Depends on the application really. The prefinished hardwood they are making now is fabulous. I would say, unless you are restoring a historic property, or have a reason to use unfinished, go with the prefinished. You wont have the mess, it will be done quickly, no fumes. No moving everything out at once, you can go one room at a time.
Wife of a flooring contractor
Prefinished hardwood flooring is more expensive to buy than unfinished flooring but when you add the cost of finishing the floor, you're better off going with the prefinished. The prefinished floor is finished with UV light cured urethane. Finishing the floors yourself is a very big job. You need to apply several coats of polyurethane and wait in between coats for it to dry. It can take more than a week to get a good finish.
The only reasons for installing unfinished flooring: you plan to stain the floor a color prefinished flooring doesn't come in, or you are planning to really abuse the floor so badly it will need to be refinished frequently. The finish on a prefinished floor is far more durable than anything you can apply yourself.
The average labor price for installation of prefinished wood flooring is $2.00-$3.50 per square foot. The average prices to install, sand and finish unfinished wood flooring is $4.00-$7.00 per square foot.
form_title= Prefinished Hardwood Flooring form_header= Install hardwood flooring in your home. What is the square footage of the room(s)?*= _ [50] Do you need to remove old flooring?*= () Yes () No What type of wood would you like?*= _ [50]
Advantages of unfinished wood flooring is that one can create their own unique finish. Finishing unfinished wooden floors after they have been installed helps to keep the natural characteristics of the wood.
Buy a prefinished type of wood flooring, it is easily laid and requires a lot less work for an amateur.
form_title=Install Brazilian Cherry Wood Flooring form_header=Have a beautiful hardwood floor installed throughout your home. Do you want finished, partially finished or unfinished Brazilian cherry wood?= () Finished () Partially Finished () Unfinished Do you have an importers license and other regulatory approval to import Brazilian cherry wood?= () Yes () No Approximately what quantity of Brazilian cherry wood do you need?=_
I just moved into a cabin with wood flooring. The flooring is in very good condition and I would like to keep it that way. How should I clean the wood flooring safely?
Laminate would be better than real wood, or Engineered, prefinished if you have to have real wood. In the presence of moisture Ceramic tile or Vinyl flooring would be a better choice than wood. but the heart wants what the heart wants.
Put a high quality stain or varnish to protect your wood flooring from scuffs and scratches.
One should follow certain steps for laying down wood flooring. One should first pre-drill the holes for the nails. Then, one should spread the wood across the room to create the layout. One should use a flooring nailer to nail down the rows of wood.
Hardwood floors offer many benefits. They are attractive, easy to clean, offer a lovely shine that compliments any room, and will last far longer than any carpet. They go with any decor, can be dressed with any area rug, and will increase your home’s value. Making the decision to put hardwood floors in your home isn’t difficult. Choosing the flooring can be more complicated. Here are tips on how to choose a hardwood floor. Pre-finished Flooring: Choosing pre-finished flooring eliminates the steps of sanding, staining, sanding, staining, sanding and applying polyurethane. The floor comes pre-finished, usually with a high quality polyurethane lacquer that is designed to hold up for many years. To allow for this pre-installation application of stain and lacquer, the edges of the boards have to be beveled. This beveled edge can not typically be felt when you are walking on the floors with bare feet. Most people do not notice the beveling once the floor is installed. There are two big downsides to the prefinished flooring. One is that dirt can get stuck in the beveling, making cleaning a little more difficult. The other challenge is that you will have a limited selection of colors to choose from. Unfinished Flooring: When you choose unfinished flooring, you will be choosing flooring that has no factory finish on it. The edges will not be beveled, and the process of finishing the floors will finish off the edges for a completely flat, smooth surface. The great benefit of unfinished wood floors is that you will be able to choose whatever shade of stain you like. There is no limit to the stains you can choose, and you can then top it with your choice of a satin or glossy finish. The great disadvantage to unfinished floors is that you will have to finish them. Finishing wood flooring is not a project for amateurs. Working the sander can be tricky, with the risk of leaving gouges and damage to the wood. Applying the stain can be challenging as there is the risk of leaving overlap marks, dark spots and light areas. Throughout every step, especially applying the stain and polyurethane, all traces of dust must be completely removed. If you are experienced at staining and finishing furniture, and have even stained flooring before, unfinished flooring may be a good choice for you. However, if you do not have any experience at finishing wood products you may want to go with the pre-finished flooring. Your wood floor is an investment in your home. Making the right choice can ensure that you choose the right product for your home.
If the wood laminate flooring was well placed by a professional and well treated, it should be very durable. beside of the beauty of this type of flooring, it is also durable.