Prefinished vs Unfinished Hardwood Flooring
Comparison of Prefinished and Unfinished Hardwood
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What is the cost of unfinished wood flooring?
Unfinished hardwood flooring means that flooring has come from the factory without a sealant, stain, or finish. It is essentially bare wood. Conversely, prefinished wood flooring comes from the factory with the finish on it. The finish is most commonly applied on an assembly line.
There are advantages to both styles. Unfinished flooring is more costly in the end. After installation, there is a separate bill to the homeowner for the finishing of the new flooring. Even if you hire a company that does both they are charging you for both services, of course.
What is the cost of prefinished wood flooring?
Prefinished flooring saves the whole process of finishing a floor after installation. The cost of refinishing a floor after installation is $2 per square foot. It can be more or less depending on whom you hire, condition of the floors, and geographic location.
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Having a floor refinishing company sand and apply finish to your new hardwood flooring after it is installed is a timely process. It takes a few days and you are paying for all of the labor costs during that process. That makes it get expensive very quickly.
When wood flooring is prefinished at the factory the assembly alleviates some cost from you, the consumer. The manufacturer is using massive amounts of finish in a well-organized process. The efficiency of the process helps keep costs down for homeowners and business owners who buy the flooring.
Every piece comes out the same as the last hundred boards. That is one of the great parts about prefinished wood flooring, too. You know what you are getting. In most cases, you’ve seen the finished product, if only in a photo.
Unfinished wood flooring has a wide range of prices. You may purchase unfinished wood flooring for as little as $1 to $3 per square foot for cheap hardwood flooring. You may pay up to $7 to $10 per square foot for exotic wood or luxurious, fancy flooring.
The spectrum of prices is similar with prefinished wood flooring. It does have a higher price range because it is prefinished. The minimum cost for prefinished hardwood flooring is $3.50, and that is for engineered wood flooring. Installing pre-finished wood flooring will cost $5 to $10 for the materials alone!
What comes with this?
Some flooring comes with a warranty and some does not. Be sure to check to see if the manufacturer offers any guarantees.
Helpful Tips
Research and ask this question when you decide to install prefinished hardwood floors: How many coats of finish did the manufacturer apply at the factory? Most manufacturers use several coats of finish, from 3 to 7 coats, typically. The more coats of finish the better protected your flooring will be and the longer it will last.
In addition, ask this question when you decide to install prefinished hardwood floors: What quality of stain or finish are they applying to your prefinished flooring? Is it a brand name that the manufacturer uses or is it the cheapest stuff they could find? It makes a big difference in the overall quality and duration of the wood.