prefinished hardwood flooring pros and cons

Below, well take you through all the basics of prefinished hardwood flooring. When you install unfinished planks in a room, then the final steps of the job entail sanding the floor so that you receive a flat surface. Were sorry to say, but you may have to forget about your Pinterest folder of intricate wood floor patterns if you choose prefinished hardwood flooring. The real question you should be asking is whats the difference between prefinished hardwood and unfinished hardwood? The manufacturing style takes a specific approach that typically bevels the edges, creating a visual aesthetic that might not match what you have with the rest of the house. The point is, the prefinished vs. unfinished hardwood debate has nothing to do with the floors ability to be refinished. If so, youre not alone. This one is a no-brainer, but were going to go over it anyway. There are fewer style choices to consider with prefinished hardwood flooring when compared to an unfinished plank. There is no need to wait for the finish to dry, and you do not need to relocate out of your home because of the fumes of the finishing products. If you are considering unfinished hardwood flooring for your home or business, here are some of the notable pros and cons associated with this type of flooring: If you love fully custom things, unfinished hardwood flooring is for you. You can save some money by using a softwood product like pine, but then you will be sacrificing durability to reduce the initial capital expense. 4. Tarkett laminate flooring probably isnt the first choice that pops up when you look for the best laminate flooring brands. One of the top advantages of vinyl is that its water-resistant, and even waterproof in some cases. The installation process is also different. It must be installed, sanded, and refinished on site. If you are working with unfinished planks, then a quick repair can happen if a piece of wood becomes damaged during the installation process. To learn more, please consult BuildDirect's, Choosing Colors: Countertops, Floors, Doors, & More, The Type of Tile You Choose Can Make or Break Your Remodeling Project, Puppies vs Floors: How to Protect Your Floors From Pets and Vice Versa, Hardwood vs. Thankfully, prefinished floors dont need refinishing very often, but when it does, you have to remove more than five layers of urethane finish to get to the wood, and that can be time-consuming and difficult. Engineered hardwood and prefinished hardwood are different materials though engineered hardwood can be prefinished. Tile vs. Laminate Flooring: The Pros and Cons, Can You Bleach Wooden Floors? Whatever the case, the average cost to install engineered hardwood floorsor solid wood floors, for that matterranges between $3 and $8 per square foot with prefinished planks. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Essentially, it boils down to this: Again, it depends on a ton of factors. After installation, the only thing left to do is sweep it up and call it a day. Unsurprisingly, this floor has plenty of advantages to win you over. This is due to the fact that the sanding finishing process is already completely, therefore, you can skip that entire process, as well as the waiting time for it to cure. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Besides regular wood, many of the best bamboo flooring, best cork flooring, and even best hemp flooring options can be purchased in engineered varietiesso you have no shortage of options to choose from. There are some disadvantages of floating floors, but theyre generally cheaper and easier to put in. Because youre the one whos in charge of finishing it! This choice also works well if you have dogs or cats at home, and you want to enjoy all of the benefits that come with owning a hardwood floor. We understandhardwood is beautiful, timeless, and one of the most popular types of flooring around. Unfinished Hardwood Flooring. You can add your own personal touch with inlays, borders, and other flooring features, as well as your finish system, stain color, and sawn profile. The only difference is that when you purchase unfinished wood, you have to finish it on-site. While prefinished hardwood is resistant to scuffs and dents, its just as vulnerable to water damage as any other hardwood floor. Installing prefinished hardwood is very similar to installing regular hardwood. Website and content 2021 Daves Floor Sanding & Installing, All Rights Reserved. In fact, Tarkett is a rather obscure brand, at least in terms of residential flooring. If hardwood flooring is unfinished, it means that it is raw hardwood. It can come in various grains, colors, and stains to look great in almost any design aesthetic. You can use the flooring right away once the installation work is complete. Often, if theres an issue with prefinished hardwood, its best to replace the entire floorboard. Ultimately, you want to choose a high-quality flooring material that meets your needs and budget. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. If you are deciding between the two or have made your decision and need your flooring professionally installed, give us a call today for a free, in-home estimate! Seeing as there are pros and cons for both hardwood flooring options, its hard to choose a clear winner. However, this of course comes down to what is right for your home or business and will be determined by factors beyond consumer popularity. You will add inlays after you sand the floor, which makes them perfectly flush with the rest of the floor. How Much Does it Cost to Replace Carpet With Hardwood? And both of these can be purchased prefinished or unfinished. When you sand an unfinished hardwood floor, then the room typically fills with sawdust which must be thoroughly cleaned to avoid any breathing issues in the future. Its also much thicker than what you could apply manually. Here are a few of the most important ones to know about. Thats because flooring mills can bake in layer upon layer of super-hard acrylic finishes (generally aluminum oxide), which make your floors super durable. And theres really no point in looking for low-VOC flooring if youre going to be breathing in fumes from all the stains and finishes that go on top of them! This means youd need to create a perfectly flat foundation for the planks to sit ona challenge that can drive up the cost of your project significantly. Most of the warranties come with protection against defects in the materials and the finishing processes used to create the planks in the first place. Can a Prefinished Hardwood Floor Be Refinished? Almost all the top hardwood brands sell a majority of their wood prefinished. It is essential to remember that the advantages of prefinished hardwood flooring apply when discussing products that are a solid, authentic wood. Its no surprise that its such a popular flooring material. Our advice: find a top-rated local flooring store near you and ask their opinion about prefinished hardwood. There are certain wood types and plank sizes which are not available when you choose prefinished hardwood flooring. And thats not an option with unfinished wood that you finish on-site. 6. Carpet or Hardwood in Bedrooms: Which is Better? If youre looking for a more moisture-friendly, cost-effective option, vinyl planks, engineered hardwood, and laminate are terrific alternatives. 7. Prefinished floors eliminate the hassle and time required for installing unfinished floors. Now that weve talked about prices, lets answer some frequently asked questions about prefinished hardwood flooring. Now that weve talked about the difference between prefinished hardwood and engineered hardwood, lets talk specifically about the pros and cons of prefinished hardwood floors. The installation of prefinished hardwood flooring follows the same processes that a contractor or DIY specialist would use to install unfinished planks. Lets start with the good stuff! This disadvantage eventually limits the number of times that youll have an opportunity to refinish the floor in the future. Most prefinished hardwood flooring products come with beveled edges. Carpet: Whats Best for Your Home, Find Your Style: 4 Iconic Looks and How to Make Them Your Own, The Best Flooring Options for Texas Homes, Marble Look Porcelain Tile That Will Take Your Countertops to the Next Level. There are also some specific styles and shapes that only come when you choose an option that requires on-site finishing. When you decide to use prefinished hardwood flooring, then the surface is ready to use right away. And if that has you wondering whats the difference between an underlayment vs. a subfloorwell, just click on that link to read about it. Thats exactly what were here to find out! Sometimes, manufacturers add an anti-scratch coating that makes the floor more resistant to minor surface damage. This post may contain references or links to products from one or more partners of our parent company and/or subsidiaries of our parent company. 3. Thats all about the material, not the finish. Thats why most wide-plank wood flooring options are made with engineered woodbecause its much more stable. It can also take several hours, if not several days, for the finishes on the flooring to dry between each coat. Since unfinished hardwood flooring requires on-site installation, you are able to fully customize your floors any way you want. If your subfloor is uneven in spots, it can cause some of the planks to raise slightly, or even result in visible gaps between the planks. The Best Flooring for Extreme Temperatures, 14 Vinyl Kitchen Flooring Trends for 2022. When you combine this advantage with the longer-lasting finish that you receive, that means there are fewer issues with mess, time investments and expenses when compared to the other options which are available. Often, they offer an easier, quicker way to get the warmth of hardwood floors. You have access to fewer installation options with a prefinished hardwood floor. Prefinished hardwood is essentially just hardwood, with less work on the installation and a little more durability. Generally, the most significant con related to unfinished hardwood flooring is the time the installation process takes. Its durability also makes it some of the best wood flooring for dogs (and for the people who love them). The manufacturing processes give you more durability in return, but it takes away the idea of a custom product. You may have noticed that we havent yet talked about pricing. This post may contain references or links to products from one or more partners of our parent company and/or subsidiaries of our parent company. Can You Buy Prefinished Hardwood Flooring in Wide Plank Sizes? Plan to pay between $5 to $8 per square foot for a usable product that will highlight the natural beauty of your home. Your maintenance chores are easier with prefinished hardwood flooring. Each plank goes through the same finishing processes at the factory to ensure that the results are what you want to see every time. 5. These days, many (if not all) of the best hardwood floor brands offer prefinished hardwood in a wide range of stains, finishes, and sizes. Consider your situation today to see if the pros and cons of prefinished hardwood floors can land in your favor too. Unlike prefinished hardwood, some vinyl planks are DIY-friendly, although professional application is usually still advised. If you can refinish the material, youre good to go. Its not faux wood flooringits just another type of hardwood. When the manufacturer finishes the planks for your prefinished hardwood flooring at the factory, then you will receive a harder surface when compared to finishing the work on site. What are the Best Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Brands? Furthermore, the durability of the finish on prefinished flooring can make it difficult to remove these surface layers if you ever want to refinish your flooring in the future. From mom-and-pop flooring stores to national home-improvement chains, youll most likely have a very good selection of prefinished hardwood flooring in different species and stain finishes near you. Is Cork Flooring Usually Prefinished or Unfinished? You may discover that the look of your prefinished hardwood flooring planks does not match your other floors at home if you are repairing, upgrading, or installing a new floor in a different room. Unfinished hardwood flooring can come in a wide variety of lengths, widths, grain types, colors, and other preferences that you might have. Nylon Carpet Pros and Cons: The 2022 Guide, Prefinished hardwood flooring may cost more to purchase, depending on about a million factors (the. Its free, simple, and it only takes a few seconds to sign up. This can leave the seams open and susceptible to spills and damage. 4. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. For more information,visit this page. If you want an expert opinion, theyre the ones to go to! If you fail to add a sealing agent, then there can be issues with water penetration, eventually leading to mold or rot growing beneath the surface of the planks. There are no simple ways to restore the value of your installation if something unexpected happens. Because the manufacturer is sealing the prefinished hardwood floor at the factory, there is no way for the planks to have their edges sealed after the installation process is completed. Prefinished hardwood flooring is exactly what it sounds likereal hardwood planks that are pre-finished with stain and sealant before they arrive at your door. Sustainable wood flooring? It also includes the way the edges of your floor will join together. The average national cost in the United States to install a wooden floor is approximately $4,500. Refinishing is also challenging to do. In fact, wood finished with polyurethane + aluminum oxide is many times more durable than wood finished with basic polyurethane. Solid hardwood, for example, can be refinished indefinitelyregardless of whether you buy it prefinished or unfinished. This option tends to be more impervious to stains, moisture damage, and discoloration issues that can impact the visual appeal of other floors. Engineered Wood Is a Type of Wood FlooringNot a Type of Finish, Engineered Wood Flooring Has a Lot Going For It, And Remember: Most Engineered Wood Flooring Options Come Prefinished, Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Pros and Cons, The Advantages of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring, Installing Prefinished Hardwood Flooring is Quick and Clean, Prefinished Hardwood Can Be Safer for Your Home, Because the VOCs Off-Gas in the FactoryNot Your House, Plus, its Way More Durable and Wear-Resistant, Which Means You Dont Have to Refinish It as Often (Or At All), And If You Opt for Engineered Wood, It Also Means You Dont Need as Thick of a Veneer, Prefinished Wood is Usually More Widely-Available Than Unfinished Wood, And There Are Endless Options to Choose From, The Disadvantages of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring, Prefinished Hardwood Cant Be Used for Some Custom Designs, Unfinished Hardwood is Much More Customizable, Including The Way Your Edges Look (Beveled vs. Unbeveled, etc. You can sand down beneath the coating that the factory applied to the product to reveal the natural wood of the planks. Others have squared edges. The finish could also leave a residual odor in the air that can take several weeks to dissipate, which is not an issue with prefinished planks. So if youre set on the look and feel of wood for your bathroom or mudroom flooring, wed still recommend buying a specialty water-resistant wood flooring product like Mohawks RevWood. Thats a good question! VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are harmful chemicals that slowly off-gas from different types of industrial products. All wood flooring types will add warmth classic style to your home. The added durability that you receive with this advantage means that your new floor can withstand harsher treatment, making it a suitable choice for households that are always busy. 2. You can still refinish a prefinished floor if you want. Think of prefinished hardwood flooring as the option you want when a fast installation that still looks good is your top priority. The popularity of prefinished hardwood floors makes it much easier to find prefinished hardwood than unfinished hardwood. While you can buy prefinished or unfinished engineered wood, the majority of your options are going to be pre-finished. Vinyl is usually much less expensive than prefinished hardwood, making it an ideal choice for people who dont want to sacrifice on budget or style. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. To that end, the need to refinish these floors (aka to sand them down to the bare wood) is greatly reducedmeaning you can save on cost to refinish hardwood flooring by doing a simple resurfacing, which makes the floors look brand new without compromising the integrity of the factory finish. Any flaws that are present below the surface of the floor will become evident immediately, which means you will need to create a perfectly flat foundation to maintain the health and quality of the final product. For access to exclusive deals, unlimited samples, and on-site delivery for all of your high-quality flooring, consider becoming a PRO Rewards member. June 03, 2021 | 4 min read | BuildDirect. So if you need scratch-resistant flooring and youre dead-set on using hardwoodespecially in high-traffic areas like entryways or hallwaysprefinished wood is probably the way to go. But if you want low-VOC wood flooring, pre-finished is almost always the way to go. The same goes for hardwood floor alternatives. If you want to refinish your engineered wood, you usually have to make sure to buy a product with a thick veneer layeroften 3mm or more. ), Prefinished Hardwood Wont Hide Subflooring Troubles (but Unfinished Hardwood Will), The Cost of Prefinished vs. But when it comes to multi-colored, 3D designs and inlayswell, theyll probably require a custom finish. If you buy prefinished floors, your family wont spend days breathing in harmful VOCs as your new finish dries. These days, the industry-standard veneer thickness is about 1.2mm for prefinished engineered hardwood. The finish has nothing to do with the wood being engineered or solid. You just install it and sweep it up. Sounds like a win to us. Its hard wood, after all. Are you considering prefinished hardwood for your upcoming project? From a wide range of hues of cherry and oak to shades of maple and pine, there are a variety of wood species and natural color variations available with unfinished hardwood flooring. Also, engineered wood can cost less when you buy exotic wood speciesbecause it uses less of that precious exotic wood. This advantage creates a time savings because you do not go through the process of sanding and staining the material once you have the flooring in place. Thats not a hard-and-fast rule, its just the reality of buying hardwood floors. Of course, there are some disadvantages of prefinished hardwood. But putting in unfinished hardwood floors and finishing them in your home can fill your house with dust and debris while taking weeks to complete. The individual floorboards come pre-sealed, so there isnt usually a need to apply a seal after the fact. If you decide that you dont like the look of your prefinished hardwood floor or it is not aging well, then it will require heavy sanding to get through the factory topcoat. If you buy unfinished hardwood and finish it on-site, you can literally make it look like anything. For prefinished hardwood, you simply install and sweep it up. Alternately, you could always go with a fake wood flooring optionsomething like wood-look tile, for instance. Obviously, it depends on what youre going for. They can be made from any hardwood species, and theyre often sealed with a super-hard aluminum oxide coating to make them durable and scratch-resistant. Adhesives and finishes are some of the worst offenders. All of that to say: engineered woods disadvantages are small potatoes when considering its upsides. Think of it this way: the bigger the wood plank, the more vulnerable it is to cupping and warping. 6. In fact, you may even have a lot more options, since most wide-plank wood flooring is made of engineered wood. You must apply an agent to the floor to protect against having dirt and grime caught between the planks because of this disadvantage. That means the slightly rounded edges tend to offer a look that is more finished when the work is complete, but it also gives your floor a look that speaks of it being manufactured. 14 Pros and Cons of Acid Stained Concrete Floors, 13 Pros and Cons of Owning a Basset Hound, 500 Cutest Dachshund Names for a Girl or Boy Puppy Dog, Top 500 Golden Retriever Names for a Female or Male Puppy, 301 Great Pyrenees Dog Names for a Female or Male Puppy, 500 Cutest Yorkie Names for a Girl or Boy Puppy Dog, Golden Pyrenees Guide: 26 Facts About the Great Pyrenees Golden Retriever Mix, German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Guide: 27 Things to Know About the Germanees, German Shepherd Akita Corgi Mix: 26 Things Every Owner Should Know, Chihuahua German Shepherd Mix Guide: 25 Things to Know About a Chihuahua Shepherd, Alaskan Shepherd Guide: 29 Things Every Owner Should Know, Blue Heeler German Shepherd Mix: 26 Things Every Owner Should Know. You can avoid many of the uncomfortable sights and smells of finishing the traditional hardwood floor, receive a durable surface that can last for decades, and enjoy a low-maintenance lifestyle with this product. However, before you dive in, its essential to look at the advantages and disadvantages of prefinished hardwood to determine whether its the best flooring for your project. Because everything is done at the factory, this option is the closest that you can get to a plug and play floor while using hardwood materials. When the manufacturer applies a finish treatment to the hardwood floors, they are using a robust chemical sealer that is not available to installers who operate on-site. Its not a particularly high-quality product. Simpleits the foundation of your flooring, often plywood boards nailed down to the big beams holding up your floor. Laminate can be a durable and long-lasting flooring type when properly installed. It just depends on the product. All the best engineered wood flooring can either come pre-finished or unfinished. Not quite as low as the cost to install vinyl plank flooring, but definitely cheaper than the cost to finish your hardwood on-site. Due to the protective seal, prefinished floors look great for many years. This is an easy one. Although one of the unique advantages of a prefinished hardwood floor is that you dont need to finish or refinished it in the future, you still have the option to change up your look if you want after installation. Even if the planks come with a 25-year warranty, they surface seal is going to receive scratches, start fading, and experience discoloration. Trying to decide between prefinished hardwood flooring and unfinished hardwood flooring? Just keep in mind that you may not be able to fully customize all the aspects of these floors, including the edges. It comes in a variety of styles so that it can mimic the look of prefinished hardwood. Its a more convenient option for some renovation or improvement projects. If you are using a solid (not engineered) product, then the pros and cons of prefinished hardwood flooring are worth considering because you can save some installation time while still managing your overall costs. If a prefinished floor gets dented, dinged, or scratched, it can be complicated (if not impossible) to repair. Tarkett Laminate Flooring Review: Worth Buying? With that said, we thought we would give you a closer look at what you need to know when deciding between prefinished and unfinished hardwood flooring. There are also some specific challenges that this flooring option presents. The BuildDirect Product Expert Team is here to support any questions you may have regarding your home improvement project. Yes! Manufacturers are now finishing the planks themselves to reduce the amount of time thats necessary to finish the installation work. There are fewer choices available to you with prefinished hardwood flooring. Vinyl can look like wood, but it isnt actually wood at all. Is it actually []. Oh, and for more information on different types of floors, check out: Rose's career has taken her from small-town teacher to mixologist at several award-winning NYC cocktail bars (and everywhere in between). The big difference is that prefinished wood is actually hardwood, whereas engineered wood is a composite material. Ebony flooring? Even though engineered hardwood can come prefinished, its usually still a good idea to seal it especially since it is typically used in more moisture-rich areas. While solid hardwood is one piece of wood throughout, engineered wood combines a high-strength plywood base and a solid wood veneer. If youre looking for info on nylon carpet pros and cons, allow us to paraphrase Lady Gaga at the Oscars: We got you. There are so many types of carpet to choose from that it can be incredibly overwhelming to know whats what. We would love to be a part of your home improvement journey! The best types of vinyl flooring are so water-resistant, they can even be used as outdoor flooring options. This is due to the fact that after it is installed, it has to be manually sanded and finished, and often, there is a staining step between these processes. Here are the advantages of buying your hardwood floors pre-finished. 2. Does Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Resist Water Better? find a top-rated local flooring store near you, disadvantages of hickory vs. oak flooring, cost to install engineered hardwood floors, Carpet vs. Laminate: The *Real* Pros & Cons, Magnetic Flooring: Everything You Need to Know.

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