Tips for Choosing Prefinished or Unfinished Hardwood Floors

Decide to replace or add hardwood flooring to your home, and one of the decisions you’ll be faced with is whether to purchase prefinished or unfinished wood. Both options can work for you, but you do need to understand the difference before you make your selection.

What a Finish Does

The finish on hardwood floors is actually a top coat that protects the floor. It acts as a sealant to prevent damage that comes from spills and stains, moisture and just normal wear-and-tear. Floors designated as pre-finished have the finishing process completed while the planks are being manufactured. Floors labeled as unfinished or site-finished have the topcoat put on at your home.

Since the end result is the same, you may wonder at the difference and which one will work best for you. Here is a look at both options in more detail.

Prefinished Floors

Floors that have been finished at the factory are easy to install and take less on-site work. The finish is of the highest quality in a controlled environment. It’s longer lasting because of the aluminum oxide urethane coating that is deemed to be high performance. Ultraviolet light is used to cure the coating to the wood, which will preserve the color to prevent fading.

These floors are designed to be durable and not only last a lifetime but look good even years after installation. Many times, you’ll find hardwood flooring with warranties of up to 35 years. They are also resistant to scratches and stains.

Here are some other advantages:

Floors are ready for use with no curing time

No strong odors from finishing or dust from sanding

Can be sanded and refinished more than once

Manufacturer’s warranty covers against defects

Unfinished Floors

Unfinished floors are brought to the customer’s home and finished by the professional installers. These floors get two to three coats of the polyurethane sealant and cured by air drying. They aren’t as hard as finished floors, but they are often less expensive.

When the flooring and installing team arrive, the boards are sanded and stained prior to finishing. The entire process takes longer than with finished flooring, which can increase the total cost.

The advantages of choosing hardwood flooring in Toronto or other cities for your home include the following features:

Custom color choices to match your preference or existing décor

Some styles of hardwood and widths only come in unfinished options

Can be sanded and refinished as needed

An additional advantage is that you can install them yourself for cheaper than buying prefinished floors. You just have to know how to do the finishing work.

There is no right or wrong choice when selecting prefinished or unfinished floors. It depends on your personal preference or the project you have. For instance, you may prefer unfinished floors if you’re adding on a new room or completely renovating a space. If you are installing hardwood flooring in an existing space you’re using, prefinished may be a more convenient option.

Talk to a professional hardwood flooring expert to discuss your options and find the style of floor that best fits your needs.

Canada’s premier hardwood flooring store. Proudly selling Hardwood Flooring in Toronto since 1977. We have hardwood, laminates, engineered, and exotic flooring; we also provide hardwood flooring installation.

Canada's premier hardwood flooring store. Proudly selling Hardwood Flooring in Toronto since 1977. We have hardwood, laminates, engineered, and exotic flooring; we also provide hardwood flooring ins