Finish for Plywood Shop/Studio Floors

[dlu]

We're building a small (200 square foot) outbuilding as a shop/studio space and I picked up some nice looking plywood at Lowes (RevolutionPly 5mm, supposedly poplar) to put down over the subfloor. I'm wondering about how to finish it. The plywood looks really nice, so I was thinking I'd like to do a clear finish. I'd been leaning to Target's Emtech EM9300 but reading some of their application notes it sounds like I might get a surface that was too slick to be safe for a floor. Thoughts?

If it is too slick, are there other finishes that would be both durable and safer? Or is there something that could be used as (or added to) a final coat that would reduce the slickness?

 

[Packard]

A good part of the durability of a hard floor finish is up to the substrate.  If the substrate is soft, the finish will dent along with the substrate regardless of the type of finish.

A good workaround is to apply the finish of your choice and place anti-fatigue mats on the areas that have foot traffic. 

I favor the “horse stall” interlinking mats for this purpose.  They are 3/4” thick and keep my feet from both fatigue and the cold.  They lift easily and you can broom away any debris.

The horse stall mats are more durable than the regular interlinking mats.
https://www.google.com/search?q=horse+stall+rubber+mats&client=firefox-b-1-m&sca_esv=d71f265c45fd02a5&sxsrf=ADLYWILG-0R85gqV8MqeijzFwk6NV89rBQ%3A1724698588307&ei=3M_MZve2EpjfwN4P86He6AU&oq=horse+sta&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiCWhvcnNlIHN0YSoCCAEyDRAAGIAEGLEDGEMYigUyChAAGIAEGEMYigUyCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFMgsQABiABBiRAhiKBTIIEAAYgAQYyQMyCBAAGIAEGJIDMggQABiABBixAzIIEAAYgAQYsQMyCBAAGIAEGLEDMggQABiABBixA0jNUFCxC1ihPHACeAGQAQGYAbkBoAGDIKoBBDUuMjm4AQHIAQD4AQGYAg-gAq0OqAIUwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICBBAjGCfCAggQABiABBiiBMICBRAAGIAEwgIHECMYJxjqAsICFBAAGIAEGJECGLQCGIoFGOoC2AEBwgIUEAAYgAQY4wQYtAIY6QQY6gLYAQHCAgoQIxiABBgnGIoFwgIREC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYgwEYxwHCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICFhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGEMYgwEYxwEYigXCAg4QLhiABBixAxiDARjUAsICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgINEC4YgAQYsQMYQxiKBcICDhAAGIAEGJECGLEDGIoFwgIQEAAYgAQYsQMYQxiDARiKBcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIEEAAYA8ICBxAuGIAEGAqYAyCIBgGQBgi6BgYIARABGAGSBwYyLjEyLjGgB8ntAg&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

 

[woodferret]

How do you feel about Osmo Polyx?  There's a 'Raw' formulation that has a bit of white to counteract the natural yellowing.  Couple that with the Anti-Slip Maintenance Oil.  By itself, it can be a bit slick too when fresh, but dirt has remedied that for me.

 

[Cheese]

I'd vote 100% for Bona Traffic AS (anti slip). It's a water based coating specifically for floors and can be recoated within 2-3 hours.

My wife slid down the stairs...my wife's friend slid down the stairs, our golden retriever slid down the stairs...but when I slid down the stairs then I knew things needed to change.  [big grin]  I then applied Bona Traffic AS to the stairs and all's right with the world.  [big grin]  It's been about 8 years now and the stuff still works.

It's a great product and is extremely mildly abrasive...such that you'll not be able to feel the abrasive particles but they will catch your socks and catch your bare feet. It's a 2-part system but it does have a shelf life so check the dates.

 

[dlu]

Thanks all! Too many good ideas...