Prefinished Hardwood vs. Site Finished

Prefinished Hardwood vs. Site Finished

December 29, 2016
Hardwood
Hardwood Floor

When it comes to a prefinished floor vs. a site-finished floor, customers are always looking for advice to understand what’s best for them. The definition of a prefinished floor means that it’s been finished at the factory and is ready to install. An unfinished floor is raw hardwood planks that are installed on the floor, then sanded and refinished on site. Both types of floors can work for anyone and there are valid points from each point of view. However, both have their advantages and disadvantages, based on what best suits your family lifestyle.

Below are the pros and cons of both prefinished and unfinished hardwood floors:

Unfinished Pros:

  • You can create a custom floor with borders, herringbone and inlays. The craftsmanship alone creates ‘floor art’
  • No beveled edges – This keeps continuity in the floor instead of breaking up the ‘flow’ of the space
  • Better wear because of the flatter, solid surface, while keeping liquid and dirt at the surface (great option for kitchens)
  • You have more options to choose from, such as a rift and quarter sawn and reclaimed wood, offering a more unique look
  • Refinish and stain to existing hardwood – If you have hardwood in other parts of your home, you can install the same species of hardwood throughout the new hardwood areas and sand and finish the entire floor with the same stain, creating a seamless look
  • Unique stains – Your options of stains are endless and you can mix and match/blend stains to your liking
  • You choose the finish – Like paint, you can choose a semi-gloss, gloss or even a matte finish

Unfinished Cons:

  • Downtime – Because the floors are stained, it often takes 4-5 days, give or take, for the floors to dry and to be able to walk upon
  • Mess – Although there are ‘dustless’ solutions, there is still dust as there really is no such thing as ‘dust-free.’
  • Skill – You need to be able to find qualified, skilled people to sand and finish your floors. Not all hardwood installers can sand and finish

Prefinished Pros:

  •  Scratch resistant – Because of the prefinished processing, you usually get multiple coats of polyurethane that is ‘oven baked,’ along with a protective coating, making the surface mutch more scratch resistant
  • Less mess and downtime – You can have a floor laid within 1-2 days and it’s ready to walk on as soon as it’s installed. Plus, you don’t have the sawdust in your home from the sand and finish process
  • Renovation – Easy option when renovating a home on a time-constraint

 Prefinished Cons:

  •  Limited choices – You are limited on widths, lengths, color and grain
  • Beveled edges – The beveled edges of a prefinished floor breaks up the flow of the room and offers less continuity
  • Discontinued products – Products and colors can discontinue and replacing damaged boards over time may not be an option
  • Not a solid surface – Because the surface is not a solid, flatter surface, this makes a prefinished floor a less than desired option for kitchens
  • Limited design solutions – A prefinished floor does not offer the opportunities for borders, inlays, herringbone, basket weaves, or other flooring designs
  • Not authentic looking – Some say that a prefinished floor has a ‘fake’ look or doesn’t look authentic

Deciding on the floor you want really depends on your personal needs, your time, as well as your finances. Ever situation is different but if you do the research yourself and ask questions from the professionals, you’ll find the floor that is exactly right for you.