What is the difference between unfinished and prefinished wood flooring?
Unfinished hardwood flooring is sanded, stained, and sealed once installation is complete to your exact specifications. It can also be sanded flat if your subfloor is slightly uneven. Unfinished wood should usually be left to a professional installer as proper application and protection of the work area is essential. Prefinished wood is finished in a factory before being sold making installation much easier. However, many people dislike that it has beveled edges which tend to hold dirt and debris. These beveled edges, called micro bevels, are used to help mask slightly uneven subfloors. Prefinished hardwood floors also come in square edge construction but in order to eliminate “over wood”, the subfloor must be consistently level. Prefinished floors are also slightly more expensive upfront, although costs tend to even out with solid wood installation costing more.
