I am putting in a practice ballroom dance floor (probably white oak) in a playroom. What is the best finish for a ballroom dance floor? I've been told that Bona Traffic WaterBorne (satin) is a good finish for a ballroom dance floor because it will allow you to glide across the floor. If the finish is too "sticky" or "slip resistant" it is not that good for ballroom dancing. It seems most polyurethane finishes are not slippery enough for ballroom. Any suggestions regarding finishes for a practice ballroom dance floor?

Haven't done a dance floor in many years. Back in the day, we always used paste wax and buffed it out.

Wow Howard, you must be really old...wax?

Lol.... Na, I'ma spring chicken only 53, but days like today I feel older than dirt, lol.

What about a polyurethane finish that isn't "grippy"? Do you have an opinion about any type of polyurethane finish, i.e., Bona Traffic WaterBorne, that might work? It appears that many ballroom dance floors have some type of polyurethane finish and still provide a good surface for dancing that isn't too sticky or "grippy". Thanks.

In the past when we used wax for dance floors, acrylic urethane was available. We used wax ( which is available today) because it's the best suited for the performance of dance on a wood floor. I would question Bona Traffic ( and sheen makes no difference ) . I'm not an expert on finishes but IMO you cant make apples out of oranges. Why not go with a proven product for the application. Urethanes are slip resistant period. I believe you were told "satin" due to the less noticability of scratching and scuffing, as opposed to a semi or gloss. When you scratch or scuff urethane your stuck recoating , with wax you buff it out.
When you mention "it appears many ballroom dance floors have some type of polyurethane finish". IMO there's a good chance your seeing wax finish. A pro can tell the difference, but a wax finish buffed to a nice lustre can look like urethane to most people.

I'm telling you...Dance floor = wax !

I understand your concern . But I don't think many of the finishes on the market will give you "grip" issues. I've used satin oil , semi gloss oil and high gloss oil on dance floors. I've also used satin traffic. None of them were particularly slippery or grippy. But satin will feel less sticky than gloss will.

For instance, in the guitar industry , satin finishes on guitar necks feel much more silky than gloss finishes do.The same applies to floors. So go with a satin finish but be concerned about durability.Bona traffic is much harder than any oil based urethane and will take a lot more abuse.

Thanks for your reply. It is surprising that the internet has so little information on this subject. The commercial dance floor that I dance on is a DANCEFLEX floor and it is installed in many ballroom dance studios. It is described as "a solid, square-edged strip flooring, pre-finished with a hard-wearing two-part polyurethane lacquer. Beech is press-dried to produce unmatched moisture resistance and to improve dimensional stability." Of course, I simply want to put a wood floor in my play room and be able to practice dancing on that floor. I'm thinking about a white oak floor with a finish that will work for ballroom dancing. Does the description "two-part polyurethane lacquer" suggest anything different from simply using Bona Traffic, satin finish, on the floor? It's been suggested that using paste wax is the best way to finish a dance floor, but I'm somewhat hesitant to go that route with my playroom floor since most wood floors in homes appear to be coated with polyurethane. I really appreciate the opinions on this issue. I think many others will be interested as well since there is so little information about this topic.

I am not specifically familiar with Dance Flex Floors. But the descriptions are fairly normal that you gave.
"Square Edge" should mean that there are not micro bevels.Or basically , flat boards.
"Catalyzed lacquer/ Urethane" simply means that the coating is combined with a chemical that causes the molecules to bond better and to become denser. Traffic for instance comes with a catalyst that you mix in. it causes the finish to dry faster, level better and become more dense when it dries.

So with a pre finished floor, you still have great,average and mediocre products. And the same goes for the different available finishes.

Wax is great if you constantly maintain it.It only works on a high traffic area when it is maintained on a weekly or sometimes daily basis.For a log cabin that is only used for vacations or get-aways, it might only need maintenance every few months or maybe once per year. The finish needs to match the application and needs of the customer.

Lastly, the dance floors that i have worked on have been floating systems. 2x4's are laid out on the floor and have special rubber grommets that allow them to sit on the floor and minimize rigidity.Then ply wood is placed on top of these 2x4's. Then the flooring is attached to the ply wood. This allows for a softer feeling floor and causes less fatigue on dancers. There 's other ways to float a floor as well. So it isn't just the floor you buy, it is also the method you use to install it.

I hope that answers your questions

I think the "advanced wood floors" guy is about got it. I dissagree though about gloss being slipperyer than satin. Chemically they are the same, and applied correctly should "feel" identicle. Shiny equaling slippery....just a myth. I am a Bona Certified Craftsman. I use Traffic on a daily basis, and would highly recomend it for your playroom floor. However, I am also a board member of a local USA Dance chapter, and I would never recomend using Traffic, or any other urethane finish on a dance floor. The best finish for a dance floor is no finish. Unfortunately, although a great surface for dancing, this is not realistic for the longevity of the wood itself. Linseed oil, or wax are probably the best finishes for this "specific" application. But I would never recomend it for a residential "playroom" floor. the important thing for you to decide is not what is the best finish for a "dance floor",... but what is the best finish for your playroom floor,...that you will be dancing on. If you want a finish that is mor "grippy", I have used a Bona product called "Natural" that, applied correctly, actually has a bit of a texture similar to linoleum. In fact that was the only complaint i ever heard about it was that it looked too "fake", like linoleum. But,... if grippy is what your after, it looks, and feels like unfinished wood. hope that helps.