There are many types of hardwood flooring available, ranging from prefinished, laminated (also called engineered) strips and planks. In other words, everything from thin plywood with a hardwood veneer layer on top, to solid-wood strips and planks. In the past, if you wanted to install your own solid-wood flooring you also had to take on the task of sanding and finishing it. Today you can get solid-hardwood flooring prefinished in a variety of stain colors.

Basically, prefinished hardwood has a coating of urethane, which is the protective coating that is applied to most hardwoods at the manufacturer’s site. Because of this, prefinished hardwoods have more protection and are considerably more durable than unfinished floors that are finished in your home. That reason alone has increased sales of prefinished hardwoods over the past few years.

Like unfinished hardwood floors, the prefinished types typically have tongue-and-groove edges on all sides. They are available in 3/4-inch thickness, as well as low-profile styles that are 5/16- to 5/8-inch thick, which are a good or installing over existing flooring. Solid wood floors should not be installed in basements or below grade. Thinner styles can be glued to the sub-flooring. Full-thickness floors are installed using a special nailing tool that locks each strip tightly against the previously installed strip and, in the same motion, inserts a cleat nail or narrow-crown staple through the tongue joint into the sub-flooring.

Be careful to avoid damaging the finished surface during installation. Otherwise, installing prefinished hardwood is no more difficult than installing unfinished strips. Both require some carpentry experience.

What is the Cost of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

Naturally prefinished hardwood spends more time at the plant or manufacturer so it costs more than purchasing unfinished hardwood. You are paying more for the actual wood versus paying more for the labor of installing unfinished hardwood. Unfinished hardwood takes five to seven days to install, sand, finish, and dry. That means you will be paying more for labor, regardless of the less expensive planks. Prefinished hardwood may be more expensive, but in many cases the installation only takes one to two days, and there is no drying time required because it is already finished.

That means you will be paying significantly less for labor. In some cases, buying prefinished hardwood is actually cheaper after installation. It depends on what type of prefinished wood you purchase.

At times, though, unfinished hardwood can also be significantly cheaper. You can also find many more exotic and rare species with unfinished planks, so you could install a truly unique hardwood floor for the same price that typical prefinished species would cost. If you want your floors to be unique, the cheaper unfinished wood might be the way to go.

When comparing prefinished to unfinished hardwood, cost is definitely a factor. However, you may also want to consider other factors between the two types. There are benefits to both types of flooring.

The Advantages of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

Besides cost, there are quite a few differences between the two types of flooring. Most of the time, deciding between the two comes down to your personal flooring situation. Both options have great benefits, but you have to consider your own situation too.

For example, one of the greatest benefits of purchasing prefinished flooring is the installation process. Because it is finished at the factory, your installer will not have to worry about sanding, staining, or finishing your floors. That means less of a mess and a faster install. For some people, these two factors alone are enough of a reason to buy prefinished hardwoods.

In addition to the mess-free installation, it also is incredibly durable. If you happen to be installing flooring in a high-traffic area, like the entryway to your house or your kitchen, prefinished hardwood might be a better option.

Another positive about prefinished hardwood flooring is the availability to purchase engineered hardwood. Most engineered hardwood only comes prefinished, so if that option is a must for your new project, you may have to buy prefinished planks. Engineered wood flooring has a completely different list of positive characteristics, so doing some research on that type of hardwood flooring is a wise choice.

Finally, prefinished hardwoods, because of the multiple coatings, also have a higher resistance to moisture content. If you are installing in a high humidity room, prefinished flooring will be less likely to warp because of moisture.

The Disadvantages of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

One aspect of prefinished flooring that has caused concern with a few people is beveling on the prefinished planks. A bevel is a slight crevice at the end of each plank. It looks like a valley when two planks are placed end-to-end.

The reason all prefinished planks have beveling is because the width sizes between planks will vary. Although the variation is minimal, it can create “overwood,” when edges are higher than the planks next to each other.

Beveling also exists because your installer will not be sanding the planks upon installation. Sanding occurs for unfinished hardwood installs to create a uniform, flat surface for your hardwood flooring. This cannot happen with a prefinished plank.

Because of this, sometimes the prefinished hardwood flooring can be slightly uneven. Again, the variations are minimal, but they are there.

Another negative about prefinished hardwood is the variety of species and stains available. If you already have existing hardwood flooring in your home, you may want to match your new flooring.

If you buy prefinished wood, you will have to match the prefinished staining with your old hardwood. This can be very difficult. For most customers who are attempting to match older flooring, prefinished is not recommended.

One final factor about prefinished flooring is maintenance. The beveling on prefinished planks can be difficult to clean. Even though prefinished floors are more durable, the beveling may be enough reason to consider buying unfinished hardwood. It is just a matter of preference.

If sanding and re-finishing is not what you are looking for and instead you are in hunt for completely re-doing your hardwood floors in Los Angeles, companies such as Cosmos Flooring in  Los Angeles can help you achieve your idea considering your desire and budget. At Cosmos Flooring they carry a great selection of hardwood floors. You can contact Cosmos Flooring’s store / showroom in Los Angeles at (323) 936-2180.