Prefinished Solid Hardwood Flooring: Should You? Would You?

There is often debate between people who are shopping around for wood flooring about the pros and cons of prefinished solid hardwood flooring versus unfinished solutions. As the name suggests, prefinished solid hardwood flooring is an option that comes with your selected finish already in place, whereas unfinished solid wood comes in its raw state so you can lay it and decide on your finish later.

When it comes to solid versus engineered wood flooring, the differences are equally simple really. As the names suggest, solid wood flooring is made of solid wood and nothing else. It may be that the wood of choice is oak, walnut or teak, but no matter which wood it is, all you will find in each flooring plank is that wood. Engineered wood flooring on the other hand is made from a clever construction of layers and layers of ply that are bonded together to create a tough core board, which is then topped off with solid wood.

If you are thinking about buying prefinished solid hardwood flooring, you should be aware that a solid wood flooring option isn’t normally recommended for areas where there’s likely to be significant fluctuations in humidity or temperature or where you have under floor heating. What this means is that solid wood flooring is typically ruled out for bathrooms, kitchens and any room where your heating is situated under floor.

Getting back to finishes, the question “Prefinished solid hardwood flooring: should you? Would you?” To get the best answer for you, it really is a case of looking closely at your unique situation and at the pros and cons of prefinished wood flooring. So here are some questions that you should be asking yourself:

1. Is the room you’re re-flooring subject to temperature and moisture fluctuations?
2. Do you have a clear picture in your mind of the final look you want for your room?
3. Do you know what sort of finish you want for your floor?

The pros and cons of prefinished solid hardwood flooring

The first thing to establish when making the decision between prefinished solid hardwood flooring and prefinished engineered wood flooring is the environment you’re planning to re-floor. If there is any risk at all of moisture or temperature fluctuations or if you have under floor heating, you should walk away from the prefinished solid hardwood option. This is because solid wood flooring draws in moisture and expands and then contracts when the moisture has gone. And it does the same as temperatures rise and fall. While this mightn’t necessarily damage each individual floor board, it could cause big, unsightly gaps in your floor and in certain cases could even cause boards to cup or bow which spoils the look of your whole floor. It’s for these reasons that solid wood floors work best in lounges, dining rooms, bedrooms and hallways where you don’t have under floor heating.

There is no getting away from the fact that prefinished solid hardwood flooring makes your life easier. When it is delivered to you, it already has its finish in place and after a period of acclimatisation, all you need to do is lay it and then get your life back to normal. That said, if you are unsure of what look might work best in your room then there is certainly an argument for forgoing the convenience of prefinished solutions for the flexibility and peace of mind of making the finish decision after you’ve laid the floor.

However, if you’re certain (or even almost certain) of the finish you want for your floor, then it truly does make good sense to choose prefinished solid hardwood flooring. No matter whether you’re going to opt for a tough, UV lacquered solution or a more natural, brushed and oiled finish, you can be sure that you’ll get a professional finish with minimal hassle and effort on your part.

If you’d like help to decide on the best wood flooring solution for your project, why not get in touch? At Wood and Beyond we’re simply brimming with wood flooring ideas that you mightn’t even have thought about that could give you a solution that works perfectly, at a price that pleases you too!