Aluminum Oxide Finish
Aluminium oxide is a chemical compound of aluminium and oxygen with the chemical formula al 2 o 3 it is the most commonly occurring of several aluminium oxides and specifically identified as aluminium iii oxide it is commonly called alumina and may also be called aloxide aloxite or alundum depending on particular forms or applications.
Aluminum oxide finish. High traffic areas or anywhere you want supreme protection from wear and tear pros. But in extreme environments extra protection may be needed. Aluminum has a naturally occurring oxide film that protects it from corrosion. During the manufacturing process the aluminum oxide and any final urethane finish are baked on with high intensity uv light creating a finished product.
Ao is the same material that is used to make sandpaper. The application of either product has definite benefits with some disadvantages. In regard to how sensitive people really are against aluminum it s difficult to say. It is a very tough and is added to the finish system to extend the durability of the urethane.
Typically the number of coats of aluminum oxide will range from 5 10 layers for most premium wood floor products. An aluminum oxide finish is pure protection from the years of traffic the floor is sure to see. It occurs naturally in its crystalline polymorphic. Aluminum oxide is an additive to water based urethane finishes while polyurethane is an old school oil based finish that doesn t contain aluminum oxide.
The aluminum oxide finish is layered on each board and more times than not people look to those layers as a measure of board quality. This makes it very tolerable for skin contact even for people that are chemically sensitive. Usually prefinished hardwood floors will have a uv cured aluminum oxide finish so there shouldn t be cause for concern. Modern hardwood flooring finish systems consist of several layer of urethane and aluminum oxide ao.
An aluminum oxide finish is most often uv cured. This oxide film is sufficient for many applications. Finishes can improve corrosion resistance. Aluminum oxide best for.
Aluminum oxide is the finish you buy when you don t want to deal with it at all. After the finish system is applied it is baked on to the hardwood in a specialized uv oven. Available in several. It comes already installed on the best prefinished hardwood flooring.
Finishes can enhance the appearance of the aluminum. In the case of hardwood floors it is ground into a fine powder and is often added to a pre existing uv cured urethane finish. The hardest most long lasting type of finish.