Whether you are building a new home or have decided to refurbish or replace your current wood floors, it’s best to understand the differences between prefinished and unfinished hardwood floor products. With so many attractive options now available, we thought we would provide our customers with a quick comparison to aide in their decision making. We know that some people will choose the beauty of wood that is unfinished upon installation and then sanded and finished, while others may enjoy the convenience of a quality product that can be quickly installed.
No matter which option you choose, our E_M craftsmen will ensure that your finished flooring reflects the taste and character of you and your home.
Prefinished Floor Installation
Prefinished flooring is wood that has had all of its processing done beforehand in the factory rather than in your home. It’s been sanded, stained and coated prior to installation, which means a minimum of fuss when it arrives at your home and is installed.
- You can walk on it and place your furniture immediately upon installation
- No smell since the treatment of the wood has been done at the factory, prior to arrival at your home
- No sanding is done onsite, which means much less mess during the installation process
- Depending on the type of prefinished floors selected, this can sometimes be a better option for customers with a reduced budget since the flooring can be installed faster with less costly labor fees
- There are many more trendy product choices than in the past – many that echo the look of unfinished floors
Unfinished Floor Installation
With unfinished flooring, all of the treatment processes take place in your home. This includes the sanding, application of the selected stain and the finishing. Many people feel that this process provides a more natural look and appears richer since unlike prefinished flooring, there are no visible grooves in between each board.
- You will get a totally flat, smooth floor (easier to clean and maintain)
- There are many more stain choices which allow your floors to better reflect the warmth and artistry of the craftsmen who install it
- Stains now are now more environmentally friendly and don’t project the strong “chemical” odors that they did in the past
- More uniformity in stain color (unlike prefinished floors that have only been stained on the face of the board and sometimes look lighter in the grooves)
- Can be “spot” repaired should there be a section that gets scratched
With so many choices available in both prefinished and unfinished flooring, our sales staff can help you narrow down what will work best for your vision and your budget. Some customers even have a mixture of different floor types in their home, especially when they have pre-existing floors that can no longer be sanded and refinished and need to be completely replaced!
