A waterborne finish covers the wood with a layer of protective varnish. The product is usually a two-component, waterborne, 100% polyurethane varnish that can have a matt or silky-matt finish. It is applied in several layers and dries quite quickly. Once treated, wood becomes slightly darker but keeps a very natural look. I chose a very resistant treatment from www.bona.com. Cleaning is extremely easy: I damp-mop my floors with water and occasionally use a special cleaning maintenance treatment of the same brand as my waterborne finish (available at specialised stores your contractor should indicate). Before the treatment, wooden floors need to be sanded several times – I would recommend that this job be done by professionals. Sanding seems easy (you can rent out machines in every Brico, Boels DYI Rental Service or similar shops) but if it is not done correctly it can do your floor unevenly and show the marks of the sanding disks.