Matte vs. Glossy Floors: What to Choose

What’s the difference between a matte finish and a satin finish? Which will work better in your home? It’s important to find the answers to these questions before you start choosing your flooring. Learn everything you need to know to make an informed decision with this guide on what to choose between matte vs. glossy finish for floor coverings.

What’s the Difference?

Let’s start with an overview of each type of finish.

Glossy finishes reflect light significantly, which in turn creates an impact on the ambience in the space. This is especially true in rooms that have large windows or have very bright artificial lighting.

For example, high gloss flooring creates a mirror appearance with a reflective polished luster. Introducing a little shine into your interior is a great way to add visual interest if you're shy to use more intense colors and want to stick with a neutral, clean palette. It's also worth considering if you don't want to add more hues to an already lively room.

Semi-gloss sheen has a partially reflective shine and works well in ultra-modern and stylish environments. The semi-gloss finish works best in spaces like kitchens and dining rooms for a sleek, refined look. It gives a more formal feel that really showcases the substrate beauty.

Satin finishes, on the other hand, are one of the most popular choices allowing a silky appearance and providing a happy medium between glossy and matte finishes. The distinguished appearance of a satin patina brings a sober and contemporary touch.

To the contrary, matte flooring is also popular right now but give your floors a neutral character, offering a more natural feel while reflecting a minimal amount of light. Therefore, the materials are highlighted for a raw organic relaxed and sophisticated look.

Think About Maintenance

While the style of your floors is extremely important, you definitely need to think about the functionality of your flooring. How will the finish persist over time? What will your cleaning routine look like?

Even though glossy and semi-gloss floor coverings brighten a room and create sleek aesthetics, they can easily allow dirt, debris and scratches to show. This variety of floors needs regular cleaning in order to maintain their smooth surface.

The shine of a satin finish disperses light and more easily conceals dust, flaws and pet hair. Satin floors will also keep their appearance longer and will be much easier to maintain.

A matte finish, on the other hand, works well to hide imperfections such as scuffs or scratches. As such, matte finishes are popular options for high-activity areas such as busy households with pets or children.

For sound information on cleaning methods and products to use for each substrate and their finish, speak to our in-store specialists.

Think About Susbtrate

It is important to note that the quality of the substrate determines the quality of the finished flooring. However, when choosing the one which best suits your lifestyle, you need to consider which finish is best. Choosing the right types of flooring for every room in your home can be a daunting task. With the many styles and hundreds of colours to choose from, figuring out which type of flooring works best for you is no simple undertaking.

Read about the different types of flooring and their characteristics in our Tips section!

Choosing Time

Whatever finish you choose, you will certainly find what you need at Flordeco. Our high-quality flooring options and expertise place us among the best flooring retailers on the market.

Flordeco has an impressive selection of products and hundreds of options for residential and commercial environments. Browse our collections online or visit a store to create a resplendent home!