Hardwood floors create an upscale, dramatic look in any home. While unfinished hardwood floors have been the traditional favorite for generations, high quality prefinished hardwood flooring provides several benefits to consumers. Consider whether or not this product is the best choice for your home.
Benefit # 1 – Quicker Installation
Unfinished hardwood floors are shipped to your home as is—all sanding, prep and finishing is done on site after the planks have been laid down. Prefinished hardwood planks, on the other hand, come ready to install. No need to hire a hardwood specialist to finish your floor, and no need to move the family out for a day or two while that finish is applied.
Consumers do pay more for prefinished brands, but they save the additional cost of sanding and finishing on site, as well as the vast clean up required post-installation. When you want to have your flooring
upgraded or replaced within a reasonable period of time, prefinished hardwood floors are certainly the best way to go.
You can walk on prefinished planks right away, without waiting for the coating to cure. Ideal for new builds and home improvement projects, prefinished wood floors go in fast and offer an instant finish to your living space.
Benefit # 2 – Highly Durable Finish With Warranty
Besides quicker installation, prefinished hardwood flooring also offers a tougher finish. Factory application allows for greater durability and longevity, as the urethane finish is applied in a uniform manner and comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.
Experts agree that factory-applied finish holds up well against traffic and heavy wear, making it a better choice for family homes, public spaces, hallways and your main living space. Even the most skilled finishing contractor cannot control the application conditions, whereas a factory process provides the consistency required for even coating.
While your finishing contractor may provide a limited warranty against wear and finish, prefinished products come with extended coverage and greater peace of mind. Worth the investment in any portion of your home, this strength and warranty coverage is especially important in high traffic areas.
Benefit # 3 – Cleaner and Better For Your Health
Finishing a freshly installed unfinished hardwood floor requires extensive work. Sanding creates a significant amount of dust, which could trigger allergies. The finishing step involves toxic fumes and although your professional contractor should vent the area well during the process, you should avoid prolonged exposure to the smells and chemicals.
Skip the entire process with prefinished hardwood flooring. The sanding dust and toxic fumes created by urethane coating are left behind in the factory, leaving you with a healthier home post-installation. Cleaning up is also faster and easier with prefinished hardwood, helping to reduce the installation time and labor costs.
Although it can be difficult to match existing hardwood floors with a prefinished product, and inlaid patterns are much easier when using unfinished hardwood planks, prefinished hardwood flooring provides several hard-to-argue benefits. Quicker installation, a more durable finish and less health risks make this flooring product a winner for many homeowners.