Aluminum oxide finish

Aluminum oxide is a very hard mineral. It is the same kind of material used on some sandpaper. Flooring makers mix tiny particles of it into the clear finish they put on boards at the factory. The result is a finish that resists scratches and wear very well.

You will find it mostly on prefinished floors, the kind that arrive with the finish already on and often have small grooves between the boards. Many engineered hardwood floors have it too.

For a homeowner, that hardness is a good thing. For a recoat, it makes the job harder. A recoat works by screening the old finish so the new coat has something to grip. A very hard factory finish is tough to scuff, and a new coat has a harder time bonding to it.

That is why prefinished floors get a careful check before you agree to a recoat. The same rules apply as always: real wood, finish still on it, and no wax or problem cleaners. If you are not sure about a floor, take clear photos in good light and send them to the flooring company FloorIt partners with. They will tell you the product and the steps, or tell you to pass.

A coat that does not hold costs you the customer and the referral, so it is better to ask first.

A buff and recoat brings back a dull, scratched hardwood floor in about 3 hours, without sanding. What it is, what it fixes, what it doesn't, and what it costs.