Choosing between prefinished vs. Unfinished hardwood floors can be tricky. You should think about the advantages and disadvantages of each before making a decision.
Before you jump into the huge money outlay of installing a brand new real wood floor, it’s crucial that you are aware of your options. There are 2 types of hardwood you can choose from: finished and unfinished. Finished costs less and is easier to look at, but unfinished usually looks much better.
unfinished wood floors delivered raw – it’s rough, textured, straight from the mill. The real wood is then sanded, stained, and also finished at your home or place of business. Since it doesn’t arrive finished, it can be coordinated with existing hardwood floors and can also be found in more widths and types of wood than prefinished floors.
Prefinished wood floors can be sanded, stained and finished in the manufacturing facility. It does not require any further treatment after it has been installed. Consequently, the price of labor to install prefinished hardwood floors is substantially more profitable.
Prefinished flooring’s durable coating and manufactured design can make it more resistant to water and moisture, making it suitable for climates with high humidity or significant variations in the environment, or where the subfloor is below ground level. soil and is much more prone to moisture. (locations like The Woodlands, Conroe, Tomball, Kingwood, or Houston Texas)
On the other hand, prefinished hardwood floors are often not sealed on the jobsite and leave cracks around the planks that are perfect for collecting dirt and dust that can be difficult to remove. One more problem is the fact that when you restore your floors, you have to remove a lot more wood in the first restoration job. This reduces the overall lifespan of the floor compared to a solid real wood floor.
If the prefinished floor is damaged, an entire portion of the floor will need to be removed and replaced, whereas in many cases, field-finished hardwood floors can be repaired simply with a quick sand and finish.
There may be a chance that your particular prefinished floor will be discontinued when you need it, meaning you won’t be able to buy replacement planks. Because of this, it’s smart to order extra boards and store them in a dry, climate-controlled location in case you need them later.
Several things need to be considered:
- Will a flat be in a high-traffic location?
Is your home of historical importance? If so, unfinished wood decking is often necessary to enhance the above surfaces. Additional hand scraping techniques can be used with unfinished wood.
Would fumes and airborne dirt and dust from finishing a floor on site be a problem? Do you currently have boys and girls or dogs and cats near where you will do the work?
Where is your new flat located? Could it be in a place with high traffic or water, such as the kitchen or bathroom area? In that case, prefinished floors would be best, as they simply have a much stronger finish.
Do you want a particular color, grain or plank width selection? Prefinished lumber won’t have many options.
Is the installation throughout your home or perhaps just one room in your home? It really is much easier to match grain patterns, flow, colors, and finishes when using unfinished planks.
What technical installation method is required? Only prefinished floor surfaces can be floated over a cement subfloor.
Is it necessary to match? Unfinished wood is easier to stain, seal, and blend.
How much are you willing to pay? Prefinished flooring is generally less expensive compared to unfinished real wood floor coverings.
Do you live in an area with high humidity? If you do, prefinished flooring surfaces are the primary solution, as they are often much better protected against buckling and bending. My home is The Woodlands Tx (just north of Houston, Texas) and it is very humid here year-round.
Quite simply, prefinished lumber is useful for the vast majority of commercial offices and homes. However, if you have extra money to invest, the hardwood floors that are finished in your home or office can’t be beat!
