Are you currently remodeling the floors in your home, and you're debating about what kind you should install? You may be debating if you should use a prefinished or unfinished hardwood material. Here are the key things to know that will help you make an informed decision.
Prefinished Hardwood Floors
There are many advantages of installing prefinished hardwood flooring, with the main one being the installation. Prefinished hardwood floorboards can be nailed or glued down to the existing subfloor, or they can even float on top of it. The installation of prefinished hardwood floors is also easy enough for many people to do on their own.
The prefinished nature of these floorboards allows you to walk on the floor right away. There is no stain or top coat that needs to dry, which makes it very convenient if you cannot be out of your home. There are also no odors associated with stains and sealants as well, which will not disrupt your household.
A downside of prefinished hardwood flooring is that you are limited to decisions that have been made by the manufacturer. This includes features such as the width of the floorboards, color, and wood grain patterns. If you are not seeing the style that you want, then it may not be an option for you.
Unfinished Hardwood Floors
Homeowners love unfinished hardwood floors because they are made out of real wood. This can increase the value of your home if you are getting ready to sell it, or just be a more premium flooring material that you can show off to guests. Natural hardwood is one of the nicest flooring materials that you can purchase.
The process of finishing the floorboards can be quite difficult though since it has all the problems that prefinished hardwood floors do not have. The wood flooring will need to be sanded down, which can create quite a mess in the process. A stain needs to be applied to the wood, which takes a long time to dry and has an odor. It is best used for homes that are empty because the installation process is so disruptive.
However, you get full control over how your unfinished hardwood flooring looks. You can select a style with wide floorboards, stain the wood to the exact color that you want, and select the species of wood with a desirable wood grain pattern. No compromises have to be made in terms of aesthetics with unfinished hardwood.
For more information about options like Mirage hardwood floors, contact a local company.