Pre-finished floors come with an extended factory finish warranty unlike unfinished floors. The heavy duty finishes are urethane-based. Within a few minutes, a number of urethane coatings can be applied on planks using ultra violet lights. However, you also have the option of unfinished hardwood flooring. The pre-finished hardwood floors have a definite advantage, as clean up and labor is not required and one can choose from a number of wood species. Unfinished floors need sanding and coating after they are secured while pre-finished floors do not.
Pre-finished hardwood floors are cheaper and can be maintained easily. Addition of aluminum oxide chips to the finish, a recent advancement, makes urethane finish more durable. Pre-finished hard wood flooring made from red oak is cheaper than floors made of white oak. Red oak flooring is soft and its grain pattern is open.
Pre-finished products are usually available in three or four colors. The surface of pre-finished engineered floor has a hardwood veneer that is known as the “wear layer”. The layer may be thin or thick. The thickness of this layer will determine how many times refinishing can be done. In some products, refinishing is not possible.
Pre-finished products can be installed quickly and easily. Pre-finished products are not prone to seasonal contractions and expansion, and generally pre-finished products come with 15 and 25 years warranties. A variety of finishes and kinds of wood are available for pre-finished floor. The finished wear layers are better than those applied on job-sites. Factory applied finishes are more abrasion resistant and are free of dust, hair, swirl marks, etc. These evenly applied heavy duty finishes do not have an odor.
A pre-finished hardwood floor is processed and finished in a factory. It does not need sanding or finishing.
Related Articles of Interest :
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Refinishing Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The quality of the wear layer determines frequency of refinishing of hardwood floors. Poor quality products can not withstand being refinished even once. The thicker the wear layer, the more refinishing it can withstand. Good quality engineered flooring can be refinished two or three times...
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How to Properly Clean Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Good care and maintenance of a hardwood floor enhances its life and appearance. Solid hardwood floors can be easily cleaned, and a daily cleaning routine is a must in order to protect the floors from grit and dirt that are most damaging problems. They create...
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How To Refinish Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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If you ordered prefabricated hardwood floors and had them installed by a contractor, you probably would have gotten the standard look and design, which is usually good. The standards for producing quality material are usually high, as manufacturers compete for the market. The floor you...
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Long-Strip and Engineered Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Longstrip hardwood floors are wide and long, and each plank has 2 to 3 strips of thin hardwood. These planks can be floated, stapled and glued-down. The floors can be installed in all parts of the home and are made up of numerous wood plies...
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A Look at Solid Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Solid hardwood floors should neither be installed over a concrete slab nor below ground level because of high moisture sensitivity. Unsightly gaps appear when moisture dries and the floors contract in the winter heating months. The floors expand and gaps disappear during summers. The wood...
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Installing Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Hardwood floors can be secured using various installation methods such as floating, glue-down, nail-down, and staple-down. The ¾ inch solid floors can be nailed down. Adapters are used for thin flooring. The hardwood flooring can be stapled down over wood subfloor. The staple-down method is...
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An Introduction to Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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There’s good news about hardwood floors. Because of advanced construction and finish technologies, they are now more stable than they were in the past. There are three types of hardwood floors: engineered, longstrip, and solid. Within these basic types, there are many variations, so it...
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Unfinished Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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One of the joys of home ownership is the freedom it provides when it comes to interior design. Some do it with the help of professional interior decorators and architects. Others would prefer to get down and dirty sawing, sand papering, painting, nailing, and hammering...
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Hardwood Laminate Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Hardwood laminate floors are much valued for their being long-lasting, but also for their aesthetic appeal. They need no replacement over even a long time and their installment in a house can bring about an enhancement in the value of the house. A wide variety...
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The Allure of Exotic Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Exotic hardwood floors are made up of solid exotic wood that is not grown in North America. These wooden planks are imported from Africa, Australia, Brazil, and the Far East. They are known for distinct coloration and wood grain, and can be bought as solid...