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What Are Solids in Floor Finish?

Before rethinking solids, it’s important to understand what they mean. Solids in a floor finish are the components that remain on the floor after a liquid evaporates during drying. These materials form the protective film that provides:

• Gloss and clarity
• Durability and wear resistance
• Scuff and mark resistance
• Overall appearance

In short, solids are what creates the protective layer that keeps floors looking their best.

High Solids v. Low Solids Floor Finishes

When comparing high solids v. low solids floor finishes, the difference comes down to film build per coat:

• Higher solids provide more film build in fewer coats
• Lower solids may require additional coats to achieve the same film thickness

This impacts application time and labor, but it doesn’t define overall performance.

The Myth: Higher Solids = Higher Quality

The idea that higher solids automatically mean better quality is widely accepted, but it’s an oversimplification. While solids contribute to the protective layer, they don’t determine:

• How well the finish holds up under traffic
• How easy it is to maintain
• How long the appearance lasts

Modern floor finishes are complex formulations, and their performance depends on much more than a single percentage.

What Actually Drives Performance

Not all solids are created equal. The true performance of a floor finish depends on the quality and design of its formulation, including:

• Advanced polymer technology
• Cross-linking capabilities
• The balance of ingredients within the formula

Thanks to these innovations, today’s lower-solids finishes can perform at, or even above, the level or higher-solids products in key areas like durability, gloss, and longevity.

Focusing on Performance

At Betco, we take a performance-first approach to floor care. Rather than designing products around a single specification, we focus on delivering finishes that perform consistently across real-world environments. Our formulations are built to provide:

• Long-lasting durability
• High, consistent gloss
• Ease of application and maintenance
• Flexibility across different facility types

By prioritizing performance over solids percentage, we can innovative with advanced chemistries that deliver better results without being limited by outdated benchmarks.

Choosing the Right Floor Finish

Selecting the right floor finish requires looking beyond solids content and evaluating the full picture. Key considerations include:

• Maintenance program – Frequency of cleaning, burnishing, and recoating
• Labor resources – Available time and staff for application and upkeep
• Equipment – Type and capability of maintenance equipment
• Facility conditions – Traffic levels, soil load, and daily demands
• Performance goals – Desired appearance, durability, and repairability

Taking a balanced approach leads to better long-term results than relying on a single metric.

Betco offers a range of floor finishes designed to perform across these varying needs—from efficient, easy-to-maintain options like Hard as Nails^® to high-performance finishes such as Untouchable^® and Photon Max^™ for more demanding environments.

To make the process even easier, Betco’s interactive Floor Care Selector Guide helps you identify the right products based on your floor type, condition, and maintenance goals.

The Bottom Line

Solids content plays a role in floor finish selection but it’s only part of the equation. Today’s advancements in floor finish technology have made it possible to achieve high performance across a range of solid levels. The focus has shifted from how much is in the formula to how well it performs on the floor.

At Betco, we’re committed to helping facility professionals move beyond outdated assumptions and choose solutions that deliver real, measurable results. Ready to rethink your floor care program? Connect with your Betco representative or explore our full line of floor finishes to find a solution designed for performance, no matter the solids level.