Hey folks, Im looking for some feedback for my best options to finish wood floors in a High Volume Cafe environment.

We are using 3 1/4" reclaimed fir flooring that will be installed over 3/4" ply. The look we are trying to achieve is one with some wear obviously. What I dont want is a sheen or scratching. Our current cafe had fir floors with a Urethane and it doesnt hold up and scatches easily. My goal with the new cafe is a rustic looking floor with a matt finish that can hold up to volume.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
thanks

From what your describing, I would consider an oil finish. It would have a natural look with a low sheen. With commercial traffic, you would need to keep the oil up, ( simple to apply). Plus oil has it's advantages when it comes to scratching issues. Just re-apply the oil over scratches. Back in the day...we used a lot of Waterlox Oil, (still a popular finish ).

http://www.waterlox.com/

You have some options.One is use the most durable finish possible and second is to use a high maintenance easy to use finish.

As mentioned ,a non urethane type oil like waterlox can work but provides minimal protection and will likely need to be re applied every 6 months. Maybe less ...maybe more Waterlox is based on a tung oil solution but also has linseed oil in it and some other solids that give it some build up ability. The only real downsides of this product is that it's very expensive, over $90.00 per gallon and stinks to high heaven and the odor lingers for quite some time.it doesnt' 'dry quickly either.I have used it about a dozen times in the last 15 years and one of those jobs was a gourmet take out company.It holds up fairly well but needs to be kept clean by dust mopping and vacuuming regularly. More so than a urethaned floor does. Waterlox however is excellent for achieving a rustic hand rubbed type of look and is perfect for a log cabin,ski lodge, off the beaten path coffee house ,etc.

On the other hand, if you want a low luster and strong finish, I would recommend using Bonakemi Traffic or Bonakemi Naturale. Both are similar finishes with the difference being that Naturale is completely matte and Traffic is available in Satin,Semigloss and Gloss.For a commercial space ,I normally spec out 4 coats. it is an expensive finish but is one of the hardest available in the field and is very low odor and dries very quickly.