Although in the end pricing works out to be.
Unfinished or prefinished hardwood floors.
Unfinished flooring looks like real wood.
Prefinished solid wood floors initially cost more than unfinished wood flooring about 2 per square foot for a good grade of red oak.
Now the roles have reversed and prefinished hardwood flooring is the go to option.
Prefinished vs unfinished hardwood flooring.
When you compare prefinished hardwood flooring vs unfinished hardwood flooring you should look at your personal time and budget constraints.
Even though solid prefinished flooring is real hardwood because of all the many factory sprayed on coats of polyurethane and or stain it is our opinion that prefinished flooring looks plastic y and factory made with a less noticeable grain pattern and thus less warm.
Prefinished floors come at a lower cost.
Prefinished hardwood flooring is the best option if you want an easier installation process and if you want to move furniture into your home immediately after installation.
However this of course comes down to what is right for your home or business and will be determined by factors beyond consumer popularity.
Unfinished hardwood flooring comes from the factory without being sanded stained or sealed.
Prefinished flooring often costs more than unfinished flooring about 2 per square foot more for the same wood species but you generally save that by not having to sand and finish the floor during installation.
It is essentially bare wood.
Traditionally unfinished hardwood flooring was the most commonly installed flooring option for businesses and homes.
Prefinished wood on the other hand is sold with a factory finish already applied.
Comparison of prefinished and unfinished hardwood.