AquaSeal CeramicStar vs Ciranova Woodlook Plus: lacquer or oil for commercial floors
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Commercial floors fail on three things: wear-through, a slip rating that drops after 18 months, and patch recoats that will not blend. The real choice for a commercial timber floor is often not one brand against another, it is a 2K waterborne lacquer against a penetrating oil. This is Berger-Seidle AquaSeal CeramicStar (a lacquer) against Ciranova Woodlook Plus (a waterborne oil), read against the current data sheets.
The short answer
Pick CeramicStar where you want a hard, sealed film that turns a space back over fast: retail, hospitality and high-trolley zones. Pick Woodlook Plus where a natural, matte oiled look and easy in-place repair matter more than a sealed surface: hotels, aged care and serviced residential. They are different finish types, so the decision is really lacquer or oil.
What commercial traffic actually means
Define traffic in real numbers before specifying the system. A boutique shop with 200 visitors per day is not the same as a supermarket entrance with 5,000. Three factors decide the finish.
- Footfall per day. Under 500 is light commercial, 500 to 2,000 is medium, over 2,000 is heavy.
- Shoes versus shoes-off. Yoga studios, childcare and some restaurants. Shoes-off cuts abrasion sharply.
- Trolley, chair and wheeled use. Castors on hard floors are abrasive even when foot traffic looks low.
Side by side
| Factor | AquaSeal CeramicStar | Ciranova Woodlook Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Finish type | 2K waterborne lacquer, ceramic-reinforced | Waterborne penetrating oil |
| Look | Sealed film, UltraMatt through SemiGloss | Natural oiled matte, single ultra-matte sheen |
| Abrasion | Highly abrasion resistant, ceramic-reinforced, tested to DIN 68861. No Taber figure published | No abrasion figure published. Durability comes from the oil in the timber plus maintenance |
| Slip (DIN 51130) | R9, or R10 to R11 with the AntiSlip additive | R10 |
| Coats | 3 (two topcoats, optional primer) | 3 (used as primer and finish) |
| Coverage | About 10 m2 per litre per coat | About 10 to 12 m2 per litre per coat |
| Recoat window | 3 to 4 hours, one roller coat per day | 4 to 6 hours between coats |
| Return to service | Usable in about 12 hours; no care products or mats for 7 days | Lightly walkable at 24 hours; full cure about 7 days |
| Emissions | EMICODE EC1, Giscode W3, very low emission | French indoor-air class A+ |
| Repair | Screen and recoat; patch edges can show in raking light | Clean and re-oil in place; blends without a hard edge |
Abrasion, honestly
Neither manufacturer publishes a Taber cycle count, so we do not quote one. What the data sheets do say: CeramicStar is a ceramic-reinforced 2K film tested to DIN 68861 and described as highly abrasion resistant, which is the mechanism that suits high-grit, high-trolley zones. Woodlook Plus does not build a film, the oil sits in the timber, so wear shows as a gradual dulling rather than a scratched film, and it is renewed by re-oiling rather than recoating. For a live specification, ask us for the current data sheets and we will supply the published figures for the exact products you are comparing.
Slip rating over time
The published slip figures use DIN 51130, the R classes. CeramicStar is R9 as coated, lifting to R10 or R11 with the AquaSeal AntiSlip additive; Woodlook Plus is R10. So on the numbers the oil starts a step ahead on slip. What actually destroys slip ratings in service is aggressive cleaning chemistry, not foot traffic, so a correct maintenance regime matters more than the starting class.
Patch repair in a live venue
This is where oils and lacquers genuinely differ.
CeramicStar: a worn section is screened and recoated. A patch can leave a visible edge in raking light, so best practice is to recoat whole sections broken at doorways or transitions, which usually means closing that zone.
Woodlook Plus: because it is an oil in the timber, a worn area is cleaned and re-oiled in place and blends without a hard edge. That lets a venue repair sections in rotation while staying open, which is the real advantage of an oil in commercial residential.
System cost per square metre
Material only, at EcoGrit list prices, ex-GST. Labour varies by contractor and site.
- AquaSeal CeramicStar system: FlexPrimer 5L at $140 plus two coats of CeramicStar 5.5L at $250 is roughly $12 to $15 per m2, at about 8 to 10 m2 per litre per coat.
- Ciranova Woodlook Plus: a 5L tin at $478.35 across the 3-coat build, at about 10 to 12 m2 per litre per coat, works out to roughly $20 to $28 per m2.
The oil carries the higher material cost here, but it earns some of that back in repairability: re-oiling a worn zone uses far less product than a full screen-and-recoat, and it can be done without closing the space.
When to pick which one
- Pick AquaSeal CeramicStar if: the floor sees heavy abrasion, grit ingress and trolley or chair castors, you want a sealed film with a choice of sheen, and fast return to service, usable in about 12 hours, matters.
- Pick Ciranova Woodlook Plus if: the look must stay natural and matte, the venue needs to repair sections in rotation while staying open, and the slightly higher published slip, R10, suits the space.
- Spec both on one job: CeramicStar at entries, lobbies and high-trolley zones; Woodlook Plus in dining rooms, lounges and lower-traffic residential-style areas.
How to order
Shop AquaSeal range
Shop Ciranova range
AquaSeal CeramicStar 5.5L
Ciranova Woodlook Plus 5L
Specifying a commercial job? Sales 0403 964 703 or technical support 0401 270 818 for system selection support, or email sales@ecogrit.com.au. Volume pricing available through trade accounts.
Products in this guide
- AquaSeal water-based systems - commercial-grade waterborne floor lacquers
- AquaSeal CeramicStar - 2K ceramic-reinforced waterborne lacquer for high-abrasion floors
- Ciranova range - waterborne oils and finishes for a natural look
- Ciranova Woodlook Plus - waterborne penetrating oil with a natural matte finish and easy in-place repair
All available from EcoGrit, shipped Australia-wide. Trade pricing available for flooring professionals.