Whether you choose pre-finished or unfinished wooden flooring will depend on your personal preference. All types of wooden flooring need to be protected from stains, moisture, water and daily wear and tear. Both are great choices; it just depends if you can find a pre-finished floor that you like the look of.
If not, then an unfinished wooden floor is versatile and allows you to create a unique looking floor.
What is unfinished hardwood flooring
An unfinished wooden floor is the raw wooden flooring plank. It basically means that the wood has not been protected from daily wear and tear. You would install your unfinished hardwood and then add layers of oil to protect it. With an unfinished floor you also have the opportunity to add a colour stain. This will help to achieve the style and colour of floor that really suits your room. An unfinished floor needs to be protected before it is walked on and used.
What is pre-finished hardwood flooring
A pre-finished floor has already had the protective surface layers added. It has gone through a finishing process during manufacturing. Consequently, it takes less time to install because it has already been stained and sealed. Although the floor has been pre-finished, there is still a wide choice of different wood species, plank sizes, colour stains and surface finishes to choose from. A pre-finished floor can be used as soon as the installation process is complete.
Pre-finished or unfinished wood flooring?
• Unfinished floors are usually more time consuming, but they do provide a unique appearance.
• Pre-finished floors can be more expensive. However, installation costs are usually significantly less.
• You can add a colour stain to unfinished flooring. This is a great idea if you cannot find the exact colour floor you want.
• A pre-finished floor can be used straight away.
• Both types of floor can be sanded and refinished numerous times to freshen up their appearance.
