When selecting hardwood flooring, you want to make sure you are getting exactly what you want for the room and conditions it will endure. Before you start, you want to make sure you know the difference between a prefinished and unfinished hardwood floor. So let’s take a look.
Prefinished
A finish is a protective top coat that seals in the hardwood and protects against such things as wear-and-tear, moisture and scratching. A prefinished floor will have the finish already applied before it arrives at your home. Prefinished floors have their protective finished applied and dried within a controlled environment to ensure proper sealing and coating. A great advantage of prefinished floors is they are ready to walk on immediately after installation and no odor will remain.
Unfinished
Unfinished flooring is quite the opposite, with no finish prior to installation. So why would you want to purchase an unfinished floor? There’s a few reasons:
- Easier to match existing hardwood flooring or other interior decor
- Create your own custom coloring
- Can be sanded and refinished multiple times
- Some exotic hardwood flooring only comes in unfinished.
Which is the right decision for you?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It’s just based on your personal preference and why type of project you are doing. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call so we can go over the best options for you.