Prefinished Vs Unfinished Hardwood Flooring: Cost and Pros&Cons

Although, there may not be as many style and design options as you will have with unfinished flooring, due to its increase of popularity prefinished flooring now has significantly more options available. You should consider several different factors when it comes to the style and design.

1. Wood Grain

You will have a chance to choose different wood grains for your flooring, even with prefinished wood. The most popular wood choice is oak and there are two types of oak you should be aware of. 

Red oak is incredibly popular with warm tones and different color options. It can be found as a light pink color with a creamy texture or as a reddish brown color. White oak, on the other hand, is a hard wood that has gray undertones and does not have any red colorization. Walnut is another popular wood for flooring. It has chocolate tones and large straight patterns as part of the natural grain. 

2. Finish Coats

Additionally, you have options for the number of finish coats as well as the sheens. It should be noted that manufacturers differ when it comes to the thickness of each individual coating. Therefore, some flooring that only has one coat may actually have thicker coating than other flooring that has multiple coats. 

3. Gloss

Prefinished flooring comes in high gloss, matte, or semi gloss.. Higher gloss options can help to highlight the grain or color of the natural wood. However, high gloss is more prone to scratches and dents. 

4. Beveled Edges

The finish options available for unfinished flooring are numerous. You can choose oil-based polyurethane, water based polyurethane, or oil. 

Oil-based polyurethane is a traditional option, but it can get expensive. You will have to apply multiple coats and the floor will need 3 to 5 days before you can use it. It also has a strong, unpleasant odor. Some homeowners also find that the finish will develop a yellowish tint over time. 

Water based polyurethane does not have as strong of a scent as oil-based polyurethane, but it does typically cost a little more. Unlike oil-based polyurethane, water based polyurethane remains clear over time. It also dries more rapidly than oil-based options and you can walk on it in between the coats. 

Oil finish does not emit volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that can be hazardous to your health when inhaled. This also means that there will not be chemical smells that you will have with the two polyurethane finishing options. However, you will  pay more for oil finish than you will for the other choices. One thing that many homeowners like about oil finish is that it will only require a single coat and can be walked on after 36 to 48 hours. 

2. Flooring Accents

With unfinished hardwood flooring, you can install a decorative pattern into the surface. This can add elegance and aesthetics to match your style. Many homeowners like to use contrasting colors to create patterns or borders. Herringbone is another popular design option that uses rectangular panels of wood to create a design that resembles a fish skeleton. For unfinished flooring, the possibilities are virtually limitless.

Even though there are more options for prefinished flooring than ever before, unfinished flooring still has the advantage. With unfinished flooring you have the ability to create patterns, borders, and other unique design choices in addition to the options you have regarding color, wood grain, and gloss. 

The cost of materials for either type of flooring can vary greatly depending on the quality and species of wood. 

Prefinished hardwood flooring will typically cost you from $5 to $20 per square foot for the materials. Some quality, custom, or exotic materials could cost you up to $25 or even a little more per square foot. 

Typically, out of the box products cost on the lower end of this range. Prefinished hardwood flooring is more expensive than unfinished hardwood flooring. In fact, it can be up to 50 percent more expensive. However, you will save a significant amount of time or money on the installation when compared with unfinished flooring. 

Unfinished hardwood flooring costs anywhere from $3 to $15 dollars per square foot. The cost varies greatly depending on the species, quality, and thickness of the wood. Cosmetic hardwoods like oak, hickory, and maple are more affordable than exotic species.  

The installation of prefinished flooring will cost you anywhere from $3 to $5 per square foot. Conversely, the installation and finishing of unfinished flooring can cost anywhere from $4 to $10 per square foot. Taking the materials and installation into consideration, prefinished flooring will cost anywhere from $8 to $25 per square foot while unfinished will cost anywhere from $7 to $25 per square foot. As you can see, the costs are similar whatever option you choose.

It is important to keep in mind that installation takes much longer for unfinished flooring. In addition, unlike prefinished flooring, you will not be able to use the floor immediately after installation. Prefinished flooring can be installed in a single day. Typically, it will actually only take a half day of work by a contractor to have prefinished flooring installed and functional.

For the same type and quality of wood, the materials cost for unfinished flooring would be much less than prefinished flooring. However, you will pay more for the installation of unfinished flooring which will even the total costs out. Since the difference comes in the cost of installation, you could have potential savings for choosing unfinished flooring. 

Prefinished hardwood flooring has strong chemical sealers that are applied in coats. They often have aluminum oxide crystals within the sealer urethane coating that is cured by UV. This will typically increase the warranty for the finish on the flooring which will usually be somewhere between 5 and 25 years, but sometimes will have a warranty for life. Unfinished hardwood finishes are usually warranted for only 3 to 5 years, but you can expect a quality finish to last up to 15 years. In addition, the sealant coating is often stronger on prefinished hardwood flooring because it is applied in a uniform manner within a factory. This means that it will be more resistant to stains, discolorations, and moisture. 

For either type of flooring, rugs and mats can be the easiest way to prevent scratches or other damage. This is especially true for areas that have a lot of traffic. However, this may not fit the aesthetic that you are striving for. That’s the point why prefinished has a distinct advantage because you can get prefinished hardwood flooring that has a scratch resistant coating applied to it. Some even have a coating to protect against yellowing caused by the sun. All of this means that your floor will generally last longer until you will have to have your floors refinished or replaced. 

Unfinished hardwood floors can often be repaired by sanding. This can smooth away the imperfection. Prefinished floors are much more difficult to adequately repair because you will have to either sand away all of the finish coating or remove the section of flooring and replace it altogether. 

Unfinished hardwood flooring can be strong and durable, but it will not be scratch proof in the way that some prefinished flooring is. However, if you do have a quality finish applied, the flooring will not require any significant maintenance other than regular cleaning. 

It is important to use a cleaner meant for the specific type of flooring that you have. For example, avoid using laminate floor cleaner for hardwood floors. You also have the ability to apply maintenance coating to unfinished floors. Solid wood floors, whether finished in a factory or at your home, can have the coating sanded off and reapplied. Additionally, never use water to clean hardwood floors to prevent any damage from the moisture. You should also clean up any spills from food or drink immediately. 

Since the coating on unfinished floors is applied manually, repairs may be easier. However, with prefinished flooring you will typically have a longer warranty and the option of scratch and sun resistant coatings. 

One consideration that depends on preference is the flawless look of prefinished flooring versus the imperfections of some unfinished flooring options. Some people like the perfect look of prefinished flooring and the finishes while other homeowners prefer the character of the imperfections. 

You also have the choice to use engineered wood instead of solid wood for prefinished flooring. Engineered hardwood flooring is created using a layer of solid hardwood that is bonded to a core made out of particleboard or plywood. This type of flooring is also incredibly popular and easy to install. It is also usually much more affordable than solid wood options. However, unlike prefinished solid hardwood flooring, engineered flooring cannot be sanded down over and over again when you want to refinish. This means that the life span is often shorter than it is for solid wood options. 

Another consideration is the thickness of the flooring. Thinner floors can be useful for some situations, but they generally do not last as long as thicker wood options. The standard thickness of prefinished hardwood flooring is ¾ inch, but you can find them even thinner. You should also consider the wood grade. This is the way that the flooring will be ranked depending on the quality. The grade refers to the amount of defects and color variations that are on the wood as well as the length of the boards. The fewer defects and longer the board means that the grade will be higher. This increases the cost as well.