We don't want to change to water base finsh but it is time to but don't know what kind to get and which is more durable

basic coatings street shoe is by far the best water based finish we have ever used

basic streetshoe is the best

I too would recommend the BASIC product line. Our process is to use two coats of "Emulsion" followed by one coat of "Streeshoe" with an option for a second coat of Streetshoe for higher traffic jobs. Usually the client goes for the option in any case, but this way the price is already known to the client so is not difficult to collect it.
For budget conscious jobs (rental units, etc.) we will also price three coats of "Emulsion" only. This is an absolutely beautiful product, both to work with and for looks. Not as durable as adding Streetshoe, but still works well.

Hard to argue with Bona Traffic and Glitsa max. Both of these are catalyzed water based finishes.

edited by admin: read the rules

Basic Coatings and Bonakemi are two of the best in the water based finish game. My favorite and the most expensive is Bona's Traffic. The look is excellent, it levels like oil based and can be applied with the Bonakemi roller and can be applied very heavy without bubbling.

Lots of guys mention that they can use a 1/4" nap roller with Basic's Street Shoe. Then both companies have less expensive , non catalyzed versions.

I have had some problems with Basic Coatings. It is very RH and Temperature sensitive. I find that it doesn't flow very well and has dragged on me when I am working. I am strictly a t-bar guy so that might be an issue. Funny enough, I have had great success with Duraseal ZC2000.

I've always recommended Bona Traffic to my customers, and when I did my own floor, I sealed with Bona's oil-modified sealer called Dri-Fast, and finished with only two top-coats of Traffic in the Satin sheen.

I also chose not to trowel-fill the floor, because that would have ruined the look I was aiming for, which was to have the texture of the grain (rift & quartered white oak) show through. I say trowel filling would have ruined that, because when you trowel fill a floor, you make the entire surface smooth like glass, and that is very cheesy, and looks like something from the 1990's era. This is also why I chose to use only 2 coats of finish over the sealer, because as you apply multiple coats, you are smoothing over all the texture of the wood's surface. Also, using a t-bar to apply the Bona Traffic seemed to help achieve this look by not caking on the finish too thick.

Bona Traffic is the way to go! Although I am sure Basic Street Shoe is good, for me personally I'm gonna stick with what I know works from experience.

Bona traffic