hallway?

For the heaviest residential and commercial traffic, Avenue 2K is the usual choice because its hardener crosslinks the film for the highest chemical and abrasion resistance in the range. For a ready to use 1K, Classic+ or PolyRapid works well, with PolyRapid laying a thicker film per coat. Use an Arboritec primer underneath, and choose Vibrant on oily or extractive rich timbers such as iroko, with a test patch first.

Is a more expensive floor lacquer worth it?

Judge a lacquer by its cost per square metre and per year of wear, not per tin. The finish is a small part of the total cost of a sanding job but takes all the wear afterwards. A finish that lasts longer between recoats and avoids callbacks usually costs less over the life of the floor.

I am a homeowner. What should I ask my floor sander about the finish?

Ask which exact finish and how many coats they plan to use, why they chose it for your room, how to clean and maintain it, and what training they have in applying it. A professional should answer all of these clearly. The finish is the layer that takes the wear, so it matters as much as the sanding.

Where can I buy Arboritec in the UK?

HF Flooring Supplies is the sole UK distributor of Arboritec. The full range, including First Coat and Vibrant primers, Classic+, PolyRapid, Avenue 2K, Genuine 5, Genuine Naked and Nordic Elastic, can be ordered online from hfflooringsupplies.co.uk, with next working day delivery on orders placed Monday to Friday before 2pm.

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Wood Floor Lacquer Application Rate: Avoid Lap Lines

1. Introduction: The Floor Looked Perfect Until the Sun Came Through the Window

You’ve just finished the final coat. The floor looks flawless under the workshop lights, so you pack up, tell the client it’s ready, and head off to the next job. Three days later you get a call: “There are these faint lines running down the hallway — can you see them in this photo?” Under low, raking light — morning sun through a side window, or a lamp at floor level in the evening — a set of parallel streaks has appeared, running the exact width of your roller or applicator, spaced exactly where each pass overlapped the last.

Lap lines are one of the most common finish-quality complaints in wood floor refinishing, and they’re almost never a fault in the product. They’re a symptom of application rate — specifically, not enough finish going down per square metre for the coating to do what it’s designed to do. This article explains the mechanism behind lap lines, why “it looked even when I put it on” isn’t the same as “it was at the correct spread rate,” and how getting application rate right across your primer and lacquer coats is also what actually builds the protection you’re selling the client. We’ll use Arboritec’s system — First Coat, Seal Coat, Vibrant, Classic+, PolyRapid, and Avenue 2K — throughout, since it’s the only lacquer range HF Flooring Supplies stocks and every spread rate figure here comes straight from Arboritec’s own technical data sheets.

2. The Science of Flow, Levelling, and Wet Film Thickness

Every waterborne wood floor primer and lacquer is formulated to “flow and level” — meaning that once it’s on the floor, the liquid is meant to move slightly on its own, smoothing out roller stipple, brush marks, and the ridge where one pass overlaps the next, before it starts to dry. This isn’t automatic. It depends on there being enough liquid — enough wet film thickness — to actually flow.

Think of pouring golden syrup onto a warm pancake versus wiping a thin smear of it across with a knife. Pour a generous amount and it spreads out under its own weight, settling into a smooth, level layer with no ridges. Wipe on the thinnest possible smear and it stays exactly where the knife left it — every stroke mark, every overlap, stays visible because there simply isn’t enough volume of liquid to move and merge.

Wood floor lacquer behaves the same way. Arboritec’s own technical data sheets for Avenue 2K, Seal Coat, and Vibrant all use near-identical wording in the application instructions: apply a sufficient amount of product to ensure good levelling of roller or applicator marks. That’s not filler text — it’s the manufacturer telling you the spread rate figure on the same page is the minimum amount of wet film needed for the flow-and-level chemistry to actually work.

3. Why the Obvious Approach — Spreading It Further — Fails

A contractor who’s run short on a job, or who’s trying to make one tub stretch across a bigger area than it’s rated for, will often thin the application rather than order more product. It looks fine going on. Here’s why it doesn’t stay that way:

  1. A thinner wet film runs out of time to flow before it starts to set. Levelling only happens in the window before the coating begins to flash off and gel. Spread the same litre of product over more square metres and the film is thinner everywhere — which means it reaches that gel point faster, with less time and less material to smooth the overlap zones. The ridge where two passes meet doesn’t get the chance to melt into a single, continuous film.

  2. You lose the wet edge faster than you can work. Every waterborne finish needs the next pass to overlap into an edge that’s still wet, so the two merge into one film. Thin the application and that “still wet” window shrinks — by the time you’ve finished the next section and come back to lap in, the previous edge has already started to skin over. The result is a visible line, not a seam.

  3. “Looks even” and “at spec” are two different things. A coat can look perfectly uniform to the eye while sitting well below the product’s stated spread rate — waterborne lacquers are designed to look glassy and wet immediately after application regardless of how thin the film actually is. The lap lines and the thin dry film underneath both only become obvious once the coating has fully dried and cured, by which point the client has already seen it.

4. The Real Cost: Protection Is Built Coat by Coat, at a Specified Rate

Lap lines are the visible symptom, but the more expensive problem is invisible: under-spreading a primer or lacquer doesn’t just risk lap lines, it also means less dry film ends up on the floor than the system was designed to deliver. A wood floor’s wear resistance, chemical resistance, and scratch resistance aren’t abstract properties of the product in the tub — they’re properties of the cured film thickness that’s actually sitting on the wood, built up coat by coat. Spread a product too thin and you can apply the “correct number of coats” and still hand the client a floor that’s under-protected for the traffic it’s about to see.

This is exactly why Arboritec publishes a spread rate — in litres per square metre or square feet per gallon — for every product in its system, and why that number, not a visual check, is the actual specification:

ProductStated coverageCoats (typical system)
Arboritec First Coat (primer)10–12 m²/litre (50–60 m² per 5L tub)1 coat
Arboritec Seal Coat (primer)8–11 m²/litre (95–131 g/m² with a roller)1 coat
Arboritec Vibrant (primer)Approx. 9.8–12.3 m²/litre (400–500 sq ft/gallon per Arboritec’s TDS)1 coat
Arboritec Classic+ (1K lacquer)Approx. 9–11 m²/litre (45–55 m² per 5L tub)3 coats bare wood, or 2 coats over primer
Arboritec PolyRapid (1K lacquer)8–10 m²/litre2 coats over primer — see below
Arboritec Avenue 2K (2K lacquer)Approx. 9.8–12.3 m²/litre (400–500 sq ft/gallon per Arboritec’s TDS)2–3 coats over primer

Look closely at Classic+ against PolyRapid: PolyRapid has a noticeably lower spread rate — 8–10 m²/litre against Classic+’s 9–11 m²/litre — because it’s formulated with a higher viscosity (a 34/35-second rating, against a standard lacquer’s viscosity). That’s not a flaw or an inefficiency; it’s the entire point of the product. A higher-viscosity finish lays down a thicker wet film per coat at the same application effort, which is why Arboritec state that two coats of PolyRapid over primer deliver the same dry film build as three coats of Classic+. Application rate and viscosity are two sides of the same mechanism — they both control how much material actually ends up on the wood — which is exactly why you can’t compensate for spreading a product too thin by simply “adding another coat later” once the problem is already visible; you have to abrade back and correct it properly.

5. How to Get Application Rate Right on Every Job

  1. Check the TDS spread rate before you start, not while you’re applying. Work out the floor’s square metreage and calculate how many litres of primer and how many litres of lacquer you actually need at the manufacturer’s stated rate — don’t estimate by eye once you’re on your knees with a roller.
  2. Order enough product to hit the correct rate across the whole floor, with a margin. Running out mid-room and thinning the last few square metres to make a container stretch is the single most common cause of lap lines turning up in one specific area of an otherwise good job.
  3. Apply with the tool the TDS specifies. Arboritec recommends a 10mm roller for Avenue 2K, Classic+, and PolyRapid, and a lightweight T-bar applicator for the primers — the applicator affects how consistently the film thickness comes off in your hands, not just how it looks.
  4. Work in sections sized to your own speed, and always lap into a wet edge. Never come back to an edge that’s already started to flash off — if in doubt, work smaller sections rather than larger ones so you can always return to a genuinely wet line.
  5. Choose the right product for the coat count you need, rather than improvising with a standard one. If the job calls for fewer coats to save time on site, specify PolyRapid rather than thinning Classic+ or skipping a coat — the higher-build formulation is designed to deliver the same protection in fewer passes.
  6. Let each coat flow out undisturbed. Don’t go back over an area once it’s started to set to “fix” a patch you’re not happy with — that re-introduces exactly the ridge and lap-line problem the correct application rate was there to prevent. If a section genuinely needs correcting, let it dry fully, abrade, and recoat.

6. Conclusion

Lap lines aren’t a product defect and they’re not bad luck — they’re what happens when a waterborne primer or lacquer is spread thinner than the wet film thickness it needs to flow, level, and merge overlapping passes before it starts to set. The same under-application that causes lap lines is also quietly under-building the dry film that’s meant to protect the floor, coat by coat, at the rate the manufacturer tested and specified. Getting the application rate right — checking the TDS coverage figure, ordering enough product, and keeping a genuinely wet edge as you work — is what separates a finish that looks good in the workshop light from one that still looks good three years and a few thousand footsteps later.

Click here to shop the full Arboritec primer and lacquer range from HF Flooring Supplies and get the coverage rate right on your next job, first time.

Frequently Asked Questions — Wood Floor Lacquer Application Rate and Lap Lines

Q: What actually causes lap lines in a wood floor lacquer finish? A: Lap lines form where two overlapping passes of primer or lacquer meet but don’t merge into a single continuous film before the coating starts to set. This almost always happens because the product was applied at a lower rate — a thinner wet film — than the manufacturer’s stated coverage figure, giving the finish less material and less time to flow together at the overlap.

Q: How do I work out how much primer or lacquer I need for a floor? A: Measure the floor’s total square metreage, then divide by the product’s stated coverage rate from its technical data sheet — for example, Arboritec First Coat covers 10–12 m² per litre, so a 60 m² floor needs roughly 5–6 litres for one coat. Always round up rather than down, and calculate per coat if you’re applying more than one layer.

Q: Can lap lines be fixed once the lacquer has fully dried? A: Yes, but not by adding another coat on top without preparation. The affected area needs to be lightly abraded to key the surface and remove the visible ridge, then recoated at the correct application rate so the new coat can flow out properly. Spot-recoating without abrading usually just adds a second layer of the same problem.

Q: Does applying more product than specified give a glossier or better finish? A: No. Over-spreading past the stated rate risks pooling, sagging on any vertical surfaces like skirting, and a longer drying time, without improving durability — the manufacturer’s coverage figure is the tested rate for correct flow, levelling, and cure, not a minimum to be exceeded for a better result.

Q: What’s the practical difference between Classic+ and PolyRapid’s coverage rates? A: Classic+ covers approximately 9–11 m² per litre and is typically applied in three coats on bare wood (or two over a primer), while PolyRapid’s higher viscosity gives it a lower coverage rate of 8–10 m² per litre — meaning each coat lays down more material, so two coats of PolyRapid over primer deliver the same dry film build as three coats of Classic+.

Q: Why do temperature and humidity affect lap lines? A: Both primers and lacquers need a set window of open time to flow and level before they start to gel, and that window shortens in high temperatures or low humidity. Arboritec’s application instructions specify a 13°C–25°C range with 40–60% relative humidity, and recommend adding 2% Arboritec Extender in hot, dry conditions specifically to keep the open time long enough to avoid lap lines.

Q: Can I thin a waterborne lacquer with water to make it go further? A: No — Arboritec’s application instructions for Classic+, PolyRapid, and Avenue 2K all explicitly state not to dilute the finish. Diluting reduces the solids content of the film below what the product was formulated and tested at, undermining both the flow-and-level behaviour and the final dry film build regardless of how many coats you apply afterwards.

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1K vs 2K Waterborne Lacquer: What Independent Lab Testing Actually Shows

Large herringbone parquet floor finished with Arboritec Avenue 2K waterborne lacquer in a commercial public hall

When a contractor chooses between a single-component (1K) and a two-component (2K) waterborne lacquer, they’re usually weighing convenience against durability. The 1K is simpler — no mixing, no pot life to manage. The 2K demands more discipline on site. But how much does that trade-off actually cost in real-world performance terms?

We recently had access to independent application laboratory benchmark data comparing twelve professional waterborne parquet lacquers — seven 1K formulations and five 2K formulations — tested head-to-head on identical substrates under controlled conditions. The products included some of the most widely-used names in the professional flooring market. The results are instructive, and in some areas, striking.


How the testing was done

The benchmark used standardised professional coating test methods across three substrate types:

  • Opacity chart (80µm wet film, 1 week cure at 22°C/48% RH) — for chemical resistance, gloss, film appearance, and nail scratch
  • Oak wood (two coats at 120µm wet each, cured 24h then 1 week at RT) — for chemical resistance, BHMR, and scuff resistance
  • Glass (80µm bar coater, 1 week cure) — for König pendulum hardness and nail scratch

Every product was tested at the same film build, in the same conditions, with the same cure schedule. This matters — real-world comparisons between products often fail because application variables differ. Here, they didn’t.


Understanding the Taber abrasion test — and what it actually measures

Before getting to the numbers, it’s worth explaining the Taber abrasion test properly — because it’s widely quoted in product datasheets and just as widely misunderstood.

The Taber Test is a standardised wear testing machine used across the coatings, plastics, and flooring industries. A flat test specimen is mounted on a rotating turntable, and two weighted abrasive wheels bear down on it as it spins. After a set number of rotations — in this benchmark, 500 rotations at 1kg load — the specimen is weighed again and the difference in milligrams is recorded. Lower mg loss means less material removed, which means better resistance to that specific type of abrasion.

The CS-17 vs CS-10 wheel distinction

This is where it gets important for anyone interpreting Taber data from product datasheets — because not all Taber results are comparable, and manufacturers don’t always make the wheel choice obvious.

There are two wheels in common use for coating testing:

CS-10 (Calibrase, mild abrasion) — A relatively soft, resilient rubber-and-aluminium-oxide wheel that produces mild, fine abrading action. Taber Industries describes it as simulating “normal handling, cleaning, or polishing” conditions. In flooring terms, think of it as representing the cumulative effect of foot traffic grit, dry-mopping, and light daily abrasion — the kind of micro-scratching that builds up over months and gradually dulls a floor’s sheen. It is the wheel most commonly used by flooring lacquer manufacturers on their own commercial datasheets, and it tends to produce more flattering numbers than the alternative.

CS-17 (Calibrase, harsh abrasion) — A harder, denser wheel that produces significantly more aggressive abrasion. Taber’s own documentation describes it as producing “harsher abrasion than the CS-10 wheel.” In flooring terms, it more closely represents the kind of concentrated mechanical stress that occurs in high-traffic zones — heavy footfall on grit, furniture legs under load, or repeated rolling castor contact. The same lacquer will typically post a considerably higher mg loss figure on the CS-17 than on the CS-10, which is exactly why comparing two products tested on different wheels is meaningless.

The benchmark discussed in this post used the CS-17 wheel at 1kg load — the more demanding of the two standard options. This is significant context when reading the results below, and it’s also why these figures will look higher than the CS-10 numbers you may be used to seeing on manufacturer datasheets.

To illustrate the difference in terms of what each wheel is simulating: the CS-10 is asking “how does this lacquer hold up to everyday foot traffic and regular cleaning over time?” The CS-17 is asking “how does this lacquer hold up to the most punishing zone in the building — the entrance mat threshold, the bar servery, the corridor where every delivery trolley passes?” Both are valid questions. They just aren’t the same question.

What mg loss actually means in practice — and what it doesn’t

Here is the critical caveat that rarely makes it into product marketing: a Taber mg loss figure does not directly predict how long a lacquer will last before it needs maintenance or recoating.

The Taber test is a comparative tool, not an absolute durability predictor. It tells you how one product performs relative to another under identical controlled conditions. What it cannot tell you is the real-world timeline before a floor’s appearance deteriorates to the point where a client wants it refinished.

This matters for two reasons. First, the total film build on a real floor is considerably thicker than a test specimen, applied in multiple coats on a substrate with its own surface texture, porosity, and mechanical behaviour. Real-world wear is more complex than the contact mechanics of a lab specimen on a turntable. Second, and more importantly for wood floors: in practice, a lacquer finish is almost never worn through to bare wood before maintenance becomes necessary. What actually triggers refinishing is the loss of sheen in high-traffic zones — the progressive dulling and micro-scratching that makes a floor look tired — long before any meaningful film thickness has been lost.

A lacquer that loses 24mg over 500 CS-17 rotations at 1kg load does not mean the floor will wear through to bare wood in 500 footsteps. It means that under that specific, highly concentrated mechanical assault, it lost 24mg of material. The real-world implication is: relative to a product that loses 50mg or 70mg under the same conditions, it will take considerably longer to show visible dullness in traffic lanes, and considerably longer before a maintenance coat is needed.

With that context established, the results become genuinely useful.


Mechanical performance: where 2K pulls away

Taber abrasion resistance (CS-17 wheel, 500 rotations, 1kg load)

The 2K formulations tested posted Taber results between 11mg and 25mg. The 1K formulations ranged from 23mg to 72mg — with the worst-performing 1K losing nearly three times as much material as the best 2K.

Arboritec Avenue 2K recorded 24mg, placing it solidly in the upper tier of the 2K group. One 2K formulation in the test returned an unusually low 11mg — though its König hardness figure suggests a very different formulation balance that makes the headline number less straightforward than it appears.

Crucially, every single 1K product in the benchmark performed worse than every 2K product on Taber abrasion, without exception. The 1K range ran from 23mg at its best to 72mg at its worst. Even the strongest 1K result sat at the lower boundary of the 2K range.

In a busy restaurant corridor, a commercial retail entrance, or a hospitality environment with high-frequency wet cleaning, that gap translates directly into how frequently the floor needs maintenance attention. A product losing three times as much material under the same stress will show visible wear sooner, require maintenance coats sooner, and cost more to maintain across the floor’s lifetime.

König pendulum hardness

König hardness is measured in seconds of oscillation on glass: a pendulum is placed on the cured film surface, set swinging, and the time for it to damp to a defined amplitude is recorded. Longer oscillation time = harder film = greater resistance to indentation and deformation under point loading.

Avenue 2K recorded 99 seconds — the highest result among all five 2K formulations tested. Among the 1K group, König results ranged from 35 to 129 seconds — but this range requires careful interpretation.

Higher König hardness in the 1K group does not automatically mean a better overall finish. In coating formulation, hardness and chemical resistance are in tension with each other, and hardness must be read alongside chemical resistance data to understand what a formulation is actually doing. Several of the high-hardness 1K products in this benchmark posted very poor chemical resistance scores — suggesting brittle or insufficiently crosslinked films that are stiff but chemically vulnerable. A lacquer with high König hardness but zero resistance to 48% ethanol at 16 hours does not have good overall durability. It has a hard film. That is not the same thing.

Avenue 2K’s 99-second König result, read alongside its strong chemical resistance and low Taber loss, indicates a formulation that balances hardness, crosslink quality, and chemical integrity together — rather than optimising one metric at the expense of the others.


BHMR and scuff resistance: the real-world appearance test

This is where the benchmark becomes most directly relevant to what a floor looks like over the years of its working life — and it’s the section that deserves the most attention from anyone specifying or applying professional lacquer.

Black heel mark resistance and scuff resistance were assessed on oak wood after a full one-week cure. Each was scored on two dimensions: the black marking left on the surface (0–5, where 5 = no visible mark) and the surface damage sustained (0–5, where 5 = no visible damage). Both dimensions matter — a product might resist marking but still show mechanical damage, or leave a mark that wipes clean while causing no lasting surface change. The two scores together give a fuller picture of how a finish actually behaves under contact stress.

The testing was carried out in two separate ways:

BHMR (black heel mark resistance) — a weighted contact applied to the lacquered surface to simulate the sharp, concentrated loading of a shoe heel strike. This captures what happens under a single high-load impact: a brisk footfall, a pivot, a heel coming down hard on a threshold.

5 x Scuff — this is where the test becomes genuinely illuminating. Rather than a single impact, an abrasive pad is placed under controlled pressure and drawn across the cured lacquer surface five times in succession. The repeated traversal simulates the cumulative low-angle abrasive contact that is the real mechanism of floor finish degradation: a dragged chair leg, a shoe shuffled repeatedly across the same spot, the back-and-forth of a doorway threshold. Five passes under a standardised load is a deliberately modest simulation — real floors endure this kind of contact thousands of times. A product that shows damage after five controlled passes in a lab is telling you something important about how it will perform over years of service.

Why scuff resistance matters more than most people realise

When clients describe a floor as “looking old” or “tired,” they rarely mean it’s been scratched through to bare wood. What they’re describing is the cumulative visual effect of repeated scuffing: a slight haze in the traffic zone, a dulled path across the kitchen, faint drag marks near the dining table. None of these individually break the film — but together, they change how the floor looks in raking light. This is the mechanism the 5 x scuff test is specifically designed to capture.

Industry research into wood floor coating selection confirms that BHMR — which evaluates whether a scuff can be removed and what surface damage remains — is one of the most critical tests for flooring applications precisely because of this link to visible in-service appearance. A coating that allows dirt to embed in soft or damaged surface film creates progressive “dirt paths” in traffic lanes, a well-recognised failure mode that is the single most common reason clients report dissatisfaction with a floor finish long before any film breakthrough occurs.

The results

The 5 x scuff results across the benchmark were among the most differentiating in the entire dataset.

Avenue 2K scored 5/5 on both scuff damage dimensions on oak — both the black marking score and the surface damage score at their maximum. This is the standout result: five repeated pad traversals under controlled pressure on cured oak, and no visible marking, no visible surface damage.

Across the 1K group, scuff performance was considerably more variable and in several cases very poor. Multiple 1K products scored 0 or 1 on scuff damage — meaning visible surface degradation after just five repeated passes. One 1K product scored 0/0 across both scuff dimensions, a complete failure in both marking resistance and surface integrity. This is the lacquer equivalent of what a client sees when they notice the floor is “marking easily” within months of installation. The standout exception within the 1K group was Arboritec Classic+, which posted the strongest scuff scores of any 1K product in the test — a result that separates it meaningfully from its category peers, even if it still cannot match Avenue 2K’s clean 5/5.

Even among the 2K group, scuff performance varied. Avenue 2K’s clean 5/5 scuff damage result on oak was the best in the field — not just the best 2K result, but the best result across all twelve products tested on that dimension.

On BHMR, Avenue 2K scored 5/5 on oak damage — again the top result in the 2K group and equal to the top result across the whole test field.

What this looks like on a real floor

To translate these scores into practical terms: a product that scores 0–1 on scuff damage after five controlled pad traversals in a lab environment, on freshly applied and fully cured oak specimens, is going to show visible wear paths in a real hallway within months. The test is deliberately modest — five passes under a set load, on a pristine specimen. Real floors endure far more.

A product that scores 5/5 under those same conditions — as Avenue 2K did — is demonstrating that the cured film resists not just the first insult, but the fifth, with no accumulation of visible damage. In a real floor, this translates to the high-traffic zones continuing to look like the low-traffic zones for considerably longer. The floor ages more uniformly. The contrast between the corridor path and the undisturbed perimeter develops more slowly. Maintenance intervals extend.

For contractors, this matters commercially as well as technically. A floor that holds its appearance for four or five years before a client calls is a very different proposition to one that looks tired after eighteen months. The scuff resistance data is the clearest predictor in this benchmark of which category each product belongs to.


Chemical resistance: the other dimension of longevity

Chemical resistance was tested on both test chart (opacity card) and oak wood, using a standardised set of reagents at set contact times, scored immediately and after a recovery period (0–5 scale, 5 = no visible effect).

The reagents used were: water at 1h and 16h; ethanol 48% at 1h and 16h; ammonia 10% at 1h; acetic acid 10% at 1h; and coffee at 16h. Each was scored both immediately after removal and again after a recovery period — giving both immediate resistance and the film’s ability to recover once the stressor is removed.

Why these specific reagents?

Each represents a real chemical stressor that a domestic or commercial floor finish encounters in service.

Ethanol 48% represents the alcohol content of hand sanitisers, surface disinfectants, and cleaning sprays. Post-pandemic, high-frequency alcohol-based disinfection has become standard in commercial environments and many domestic ones. A lacquer that fails against 48% ethanol at 16 hours will show visible degradation wherever sanitiser is routinely dispensed or spilled — reception desks, kitchen counters, bar tops, bathroom thresholds.

Ammonia 10% is present in many general-purpose household cleaners, some floor care products, and at lower concentrations in pet urine. A floor finish that deteriorates under ammonia contact will show it quickly in a pet-owner household or any environment where ammoniated cleaners are routine. It’s also worth noting that some cheaper consumer-marketed “wood floor cleaners” contain ammonia compounds — a common cause of premature lacquer failure that often gets blamed on the original finish rather than the cleaning product.

Acetic acid 10% represents vinegar and vinegar-based cleaning products, which remain common in both domestic and food-service environments. Reactivity to acetic acid also gives useful information about the film’s broader sensitivity to mild organic acids — relevant in food prep areas and anywhere with acidic spillage risk.

Water at 16h simulates an extended spill or pooled water that is not cleaned up promptly. A floor finish that whitens, blisters, or softens under prolonged water contact will fail in bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, and anywhere that wet cleaning is routine.

Results on test chart

The gap between 1K and 2K formulations was pronounced, and for some 1K products, severe.

Several 1K products scored zero against ethanol at 16 hours — both immediately and after recovery. A score of zero means complete film failure at the test site: visible whitening, softening, or loss of adhesion. Multiple 1K formulations also posted poor to very poor results against ammonia and acetic acid.

Among the 2K formulations, results were generally strong. Avenue 2K scored 5/5 on 16-hour ethanol resistance both immediately and after recovery — a result no 1K product matched. On water at 16h, ammonia, and acetic acid, Avenue 2K consistently returned scores of 4 or 5.

Even within the 2K group, the weakest performer on chemical resistance was a reminder that two-component classification alone doesn’t guarantee uniform quality.

Results on oak

Chemical resistance on real oak is a more demanding and more practically relevant test than on opacity chart. Oak introduces variables around surface porosity, tannin chemistry, and differential absorption that are absent from a flat chart substrate. Performance on oak is closer to what a floor finisher and their client will actually experience.

The 2K formulations performed consistently well on oak across nearly all reagents. Avenue 2K and the other leading 2K products achieved maximum scores against the full ammonia exposure sequence — 2 minutes, 10 minutes, and 1 hour. Most 1K products failed at the 1-hour ammonia mark, with several scoring zero.

Avenue 2K also scored 5/5 on 16-hour water resistance after recovery, and 5/5 on acetic acid after recovery. Its weakest scores on oak were against prolonged ethanol and coffee — a pattern consistent across the entire test group regardless of 1K or 2K classification, suggesting this reflects the current general limits of waterborne lacquer chemistry rather than a specific product weakness.

Arboritec Classic+ was the best-performing 1K in the test group — meaningfully better than its 1K peers, and competitive with some 2K products on specific reagents — but against prolonged ethanol and ammonia, even Classic+ could not match the top 2K performers.


Putting the full picture together

The 1K vs 2K gap is real, systematic, and not about one test

Across every performance dimension measured — Taber abrasion, König hardness, BHMR, scuff resistance, and chemical resistance on both chart and oak — the 2K formulations outperformed the 1K group. In most areas, the gap was not marginal. In scuff resistance and chemical resistance, it was often decisive.

The underlying reason is chemistry. A 2K waterborne lacquer cures through a polyurethane crosslinking reaction between a waterborne polyol (the base component) and an isocyanate hardener (the crosslinker). When fully cured, the result is a dense, tightly crosslinked polymer network with high film integrity. A 1K system relies on oxidation, water evaporation, or coalescence alone — mechanisms that produce a less fully crosslinked film. That difference in network density is what drives the gap in both chemical resistance and scuff behaviour: a tightly crosslinked film resists solvent penetration and surface deformation at the molecular level in ways that a 1K film structurally cannot match.

Not all 2K products are equal

Among the five 2K formulations, meaningful variation existed. Avenue 2K led on mechanical and surface performance — highest König hardness in the group, best BHMR and scuff scores, consistently strong chemical resistance. One 2K formulation posted a notably low Taber loss but had lower König hardness, suggesting a softer, more compliant film — a different formulation trade-off rather than a straight improvement. The weakest 2K performer on chemical resistance was a reminder that 2K classification is a necessary but not sufficient condition for good performance.

Not all 1K products are equal either

Within the 1K group, Arboritec Classic+ consistently outperformed its peers — better BHMR, better scuff resistance, more credible chemical resistance on oak. If a project genuinely requires a 1K system for operational reasons, Classic+ is the evidence-based choice from this test group. The worst 1K performers in this benchmark scored zero on scuff damage and failed multiple chemical resistance tests outright.


When to specify 2K

The benchmark data supports clear specification guidance across project types.

Commercial and high-traffic specifications — restaurants, retail, hotels, offices, entrance areas — should default to 2K as the minimum standard. The scuff resistance data alone makes a compelling case: products that degrade visibly under five controlled pad passes in lab conditions are not suited to environments where hundreds of footfalls per day are the norm.

Residential specifications where appearance longevity matters — clients who care about how their floor looks in year three as well as year one, households with pets, high-activity families, or properties with open-plan kitchen-dining-living areas where a single floor surface takes varied traffic — will see the 2K scuff and chemical resistance advantage express itself as a meaningfully longer interval before the floor looks like it needs attention.

Any project where recoat interval matters — for property managers, landlords, or building operators maintaining multiple floors, the lifecycle cost case for 2K is straightforward. A finish that holds its appearance longer requires maintenance less frequently, and the cost differential of the original product is typically recovered many times over in reduced maintenance labour.

The argument for 1K has always been convenience: no mixing, no pot life, no waste if the job runs short. That is a legitimate operational consideration on small domestic projects with fast turnaround. But the performance data makes clear that convenience has a real cost — and in any environment where the floor’s appearance over the years is part of the brief, that cost is not trivial.


About Arboritec Avenue 2K

Avenue 2K is a waterborne two-component polyurethane lacquer formulated for professional application on wood floors. It combines the crosslinked film durability of a 2K system with a practical mix ratio and working pot life suited to professional site use.

Its performance profile across this benchmark — leading König hardness in the 2K group, the best BHMR and scuff scores across all twelve products tested, consistent top-tier chemical resistance on both test chart and oak — reflects a formulation designed for demanding end-use environments rather than one built around a single headline datasheet number.

The Avenue 2K range extends across the full professional sheen spectrum. At the ultra-matte end, Genuine 5 delivers an almost reflection-free finish that has become increasingly popular for specification work where a natural, low-sheen aesthetic is required — it is also particularly forgiving in terms of hiding minor surface variation and micro-scratching over time. At the opposite end, Genuine Naked is a full-matte 2K finish for projects where the most understated possible appearance is the brief. Between these extremes, the range covers the sheen levels that represent the majority of professional specifications.

Whichever sheen is specified, the underlying 2K chemistry and the performance profile demonstrated in this benchmark remain consistent across the range.

Explore Arboritec Avenue 2K Genuine 5 and Genuine Naked 2k

About Arboritec Classic+

For projects where a 1K system is genuinely the right operational choice — tight turnaround schedules, smaller domestic jobs where pot life management isn’t practical, or situations where a mixing error simply cannot be risked — Classic+ is the product the benchmark data points to.

It also helps explain why Classic+ outperformed every other 1K product in the test group, rather than simply asserting that it did. Classic+ is not a conventional 1K waterborne lacquer — it crosslinks upon application without a separate catalyst, building a degree of network structure into the cured film that standard 1K coalescence systems do not achieve. Combined with Arboritec’s Small Particle Technology (SPT), which integrates ceramic particles deep into the polyurethane matrix to create a denser, harder protective layer, the result is a 1K product that behaves more like a 2K than its category label suggests. That chemistry is the reason for its benchmark-leading scuff and BHMR scores within the 1K field — it isn’t luck or formulation variance, it’s a structural advantage built into how the film cures.

For projects where even more protection is needed, Arboritec Part B hardener can be added to the final coat of Classic+. This takes the product a step further still — introducing an isocyanate crosslinker that drives additional network density in the topcoat — without committing the entire job to a full 2K system with its associated pot life and waste considerations. It is particularly useful in higher-demand areas within an otherwise domestic specification: a hallway or kitchen that takes noticeably heavier traffic than the rest of the floor.

Classic+ is available in Ultra-Matte (5), Satin (20), Semi-Gloss (50), and Gloss (90) — covering the full sheen range for domestic and lighter commercial specifications.

It doesn’t close the gap to Avenue 2K entirely — no 1K system can, and the chemical resistance data in particular shows where the 2K crosslink density advantage remains decisive — but it sits in a fundamentally different category to the weakest 1K performers in this test, several of which failed outright on scuff and chemical resistance.

If 1K is the answer to the question, Classic+ is where the evidence points.

Explore Arboritec Classic+ Explore Arboritec Part B Hardener

Is 2K lacquer always better than 1K for wood floors?

In terms of raw performance — abrasion resistance, scuff resistance, and chemical resistance — yes, the independent benchmark data is consistent: 2K systems outperform 1K systems across every metric tested. However, “better” depends on context. For a small domestic bedroom with light traffic and straightforward cleaning, a high-quality 1K like Classic+ may be entirely adequate and operationally easier to apply. For anything with sustained foot traffic, frequent wet cleaning, or exposure to alcohol-based products, the performance gap makes 2K the more defensible specification.

What is the difference between the CS-17 and CS-10 Taber wheel?

Both are used in standardised abrasion testing, but they simulate different types of wear. The CS-10 is a softer wheel that replicates mild everyday abrasion — the kind of micro-scratching from foot traffic and cleaning that gradually dulls a floor’s sheen over time. The CS-17 is a harder, more aggressive wheel that simulates the concentrated mechanical stress of high-traffic zones: grit underfoot, furniture legs, heavy footfall. Most manufacturer datasheets use the CS-10, which produces more favourable numbers. The benchmark discussed in this post used the CS-17 — the more demanding and more revealing of the two.

A Taber abrasion figure of 24mg sounds like a lot of wear. Will the lacquer actually wear through?

No — and this is one of the most common misunderstandings around Taber data. The mg loss figure is a comparative measure under a deliberately aggressive, concentrated test load. In real-world use on a properly applied floor, the finish will show cosmetic wear — a gradual loss of sheen in traffic lanes — long before there is any risk of the film wearing through to bare wood. The Taber figure tells you how one product compares to another, not how many footsteps the floor will tolerate. A product posting 24mg versus one posting 72mg will hold its appearance meaningfully longer under equivalent real-world conditions.

What makes Classic+ different from other 1K lacquers?

Two things separate Classic+ from conventional 1K products. First, it crosslinks upon application without a separate catalyst — building a more developed polymer network in the cured film than standard 1K systems, which rely on coalescence or oxidation alone. Second, it incorporates ceramic particles via Arboritec’s Small Particle Technology (SPT), which creates a denser, harder protective layer without compromising film clarity. These two characteristics explain why Classic+ outperformed every other 1K product in a twelve-product independent benchmark across scuff resistance, BHMR, and chemical resistance on oak.

Can I add a hardener to Classic+ to improve performance further?

Yes. Arboritec Part B hardener can be added to the final coat of Classic+ for projects where an additional level of protection is needed — higher-traffic areas, or rooms where chemical exposure is more likely. Adding Part B introduces an isocyanate crosslinker that drives additional network density specifically in the topcoat, pushing performance closer still to a full 2K system. The rest of the job can be applied as standard 1K, so the added complexity is limited to a single coat where it matters most.

Does sheen level affect the durability of Avenue 2K?

No — the 2K polyurethane chemistry and the performance profile it delivers are consistent across the Avenue range regardless of sheen. Genuine 5 (ultra-matte) and Genuine Naked (full-matte) use the same underlying 2K crosslinked system as the mid-sheen options. Sheen level is controlled by matting agents in the formulation and does not affect abrasion resistance, scuff resistance, or chemical resistance in any meaningful way.

Why does my floor lacquer deteriorate where we use hand sanitiser?

Hand sanitisers typically contain 60–70% ethanol or isopropanol. The benchmark tested chemical resistance against 48% ethanol — already a demanding standard — and several 1K products in the test showed complete film failure at 16-hour exposure, scoring zero. In practice, a sanitiser dispenser that drips onto a lacquered floor repeatedly over months creates exactly this type of prolonged alcohol contact. 2K systems — and specifically those that perform well on the ethanol resistance test — are far more resistant to this failure mode. If sanitiser contact is a regular occurrence in a space, it is a strong argument for a 2K specification.

Is waterborne 2K lacquer suitable for commercial floors?

Yes — modern waterborne 2K polyurethane lacquers are formulated specifically for high-demand commercial environments. The performance data in this benchmark reflects testing conditions designed to simulate commercial-level stress: CS-17 Taber abrasion, extended chemical exposure, and repeated scuff cycles. Avenue 2K achieved the highest mechanical scores in the 2K test group and is suitable for restaurants, retail, hospitality, offices, and high-traffic residential applications.

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The Best 1K Ceramic Lacquer for Wood Floors?

Arboritec Classic+ is a single component, waterborne polyurethane floor lacquer built for high traffic homes and light commercial floors. You open the can, shake it, and roll it on. No hardener, no pot life, no waste.

It is also the lacquer that surprises people. A 1K that holds up to pet claws, heel marks, spilt wine and household cleaners, because it does not rely on drying alone. It builds its own crosslinked network as it cures.

And when a floor needs more, there is a second gear. Add Arboritec Part B hardener to the final coat and Classic+ becomes a true 2K coating. This guide covers how the lacquer works, the sheens, the specs, the full system, and exactly how to take it to 2K.

The short version

  1. On its own: a 100% polyurethane 1K with nano ceramic particles and a built in crosslinker. Ready to use, low odour and suitable for occupied homes.
  2. With Part B in the final coat: a dual cure, true 2K finish. Mixed at 1 part hardener to 10 parts lacquer, with no change to flow or sheen.
  3. The system: one coat of Arboritec primer, then two coats of Classic+. Three coats of Classic+ on bare, unstained wood.

Light traffic after 24 hours, fully cured in 5 days. Four sheens from 5 GU ultra matte to 90 GU gloss.

  • Type1K waterborne polyurethane
  • Optional upgradePart B hardener, 1 to 10 mix
  • Sheens5, 20, 45 and 90 GU
  • Cure24 hours light traffic, 5 days full
For contractors

Trade prices are lower than the retail prices shown

Every price in this guide is the retail price before VAT. Trade account holders see their own lower trade price on every product once logged in.

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The Classic+ system

Primer, lacquer and the optional hardener for the final coat. First Coat is shown here. FlowTec, Seal Coat and Vibrant are alternatives, covered further down.

  • Arboritec First Coat primer 5L
    Step 1, primerArboritec First Coat5L neutral, non yellowing primer, 38% solidsRetail £82.37 + VATTrade price: log in to see itView product
  • Arboritec Classic+ 1K polyurethane lacquer 5L
    Step 2, lacquerArboritec Classic+5L waterborne 1K polyurethane lacquer, four sheensRetail from £102.30 + VATTrade price: log in to see itView product
  • Arboritec Part B hardener for Classic+ and 2K floor finishes
    Step 3, optionalArboritec Part B hardenerTurns the final coat into a true 2K. One bottle treats a full 5L canRetail £27.97 + VATTrade price: log in to see itView product
01
The basics

What Classic+ actually is

Classic+ is Arboritec's top tier single component lacquer. It is a 100% polyurethane dispersion, made in Sweden, and it is sold ready to use. There is no separate hardener you have to add, which means no pot life to race against and no leftover mixed product to throw away.

It is aimed at the floors that take a beating: busy family homes, hallways and kitchens, boutique offices and other light commercial spaces. It goes on solid, engineered, parquet, reclaimed, re sanded and brand new wood floors.

The reason it behaves above its class is the chemistry inside the can, which is worth understanding because it also explains why Part B works so well with it.

02
The technology

A 1K that crosslinks itself

Most single component waterborne lacquers dry by coalescence. The water leaves, the tiny polymer particles squash together and fuse, and you are left with a film. That works, but the film is only held together physically.

Classic+ goes a step further. The polyurethane backbone carries ketone groups, and the lacquer contains adipohydrazide. As the water evaporates and the pH of the film changes, the adipohydrazide reacts with those ketone groups and links the polymer chains together chemically. The result is a crosslinked network, built into a can that needs nothing added to it.

Mechanism one, built in

What it is
Adipohydrazide crosslinking of the polyurethane chains.
When it happens
On its own, as the film dries and the pH shifts. Nothing to mix.

Mechanism two, optional

What it is
An aliphatic polyisocyanate hardener, Arboritec Part B, reacting through the film.
When it happens
Only when you add it. This is what makes Classic+ a dual cure, true 2K coating.

The second ingredient is the filler. Classic+ is built on Arboritec's small particle technology, which locks nano ceramic silica particles into the film. Think of it as a suit of armour made of microscopic plates. The ceramic silica itself rates 4,500 to 4,600 on the Knoop scale, compared with 1,800 to 2,200 for the aluminium oxide used in most prefinished floors.

Particle hardness, Knoop scale
  • Ceramic silica in Classic+4,500 to 4,600
  • Aluminium oxide in most prefinished floors1,800 to 2,200

These figures describe the ceramic particles, not the cured film as a whole.

Together, the built in crosslinker and the nano ceramic particles are what give a 1K can its tough, scratch resistant surface. It is still stir, pour and roll. It is also low VOC, so it is safe to use indoors.

03
Why people choose it

Standout features

  • Tough against daily damageResists scratches from pet claws, scuffs and furniture, plus black heel marks. It is a floor finish for real life, not a showroom.
  • Chemical resistantHolds up to grease, water, wine, coffee and ordinary household cleaners and detergents.
  • Tested against the fieldIn independent blind testing commissioned by Arboritec, Classic+ ranked first among the 1K finishes tested for scuff, black heel mark and chemical durability on oak.
  • Excellent flowIt levels well, which helps avoid roller marks and lap lines, even for less experienced applicators.
  • Low VOC, NMP free60 g/L VOC, low odour, and suitable for occupied homes. Tools wash clean with water straight after use.
  • Up to 30% more eco friendlyCeramic reinforcement reduces the petrochemical raw material needed compared with a conventional lacquer.

CertificationsIndependently tested for indoor air quality

StandardResult
EMICODEEC 1
Indoor Air ComfortPass
Indoor Air Comfort GOLDPass
French VOC regulationA+
BREEAM InternationalExemplary
Italian CAMPass
Belgian VOC regulationPass

Slip resistance has been tested too. Independent friction testing to EN 14904 returned a Pendulum Test Value of 92, comfortably inside the 80 to 110 range the standard asks for.

Real world feedback

A contractor we supply used Classic+ in two pubs last summer. Both floors still look good, and the plan is to recoat before any wear through rather than after.

04
The look

Four sheens

Sheen is measured in gloss units, or GU. The lower the number, the flatter the floor looks.

SheenGloss levelBest for
Ultra Matte5 GUA contemporary, raw wood look. Hides surface imperfections well.
Satin20 GUThe most popular all rounder for homes and commercial interiors.
Semi Gloss45 GUA clean, modern reflection, a step up from satin.
Gloss90 GUA high impact, reflective finish for decorative or showcase spaces.

Want to change the tone? Add Arboritec White Additive or Amber Additive to bring colour into the finish. And if you need a flatter look than 5 GU, the 2K lacquers Genuine Naked at 2 GU and Genuine at 5 GU are worth a look.

05
The numbers

Performance specifications

Dry, bare wood
30 to 60 minutes
Recoat
2 to 4 hours
Light traffic
After 24 hours
Full cure
5 days
Coverage per 5L
About 45 to 55 m²
Solids
32%
VOC
60 g/L
pH
About 8

ConditionsGet the room right and the finish takes care of itself

  • Temperature: floor, finish and air between 13 and 25°C, out of direct sunlight.
  • Humidity: relative humidity between 40 and 60%.
  • Hot and dry: add 2% Arboritec Extender to slow the drying.
  • Underfloor heating: switch it off from the day before until 24 hours after application.
  • Storage: 10 to 30°C, with a shelf life of 12 months unopened.
06
Step by step

The full Classic+ system

The system is simple. One coat of primer, then two coats of Classic+. On bare, unstained wood you can go to three coats of Classic+ instead, if you are not using a primer.

  1. Sand to finish. Final sand with a 120 grit belt or a 100 grit screen, then dust off thoroughly.
  2. Prepare the can. Shake for 30 to 60 seconds, then rest it for 2 to 3 minutes before you open it. Do not dilute.
  3. Prime. Apply one coat of Arboritec primer, such as First Coat, FlowTec, Seal Coat or Vibrant, and let it dry fully.
  4. First coat of Classic+. Roll with a 10mm roller, or use a T bar or brush on edges. Allow 2 to 4 hours before the next coat. Light sanding between coats is possible.
  5. Final coat. Apply the second coat. This is the coat where you can mix in Part B for a true 2K result, covered in the next section.
  6. Let it settle. Keep traffic off for 24 hours, wait 5 days for the full cure, and do not clean the floor until it is fully cured. Wash tools with water straight away.

PrimersChoose the primer by the look you want

The topcoat can change on a later recoat. The primer sets the tone of the floor from the first coat, so it is the decision that matters most.

First Coat

Look
Neutral and non yellowing. Keeps the true tone of the wood.
Best for
Lighter species such as oak, ash and maple. The highest build primer in the range.
Price
Retail 5L, £82.37 + VAT
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Arboritec FlowTec

Look
The lightest primer on light woods such as oak and pine.
Best for
When you want the palest, most natural result. A dual use product that works as a primer under Classic+ and as a topcoat in its own right.
Price
Retail 5L, £65.80 + VAT
Trade price: log in to see it

Seal Coat

Look
Ultra transparent with a cooler tone.
Best for
When you want the least colour influence from the primer.
Price
Retail 3.78L, £70.25 + VAT
Trade price: log in to see it

Vibrant

Look
Deep ambering for a warm, rich finish.
Best for
Darker species where warmth and grain depth are the aim.
Price
Retail 3.78L, £71.79 + VAT
Trade price: log in to see it
07
The upgrade

Add Part B to the final coat for a true 2K

This is the part most 1K lacquers cannot offer. Classic+ already has one crosslinking mechanism. Arboritec Part B hardener adds a second one, so the final coat cures two ways at once. That is a dual cure, true 2K coating, from the same can and the same sheen.

Arboritec Part B hardener for Classic+ and 2K floor finishes

Arboritec Part B hardener

Retail £27.97 + VAT

Trade price: log in to see it

An aliphatic polyisocyanate hardener. One 0.45L bottle treats a full 5L can of Classic+. Compatible with Classic+, Avenue and Genuine.

View Part B hardener
Mix ratio
1 part Part B to 10 parts Classic+
Where
The final coat
Effect on look
No change to flow or sheen

How to mixMixing Part B into Classic+

  1. Measure. Take the amount of Classic+ you need for the final coat only, and add Part B at 1 to 10.
  2. Shake. Shake for at least 30 seconds so the two are fully blended.
  3. Apply within the pot life. Roll on straight away, in conditions from 10 to 30°C. Do not store mixed product.
  4. Keep the rest as a 1K. Any Classic+ you did not mix stays as a normal 1K, ready for the next job.

Why it worksTwo networks in one film

With Part B added, the film is crosslinked twice. The adipohydrazide network forms as the water leaves, as it always does, and the polyisocyanate hardener builds a second network through the polyurethane. Two mechanisms working together in the same coat give a denser, tougher surface than either alone. It is the same dual cure approach as Avenue 2K, with the difference that you choose when to use it.

The ladderWhere Classic+ sits in the range

The default

Classic+ on its own

Type
1K, nothing to mix
Best for
Family homes, lets, offices and most floors that see normal life.
The upgrade

Classic+ with Part B

Type
True 2K, dual cure on the final coat
Best for
Hallways, kitchens, large dogs, rentals, bars, shops and any floor that needs more.
Heavy duty

Avenue 2K

Type
Built as a 2K from the start
Best for
Heavy traffic residential and commercial floors, specified as a 2K from day one.

When to add itFloors where Part B earns its keep

  • Heavy domestic use: large dogs, lots of children, or furniture that gets moved a lot.
  • Hallways, kitchens and utility rooms: anywhere with near commercial footfall.
  • Rental properties: where the owner wants the longest gap between refinishes.
  • Hospitality and retail: bars, restaurants and shops with constant foot traffic.
  • Anxious clients: anyone who has had a floor fail early and wants the extra protection.
On a hot job

Pot life gets shorter as the room gets warmer. If you cannot keep a job under about 25°C, Classic+ on its own is often the smarter specification. Add Part B when conditions allow.

08
Keeping it looking good

Aftercare and the right tools

Do not clean the floor until it is fully cured, after 5 days. After that, dust mop regularly and use the matching Arboritec products for routine upkeep. The Refresher is there to restore and protect the surface between recoats.

  • Arboritec Premium 10mm roller
    ApplicationArboritec Premium 10mm rollerThe roller Classic+ is specified withRetail £9.90 + VATTrade price: log in to see itView product
  • Arboritec Cleaner Concentrate 1L
    CleaningArboritec Cleaner ConcentrateConcentrated routine cleaner for lacquered floorsRetail from £28.03 + VATTrade price: log in to see itView product
  • Arboritec Refresher for lacquered floors
    MaintenanceArboritec RefresherRestores and protects lacquered floors between recoatsRetail from £18.69 + VATTrade price: log in to see itView product

Get Classic+ from HF Flooring Supplies

We are the UK supplier for Arboritec, with stock on the shelf and technical support from people who finish real floors. Log in to see your trade price, then add the lacquer and Part B hardener for the final coat to the basket.

  • Orders placed Mon to Fri before 2PM are dispatched the same day for next working day delivery
  • Not sure which sheen, primer or whether Part B suits your floor, or want to talk trade pricing? Contact us
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Arboritec Classic+ a 1K or a 2K lacquer?

It is a 1K, a single component lacquer that is ready to use with no hardener. If you want 2K performance, you can add Arboritec Part B hardener to the final coat at 1 part to 10 and it becomes a true 2K coating.

Do I need to add Part B?

No. Classic+ is designed to perform on its own, and for most homes it is the sensible default. Part B is there for floors that need extra protection, such as hallways, kitchens, rentals, busy hospitality spaces or homes with large dogs.

Which coat do I add Part B to?

The final coat, which is the surface that takes the wear. Mix only as much Classic+ as you need for that coat, add Part B at 1 to 10, shake for at least 30 seconds, and apply it within the pot life. Do not store mixed product.

Does Part B change the look of the floor?

No. Part B has no effect on flow or sheen, so the floor looks the same as it would with Classic+ on its own.

Do I need a primer under Classic+?

The standard system is one coat of Arboritec primer followed by two coats of Classic+. On bare, unstained wood you can apply three coats of Classic+ without a primer. The primer you choose sets the tone, with FlowTec the lightest on pale woods, First Coat neutral, Seal Coat cooler and Vibrant warmer.

How long does Classic+ take to dry and cure?

It dries in 30 to 60 minutes on bare wood, with 2 to 4 hours between coats. Light traffic is fine after 24 hours and the full cure takes up to 5 days. Do not clean the floor before it has fully cured.

What do I do if the room is hot and dry?

Add 2% Arboritec Extender to slow the drying, keep the floor, finish and air between 13 and 25°C, and keep the floor out of direct sunlight. Switch underfloor heating off from the day before until 24 hours after.

Is Classic+ safe in an occupied home?

It is NMP free with a VOC content of 60 g/L, a low odour, and it carries EMICODE EC 1 and Indoor Air Comfort GOLD certification, so it is a good fit for occupied homes.

Can I change the colour of Classic+?

Yes. Add Arboritec White Additive or Amber Additive to bring colour into the finish.