Are you in the process of planning a hardwood flooring project? Are you restyling a room in your home or finishing off a construction project? Either way, we just know you’ll have lots of questions on your list. Should you plump for engineered wood flooring or solid wood? What species would work best in your room or your home overall? What about the grade of wood? Is it worth stretching your budget for a prime grade or would rustic save you money and add a whole lot of charm? All of these questions and more are likely to be on your mind. But one question that our clients often don’t give much thought to is whether they should opt for site finished hardwood, or prefinished hardwood flooring. If this is something that you have missed, then we’d encourage you to give it some thought today.
Site finished hardwood flooring, as the name suggests, is hardwood flooring that is delivered to you without any finish. No matter whether you choose engineered or solid hardwood flooring if you choose an unfinished option, then it will effectively arrive in its ‘naked’ state; without any finish whatsoever. On the other hand, prefinished hardwood flooring arrives already with its finish in place. In most cases, when you choose prefinished hardwood flooring, the finish that you choose will be applied to exacting standards at the end of the hardwood flooring manufacturing process, so you can rest assured that it will be uniform and consistent in its appearance and the protection it offers your floor.
Good reasons to choose site finished hardwood flooring
The option between taking delivery of a floor that is ready to lay and once laid will be ready to receive your furniture pretty much straight away, and a floor that needs to be finished after it’s laid seems like a no-brainer. However, there are certain situations when a site finished floor works out best. If, for example, you’re investing in a top budget, craftsman made flooring solution that’s costing you tens of thousands, the likelihood is that you’ll want the luxury of the craftsman doing at least the finishing touches of the finish onsite.
Site finished hardwood flooring is also a great idea if you’re planning on going from the likes of carpet everywhere to hardwood flooring for the first time. When you take this leap of faith, it can be hard to imagine which finish might work best until you see the floor in situ. That said, in the latter case, we would argue that with the right guidance and decision-making process, you should be able to establish which prefinished option will work best, saving you the hassle of onsite finishing.
Good reasons to choose prefinished hardwood flooring
Prefinished hardwood flooring, as we’ve already mentioned is delivered to your home ready to lay, and once it’s laid, you can pretty much get your life back to normal. This is probably the top reason why prefinished hardwood flooring is such a great choice. Thereafter, when you choose prefinished hardwood flooring, you know that the finish you choose on your new floor will have been applied by professionals and will have the quality of application you expect. So, basically, if you’re looking for an easier life and the peace of mind of a great end result, we’d encourage you to opt for prefinished hardwood flooring every time.
Some great prefinished hardwood flooring options
At Wood and Beyond, we’re huge fans of prefinished hardwood flooring, so it’s hard to choose our Top 3 favourites, but here are three options that work really well, time after time:
- Brushed and UV oiled. When you choose a brushed and UV oiled prefinished hardwood floor, you can be sure you’ll get to see the wood in all its glory. No matter whether you opt for a prime grade wood or rustic, the end result will be a natural look that has the bonus of being protected from potential sun damage thanks to the UV filter in the finish. You will find our range of brushed and UV oiled engineered wood flooring here.
- UV lacquered. A lacquer finish hardwood floor is a tough option and will stand up well to high or heavy footfall. Add to this, the UV filter that’s in the lacquer used to finish these floors and you start to see why this option would work really well if you have a big family or a busy household. You’ll find our UV lacquered range here.
- Hardwax oiled. Hardwax oiled prefinished hardwood flooring is a great half way house between oiled and lacquered. Hardwearing and stylishly natural, we truly believe that you can’t go wrong with this option. Simply click here to see our full hardwax oiled range.
If you’re pondering over whether site finished or prefinished hardwood flooring would work best for you and are struggling to decide, why not get in touch? At Wood and Beyond we have decades of experience in the wood flooring sector and would be more than happy to help you in any way we can.
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FAQ
Question: What is site finished hardwood flooring?
Answer: Site finished hardwood flooring is hardwood flooring that is delivered to you without any finish. It arrives in its ‘naked’ state, without any finish whatsoever. The finish is then applied onsite after the floor has been laid.
Question: What is prefinished hardwood flooring?
Answer: Prefinished hardwood flooring arrives already with its finish in place. The finish will have been applied to exacting standards at the end of the hardwood flooring manufacturing process, so it will be uniform and consistent in its appearance and the protection it offers your floor.
Question: What are the advantages of choosing site finished hardwood flooring?
Answer: Choosing site finished hardwood flooring can be beneficial if you’re investing in a top budget, craftsman made flooring solution. Also, if you’re transitioning from carpet to hardwood flooring for the first time, it can be easier to decide on the finish once you see the floor in situ.
Question: Why might someone choose prefinished hardwood flooring?
Answer: Prefinished hardwood flooring is delivered ready to lay and once laid, you can resume normal activity on it. It is also applied by professionals ensuring a consistent and high-quality finish. This makes it a good choice if you’re seeking convenience and quality.
Question: What types of prefinished hardwood flooring are there?
Answer: There are several types of prefinished hardwood flooring options such as Brushed and UV oiled, UV lacquered, and Hardwax oiled floors. Brushed and UV oiled floors let you see the wood in all its glory, UV lacquered floors are tough and well-suited to high footfall, and Hardwax oiled floors offer a balance between durability and a stylishly natural look.