There are three main types of lane surface although there are others less used. The thee main varieties are Wood, Synthetic overlay on wood and Synthetic. Wood Lanes Wood lanes are just that - wood. Wood lanes are generally made with two or more types of wood although more recently there have been lanes produced with just one type of wood. This is simply because for many lanes, pine wood was used for the section just after the arrows to the pin deck.
Some manufacturers now produce an all maple lane, which improves lane strength and consistency.
This involves sanding the surface of the lane to make it smooth again and then re-applying a coating, usually urethane, to protect it. This means that there is a limited period of time that a wood lane can be used before it must be replaced. This is not the same as resurfacing, which actually removes more of the wood from the lane to make it flatter. When a wood lane is reaching the end of it's usefulness, it is often covered with a Synthetic Coating, as described below. Lanes with Synthetic Overlay Synthetic Overlay on Wood is also just what it sounds like.