Northern Lights Design

    Sundry Pro Shop / Finishes

    Stains, Sealers & Topcoats for Every Finish Project

    The full stain, sealer, and topcoat lineup pros pull from — for hardwood floors, cabinetry, natural stone, and tile. Stocked at our Columbia Falls counter and open to homeowners and the trades alike.

    What We Stock

    Finishes for Wood, Stone, and Tile

    Every category below is stocked (or spec'd) at the Columbia Falls counter. Not seeing something? Call ahead — most specialty items ship in 24–48 hours.

    Stains & Colorants

    Penetrating oil stains, water-based stains, gel stains, and reactive dyes to color hardwood floors, cabinetry, stair treads, and millwork before topcoating.

    • •Bona DriFast & ClassicSeal stains
    • •Rubio Monocoat oil + hardener systems
    • •Duraseal & Minwax stain lines
    • •Reactive iron and lye treatments
    • •Custom color-matching from a sample board

    Sealers & Primers

    Wood sealers, sanding sealers, tannin-blocking primers, and bonding primers that prep a substrate so the finish coat adheres, wears, and colors evenly.

    • •Water-based sanding sealers
    • •Shellac and BIN-style tannin blockers
    • •Adhesion primers for MDF and previously finished wood
    • •Bona IntenseSeal & NordicSeal
    • •Concrete densifiers and porosity sealers

    Topcoats & Floor Finishes

    Site-applied hardwood finishes and cabinet topcoats in a full range of sheens — from oil-modified urethane to waterborne two-component systems built for Montana wear.

    • •Bona Traffic HD & Traffic Naturale (commercial-grade waterborne)
    • •Loba 2K Invisible Protect and matte finishes
    • •Oil-modified polyurethane (Duraseal, Minwax)
    • •Hardwax oils (Rubio, Pallmann Magic Oil)
    • •Conversion varnish and pre-cat lacquer for cabinets

    Tile, Grout & Stone Sealers

    Penetrating and topical sealers to protect natural stone, grout lines, and porous porcelain — the last step on any tile and stone project.

    • •Miracle 511 Impregnator & 511 Porous Plus
    • •Aqua Mix Sealer's Choice Gold
    • •Grout release and haze removers
    • •Enhancing sealers for slate, travertine, and honed marble
    • •Countertop sealers for granite, marble, and quartzite

    Application Tools

    The rollers, T-bars, applicators, and pads that let a finish flow out cleanly — matched to the specific chemistry you're spreading.

    • •T-bar and microfiber applicators for waterborne finishes
    • •Lambswool applicators for oil-modified poly
    • •Rubio Monocoat pads and buffing kits
    • •HVLP spray tips and strainers
    • •Chip brushes, china bristle brushes, and cut-in tools

    Prep, Sanding & Repair

    Everything upstream of the finish coat: abrasives, patch, filler, and consumables that make the difference between a passable floor and a great one.

    • •Norton and Mirka floor sanding abrasives (belts, discs, edger paper)
    • •Wood filler, trowel filler, and knot repair
    • •Bona Pacific Filler and Woodline gap filler
    • •Screens and maroon pads for between-coat abrasion
    • •Tack cloths, lint-free wipes, and finish strainers

    A Complete Finish System, in Order

    A great floor or countertop finish is a chain — each step supports the next. We can spec any part of it or the whole sequence.

    1

    Prep & Sand

    Match your abrasive sequence to the species and existing finish. Vacuum thoroughly, then tack the floor. Bad prep is the #1 cause of a failed finish.

    2

    Stain or Color

    Sample on offcuts from the actual floor. Reactive stains, oil stains, and waterborne dyes all read differently on white oak, hickory, and Douglas fir.

    3

    Seal

    A sealer coat locks in color, blocks tannin bleed, and reduces grain raise on subsequent coats. Match the sealer chemistry to your topcoat.

    4

    Topcoat

    Two to three coats of a matched topcoat, abraded between coats. For high-traffic Montana entryways and short-term rentals, we spec commercial-grade waterborne.

    Pair Finishes with the Right Material

    Finishes are only as good as what's underneath them. Browse the finish materials we supply through Northern Lights Design: hardwood flooring, tile & stone, countertops & slabs, and luxury vinyl. Or head back to the Sundry Pro Shop overview.

    Common Questions

    Finishes — Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

    Oil-modified polyurethane ambers over time and cures slowly (24+ hours between coats), giving hardwood a warm, traditional tone. Waterborne finishes like Bona Traffic HD and Loba 2K Invisible Protect stay clear, recoat in 2–4 hours, and generally test harder on the Taber wear scale — which is why we recommend them for busy Flathead Valley households, short-term rentals, and commercial projects. Waterborne costs more per gallon but often saves time and topcoats.

    Yes. We stock Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C (the pre-catalyzed hardener version) in the most popular colors, along with the accelerator, cleaner, and refresher eco. We also carry Pallmann Magic Oil and Bona Craft Oil 2K for designers who want a matte, natural-look finish with easy spot repair.

    For high-wear vacation properties around Whitefish, Lakeside, and Bigfork we most often spec Bona Traffic HD or Loba 2K Invisible Protect. Both are two-component commercial waterborne finishes designed for gyms, restaurants, and airports — they handle luggage wheels, ski boots, and dog nails better than any residential finish on the market. Pair with a properly prepped white oak or hickory floor for the longest service life.

    Yes. The Sundry Pro Shop counter in Columbia Falls is open to the public. If you're a DIY homeowner, we'll walk you through product selection, coat sequence, and dry times. That said — professional-grade waterborne finishes are unforgiving and expensive to redo. For whole-home refinishes we usually recommend hiring one of the vetted finishers we can refer.

    It depends on the stone. For polished granite and quartzite we use a penetrating impregnator like Miracle 511. For honed marble, travertine, and slate, an enhancing sealer deepens the color while still breathing. Grout lines get their own dedicated sealer after the grout cures 48–72 hours. Bring a small sample and we'll match a sealer to your stone.

    Both. We stock conversion varnish, pre-cat lacquer, and 2K polyurethane systems for cabinet shops and finish carpenters, plus the strainers, tips, and reducers to spray them cleanly. If you're refinishing built-ins or a stair rail, we can spec a full system from primer through topcoat.

    If the finish is intact (no bare wood, no wax contamination, no pet stains through the finish), a screen-and-recoat with a compatible topcoat can add 5–10 years for a fraction of the cost of a full refinish. Bring a photo and, if possible, a small offcut — we can usually tell within a few minutes whether recoating will bond.

    Core finish products — Bona, Loba, Rubio Monocoat, Miracle 511, common stains and sealers — are available at 225 Kinnikinnick Lane, Ste C in Columbia Falls. Call ahead to confirm same-day availability during business hours; specialty colors and full-system cabinet coatings may take a day or two to bring in.

    No. Sundry Pro Shop and Northern Lights Design are materials-and-supplies operations — we don't perform finishing, sanding, sealing, or installation. We can refer you to vetted independent finishers across the Flathead Valley if you'd like a qualified pro to handle the work.
    Visit Us

    Our Columbia Falls Location

    Our Columbia Falls warehouse handles material pickup and delivery staging, and the Sundry Pro Shop stocks thinset, grout, underlayment, transition strips, and trade supplies.

    Warehouse & Pro Shop

    Northern Lights Design — Columbia Falls Warehouse & Sundry Pro Shop

    225 Kinnikinnick Ln, Ste C & D, Columbia Falls, MT 59912
    (406) 314-8713
    Warehouse & Sundry Pro Shop: Mon–Fri 7:30AM–5PM
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