Bona Traffic HD lacquer.

The toughest commercial-grade lacquer on the market. Used in hotels, galleries and listed buildings, low-VOC and walkable in 12 hours.

Rich oak floor under a Bona Traffic HD lacquer finish

What we do, in detail

When a floor needs to survive serious use, a south-facing kitchen, a hallway every visitor crosses, a children's play space, a small commercial unit, Bona Traffic HD is what we reach for. It's a two-component water-based polyurethane developed for hotel ballrooms and gallery floors, and the only finish in our toolkit we'd recommend without hesitation for the toughest residential settings.

The trade-off is that it cures as a film, so it isn't spot-repairable the way oils are. But the film is hard enough that you usually don't need to. We apply it as a base coat plus two top coats, with light abrasion between, for a surface that reads as crisp and modern.

Every job includes

  • Bona Traffic HD top coats

    Two coats over a Bona base coat, with light intermediate sanding for adhesion and an even sheen.

  • Sheen options

    Extra matt, matt and silk-matt. Most residential jobs go with extra matt or matt for a natural-looking finish.

  • Low VOC, fast cure

    Water-based, so the room is usable the same day and the smell is minimal. Walkable in 12 hours, fully cured in 7 days.

  • Compatible with stain

    Sits cleanly over stained floors without altering the colour. Brings up colour depth more than oils do.

How the job runs

  1. Step 1

    Final sand to 100 grit

    Slightly tighter grain than for oils. We finish at 100 grit to give the lacquer a key without sealing the wood off.

  2. Step 2

    Base coat

    Bona base coat applied first to even out absorption between boards and avoid grain raising in the top coats.

  3. Step 3

    Two top coats

    Two coats of Traffic HD, lightly abraded between, for full film thickness and a uniform sheen.

Common questions

Why Bona Traffic HD over cheaper lacquers?

Trade lacquers come and go. Traffic HD has been the reference commercial-grade water-based lacquer for over a decade. We use it because nothing else we've tested in London traffic holds up as well over five-plus years.

Will it look like plastic?

In extra matt, no. It reads as a sealed natural wood floor. Higher sheens look glossier and reflect more light by design.

Can I get pets on it straight away?

Foot traffic in 12 hours; we recommend keeping pet claws off until the 48-hour mark, and rugs back down only after a week.

Is it suitable for kitchens?

Yes, it's one of the best lacquers on the market for kitchens. The trade-off compared with oil is that scratches can't be invisibly spot-repaired.

Free survey. Quote within 48 hours.

We come out, take measurements, talk through finishes and follow up with a detailed quote. No deposit, no obligation.

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