Choosing new flooring for your home is a big commitment that will impact your daily life. And with so many floor options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which type would be right for you. Even once you’ve decided to install a beautiful hardwood floor, there is still the choice between prefinished and unfinished hardwood flooring.
To give some clarity and make your decision easier, here is a look at exactly what prefinished hardwood flooring is, along with the top reasons to choose a prefinished floor. From what makes prefinished hardwood so appealing to why many homeowners prefer it to unfinished flooring, this guide will go over everything you need to know.
What Is Prefinished Hardwood Flooring?
Prefinished hardwood flooring involves hardwood planks that have been factory-finished before being sold in stores. This factory-finish includes sanding, staining and coating the hardwood with polyurethane, which is a finish that is commonly used to protect hardwood floors from scratches and spills. When you purchase unfinished wood flooring, you will need to go through the steps of sanding, staining and coating the wood with a finish on your own.
Prior to the introduction of prefinished flooring, hardwood floors were always installed as unfinished boards that got stained and finished with an extra protective surface layer right there at the worksite. However, prefinished hardwood flooring has steadily grown in popularity since it is a simpler alternative to unfinished wood flooring. Keep reading to find out why prefinished hardwood floors have become a favorite home-renovation product.
7 Benefits of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
Using prefinished hardwood flooring comes with a long list of benefits. Here are the top seven advantages of using prestained wood instead of unfinished hardwood flooring:
1. Simple Installation
Compared with unfinished floors, prefinished floors are considerably easier and faster to install. Because prefinished flooring is already coated in a factory setting, it doesn’t require any extra effort to be sanded and finished on-site. Opting for prefinished wood flooring also means you get to avoid the dust, noise and smells that accompany the installation of unfinished flooring.
The ease of installation that prefinished hardwood flooring offers also comes with lower costs. Without the need for any special equipment to finish the flooring, you can keep the price of installation down.
2. Save Time
You can also save an ample amount of time by going with prefinished flooring. Instead of spending hours manually sanding, staining and finishing your flooring, you can have these steps already checked off when you buy prefinished wood. As a bonus, you won’t have to wait for the freshly applied finish to cure fully before enjoying your new hardwood floor.
3. Durability
The multiple coats of finish and strengtheners applied to prefinished flooring make it far more durable than unfinished hardwood flooring. Prefinished wood flooring receives its layers of finish and strengtheners in a controlled factory setting. Additionally, the UV-curing technology and extremely powerful chemical sealers ensure the wood is resistant to everyday wear and tear.
Along with being better able to withstand abrasion, factory-applied finishes are free of flaws from factors like dust, swirl marks and brush hairs. The advanced finishing technologies and drying conditions available in an industrial plant can’t be replicated when finishing flooring on-site.
4. Less Maintenance and Repairs
Because prefinished hardwood flooring is so durable, it will require less maintenance and repairs in the long run. While hardwood flooring that was finished on-site usually lasts for only a few years, prefinished flooring can last for decades.
Prefinished wood flooring will be less susceptible to stains, moisture and other discolorations than floors that get finished on-site, which means you will not have to put up with the mess, expenses and time it would take to have your flooring refinished a few years down the road. Although prestained wood requires considerably less upkeep than unfinished wood, keep in mind that even prefinished hardwood eventually begins to fade.
5. Non-Toxic
Unpleasant odors and toxins are unavoidable when finishing a hardwood floor on-site. By choosing to install prefinished wood flooring, you can avoid the toxins and careful cleanup that comes with finishing a floor on your own. This is especially beneficial for high-traffic areas of the house as well as households with kids or pets. Because prefinished hardwood is a hypo-allergenic flooring solution, it is also ideal for those with allergies.
6. More Depth of Color and Natural Wood Texture
Typically, a factory hardwood finish is highly transparent, which means the depth of the wood’s coloring and the look of its natural wood texture get preserved as much as possible. In addition, factory-produced prefinished hardwood flooring can be found in a wide variety of colors, styles and surface finishes. With such a large selection to choose from, it is easy to find a prefinished hardwood floor to suit your style preferences.
7. Fewer Imperfections
Prefinished wood flooring is manufactured in a closed industrial setting, which decreases the chances of imperfections from outside variables like hairs or dust particles. These factories have strict quality control processes in place to ensure each piece of flooring receives an evenly applied coat of stain and finish.
Due to these even and thorough coats, prefinished wood floors feature little variation and few imperfections. So while hardwood floors stained on-site are prone to small defects, a prefinished hardwood floor will look pristine and clean. This means if you want to make sure your hardwood flooring looks polished and refined, prefinished wood is your best bet.
Schedule a Flooring Appointment With 50Floor
Make the installation process of your prefinished hardwood floor as smooth as possible by booking an in-home appointment with 50Floor. With 50Floor, installing a gorgeous new hardwood floor couldn’t be easier — we provide a convenient at-home shopping experience alongside a trained 50Floor flooring expert, which allows you to see exactly how your new floor will look once installed.
Our flooring experts come right to your house to help you choose a stylish and practical new floor that fits within your budget. From prefinished hardwood flooring to carpet, vinyl, laminate and luxury vinyl tile, 50Floor offers a wide range of flooring options for you to find the perfect fit for your home.
To find out more about what kind of prefinished hardwood would look the best in your space, contact 50Floor for a free in-home consultation today.
