But that doesnt mean hardwood is totally indestructible. For example, you won't find foreign particles, hair, dust, . Obviously thats because the finish is already on the boards from the factory and this process costs more. The problem is that when you read all the fine print (which nobody ever seems to do) you soon see that theyre full of restrictive clauses that render them basically useless and impossible to redeem. Privacy Policy, Rescuing a Botched Rubio Monocoat Fumed Floor, Hardwood Floors After a Clean, Screen and Recoat, Hardwax Oil Experiment Part 1 OSMO Polyx Oil [2022 UPDATE], Hardwax Oil Experiment Part 2 Rubio Monocoat [2022 UPDATE], The Hardwax Oil Experiment Part 3 Bona Indoor Oil, The Hardwax Oil Experiment Part 4 Pallmann Magic Oil, The Hardwax Oil Experiment The Winner, How to Choose a Hardwood Floor Finish Part 1, How to Choose a Hardwood Floor Finish Part 2, How to Choose a Hardwood Floor Finish Part 3, How to Choose a Hardwood Floor Finish Part 4. You can minimize the expansion and contraction by using a humidifier in the cold months and a dehumidifier in the hot months. One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to prevent scratches and dents is by placing furniture pads under all of your furnishings, including chair legs. Some new hardwax oil finish systems (like Rubio Monocoat) have hardly any smell to them at all. , you'll be able to discuss both types of finish in greater detail. So what is the actual unbiased truth? A perfectly flat subfloor is essential to ensure a smooth surface. 4) Years down the road, if there is major damage done to your floors, or if you want to add the same flooring to a joining room, it may be impossible to find the exact same flooring to match your original floor boards. Typically, cupping is a warning sign of a bigger water problem. But not all hardwood floor sanding businesses are stuck in the dark ages. Once dried you can wipe it away and the stain should be lifted. 2) Many pre-finished customers complain that cleaning and keeping dust out of the bevels is a pain. Pre-finished flooring of comparable quality is always much more expensive to buy than its unfinished equal. Its also much easier for the big box stores and flooring showrooms to sell it without having to worry about doing site finished work that involves specialized tools and skills. Like many home furnishings, hardwood floors can also fade over time from UV light exposure. Dust doesnt have to be an issue anymore if you carefully choose who to work with and you dont just choose the cheapest guy to work with. 1) The biggest benefit is that because the finish is already on the flooring, you can use the floor as soon as its installed, no waiting a few days for the finish to dry. This allows your installer to remove any irregularities which may exist due to an uneven subfloor. You may need to have experts find the source if you cannot determine it on your own, as this is a serious and urgent issue. Adhesive felt pads come in a variety of sizes to match leg size. All finishes, factory applied or site applied, will need to be refinished at some time in the future. While the best option depends on each individual situation, be sure to do the research yourself. You dont have to chase down the exact company that manufactured that specific line of flooring and hope they still produce it or are still in business. Floor Decor made the experience easy! Lets have a look a bit closer in to the pros, cons and then some misunderstandings of these types of wood floors. Thinking of Staining Your Hardwood Floors a Dark Color? Although newly installed prefinished floors will not need to be refinished soon, eventually the surface seal will start to fade, scratch and discolor slightly. 3) You have much more freedom to customize these floors any way you like. A lot of manufacturers use ultra-tough aluminum oxide finishes that are applied in numerous thin coats and cured by UV lights. Your email address will not be published. The simplest way to prevent this is to have curtains, drapes, and blinds drawn, especially during the midday sun. What is your preference? Here's more detail on the different floor finishing methods you have available with site finished hardwood floors: One of the myths of unfinished hardwood is that the entire floor gets coated with one smooth coating of finish leaving no spaces between the boards. This is one of the biggest well I wont call it an outright scam but genius marketing moves that the pre-finished wood flooring manufacturers have pulled off. Sorry to say, but anytime an existing floor is ripped up and removed (which is usually the case) and a new floor is installed, there will be a big mess to clean up, either by you, or if you hire a good company, by the crew. The durable finish on pre-finished flooring means that it's often easier to maintain your floors as they'll be better able to withstand stains, scratches, and the general abuse of daily living. The classic beauty of a site-finished floor is difficult to match. Do you have an early 1900's home? Our clients refer us to their friends and family because of how well we communicate throughout the entirety of your refinishing, installation, or repair project; because we go above and beyond in trying to make things as convenient as possible for you while we're in your home or business; and, because of the top-notch quality of our work and attention to detail. Ok, lets go on to the next type of hardwood floors. caught in the finish. Another solution is rubbing a tennis ball over the marks. It has an opposite look to crowning, appearing to concave. If not then. cyrus@armstrong-citywide.com, Common Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Problems. Yes you wont have the added dust from the sanding process to deal with but again most advanced hardwood floor refinishing companies will have high tech dustless vacuum systems that will again make this a moot point. Which finish seems better for your home? Thankfully these are conditions humans feel comfortable as well. To prevent crowning, dont mop your hardwood floors, as this provides too much moisture for your floor to handle. Prefinished hardwood flooring may seem like a great alternative to traditional installation, however, there are many prefinished hardwood flooring problems you should be aware of before choosing to go that route. These are the traditional type of hardwood floors that have been around for hundreds of years. But why isnt there ever a simple answer for anything! 3) There is also quite a bit of time savings gained with pre-finished floors because the floor doesnt need to be sanded and finished once its installed. Here's How Much It Costs. If the damage is too substantial and cleaning alone is not doing the trick, your wood flooring may need to be replaced by you or by a local hardwood professional. If you hire an inexperienced contractor to sand your floors, they might over sand through the wear-layer; now you will have to replace the floors anyways. Unfinished floors provide a blank canvas for any color of stain, inlays, borders, custom medallions, custom patterns, finish sheen levels plus grades and species of wood. Its these cheap cowboys that give the whole site-finish industry a bad name. Many of us professional companies use state-of-the-art dustless vacuum equipment that contains pretty much all of the dust and then thoroughly clean up any remaining dust. If the floor does get wet, wipe it up immediately with a paper towel. Absorbing the moisture ASAP is important not just for preventing warping, but to remove odor, too. Ripping up carpet/tile/linoleum and cutting, sawing, nailing and hammering wood is going to cause dust and off cuts whether the floor is pre-finished or un-finished. You'll also have many more layers of finish than are possible to add to. Cupping is caused by water or water vapor that is below the flooring planks. You might have heard from your neighbors that solid and engineered (with a thick wear-layer) floors can be sanded and refinished several times through its lifespan. WHICH HARDWOOD Finish DO YOU THINK IS BEST FOR YOUR HOME? Factory prefinished hardwood flooring usually has beveled, slightly rounded edges. This gives the wood plank a slightly manufactured look. The moisture created by pet stains can cause warping, especially if its not cleaned up immediately. Is It Time to Refinish Your Hardwood Floors? Use a wet paper towel to wipe after so no residual ingredients remain and then pat dry with a paper towel. Joanne A. These are the most common misconceptions we hear about site finished floors. Rub the eraser vigorously over the scuff mark until it disappears. Installation is faster and easier, furniture can be placed on the floor immediately after the installation. With a site-finished floor, unfinished wood is installed and then sanded and the finish is applied on-site. Custom milled, random width, reclaimed, site-finished flooring with crosscut log inserts and pre-finished looking bevels. Crowning is when flooring turns down at the edges and raises in an arc in the center. The finish lasts considerably longer and carries a better warranty for the homeowner (e.g., 5 to 25 years vs. 3 to 5 years for site-applied finishes). This greatly speeds up the entire process. Common causes are humidity and moisture from areas of the home that are not sufficiently insulated, such as crawlspaces, garages, or basements. This means a pre-finished floor will have glaringly obvious v-shaped seams throughout. When you visit one of ourtwo showroom locations in Middletown or Orange, you'll be able to discuss both types of finish in greater detail. Youll also need to keep an eye on your homes humidity and temperature. They offer crazy 20 to 30 year warranties that sound great to a consumer. >> Explore Floor Decor's Guide to Custom Flooring Installations. The end result is harder than anything applied on-site. But you do end up saving money on labor with a pre-finished floor by not having to sand and finish the floors. Avoid the more abrasive side of the sponge since this may be too abrasive for the wood flooring. Speaking of scuff marks, removing shoes when you first enter your home can prevent them. I had one company try to intimidate me by saying that on-site finished wood flooring needs to be refinished every 3-4 years vs their pre-finished wood. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I would go for the look you want first grooves and bevels vs a flat sealed floor and then look into the most durable finishes based on your choice. For example, you won't find foreign particles, hair, dust, etc. That sounds like a good idea for a blog post one day, Ill see what I can do. 3) Another issue with the bevels is that when you need to sand and refinish your floors down the road (yes even these tough aluminum oxide factory finishes will still scratch, dent and wear) your hardwood floor refinisher will need to remove a lot of wood to get the floor level to the bottom of the bevels. Theres much more to it so peep this! Placing plants and flowers in front of windows can also help offset some of the sunlight from shining directly onto the floors. Perhaps you recently purchased a home and it has old golden oak hardwood floors underneath the carpet. One handy trick if you dont want to scrub on your hands and knees is to cut an x shaped opening in the top of the tennis ball and then adhering it to the top of a broomstick or mop. If you have existing hardwood floors, then the choice is much easier site-finished is the obvious choice. Traditionally, you choose on-site finishing for a new construction project when time isn't as critical a factor as when you've already occupied the space. DIY cleaning paste: Mix baking soda and vinegar together until it forms a thick paste. Im leaning more to a site finished floor now which is what my wife always wanted anyways. Site finishing a hardwood floor with machines connected to our dustless equipment. Please answer the question below before submitting your comment: Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved. Same for site finished finishes. Remember that, during this time, you can't walk on the floors or put furniture on them and the smell of the finishing products may be unpleasant. The amount of dust created with sanding a floor onsite needs to be addressed if you have allergies or asthma. Which is better? When done, dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Do you have hardwood floors that are over 100 years old? It can be tricky working with 100 year old hardwoods. It's tricky trying to color match the newly repaired/replacement boards. Want to lace new hardwoods into 100 year old hardwood? You'll want to read this before making that decision. 2) The on-site install and refinishing process is about twice as long as having pre-finished floors installed. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Cupping, while similar to crowning, occurs when the border of the wooden plank gets raised. Let's explore these hardwood flooring finish options in more detail. Wood flooring is a beautiful addition to any home, and its functional, too. Which finish seems better for your home? These warranties have obviously worked extremely well for them and they without a doubt help to sell these types of floors very well. At the same time, becausepre-finished hardwood products are manufactured in a controlled environment, less can go wrong. 816-765-7777 They had a wide selection of products which made it a great shopping experience. 1) The biggest benefit with these floors is that because theyre sanded on-site before the finish is applied, they are smooth and table-top flat across the surface without any bevels and grooves. As you might imagine, i. If you want your site-finished floor guy to go on a half hour rant, just mention how excited you are about the 30 year warranty you saw on the pre-finished hardwood floors at your local big box store and prepare to be educated. Well, each has its benefits. Lets have a look at the pros and cons of each below so you can make up your own mind. Because of the thick and pervasive nature of the prefinished topcoat, refinishing requires extensive sanding to reach the natural hardwood again. The best way to remove stubborn dirt in the grains is get a deep cleaning done with a power floor scrubber and a deep cleaning solution. Ive seen very durable pre-finished floor finishes and stuff that scratches just by looking at it. Here are two you can DIY: White vinegar and grapefruit oil: White vinegar is a multipurpose home cleaner and odor remover, and grapefruit oil adds a fresh citrus scent. Youll also want to avoid walking across the floor with wet and muddy shoes. Many claim one is vastly superior to the other and vise-versa usually with ulterior motives. Although refinishing your floors will be more involved (i.e., heavy sanding to remove that intensely hard finish), you won't need to do so for a long time. So to compensate for any milling discrepancies, the boards are milled with bevels to make the thickness inconsistencies blend in across the installed floor. When a wood floor's wear-layer is under 2 millimeter, you might consider a factory finished hardwoods for your next project. I just come across this site. North to Edgerton MO, East to Higginsville MO, South to Louisburg KS, & West to Lawrence KS. Most old solid oak wood floors can be sanded several times during its lifetime. A completely smooth and flat site finished oak floor with a custom hardwax oil finish in Naperville, Illinois. Some types of wood flooring such as this unique custom milled end-grain Mesquite flooring would be possible to find as a pre-finished floor, These are the most common misconceptions we hear about pre-finished floors. Ideally, you want to keep your home between 30% - 50% relative humidity and between 68 degrees and 72 degrees. Once this expansion and contraction occur that smooth finish is no longer a smooth coat. When you see crowning in your floors, it means that there is more moisture on the surface of the floor than there is on the bottom in the subfloor. After all, it can take a long time (i.e., from 3 to 5 days) to sand and clean the wood flooring, ensure that the environment within the space is set and stable, apply the stain and topcoat (typically 3-4 coats), and wait for each application to dry. Any cities outside of our service area may incur a $50 bid charge. Other homemade cleaning solutions include using a soft wet sponge and water to remove the scuffs. People forget who the original manufacturers was (if they even knew in the first place), or your particular line of flooring may be out of production as is often the case many years later. This is definitely not the case. The sanding process is very similar to site-finished flooring. Theres just a few extra things that must be done. Generally, we like to cross cut on the first few rips. This helps get the floor flatter and gets all of the oxide finish off. Using HEPA filters on vacuums is recommended so that you dont inhale aluminum airborne particles. Usually after 4 passes the hardwood is ready for buffing. We spray the entire floor with water to check for missed spots that are not detected otherwise. This process is called water-popping and it also allows the stain to penetrate deeper into the grains of the wood flooring. I want people to know Floor Decor has great, helpful customer service! On a prefinished floor, however, the thick seal layer means that when a section of flooring becomes damaged, the only way to repair it is to either sand the finish off the entire flooror remove and replace the broken section. You also don't have sealed plank seams which means that some dirt can get caught. This is one of the most common misconceptions between these types of flooring. Plus its much more difficult to make custom inlays, borders and complicated patterns look good compared to site-finished floors. In some cases yes, this is the truth. They answered questions and got me in and out quickly as I was in a bit of a hurry. Unfortunately Im nowhere near Chicago so I cant hire you. The result is a very tough and smooth coating. But if you should find some, there are some painless solutions to removing them. The Dangers of Hardwood Floor Refinishing, A Blast from the Past: Wood Floors in the 1800s, A Blast from the Past: Wood Floors in the 1920s. I heard about them from a co-worker. If a floor needs to be refinished every 3-4 years then they either have a tribe of cleat wearing football layers living there or have used a really low quality finish :). 3) Unlike pre-finished floors, you wont be able to walk on your floors right away. In fact from time-to-time we even install the odd pre-finished floor when the conditions call for it. Prefinished hardwoods are also known as factory finished because they are finished at the mill rather than at your home making for a quick install and a tougher finished product. Some dont mind this style, but it may not look like standard classic hardwood planks with full, squared edges youre likely envisioning. So, you trying to stain your red oak floors white? Does the article answer all your questions? Perhaps after reading this, you've realized prefinishedhardwoods are the best option for you due to its easy of installation and at the end of the day a new floor might not cost you much more than sanding your existing hardwood. One is using a rubber eraser, either one found on a pencil top or a school eraser. 1) The biggest and most obvious drawback with pre-finished floors, are the bevels on the edges. Takeaway: Your worn down pre-finished hardwood flooring can be refinished up to 5 times. You can change the color of the entire floor each time that its completely refinished. Leave the bevel in the floor and DO NOT have the bevel filled. Pre-finished hardwoods show scratches more than site-finished hardwoods. PRE-FINISHED VS. SITE FINISHED HARDWOOD: WHICH IS BETTER? You just cant get high-end unique results any other way. This can all be avoided by choosing a new prefinished hardwood product. Im currently in the middle of choosing what to do with my floors. The pricing was very fair. To make repairs, you'll need to either replace the problem section or refinish the entire floor. They were knowledgeable and informative. Why not refinish it? If you are a consumer looking to purchase hard surface flooring, please consider putting down raw site-finished hardwoods. Its cheaper and you can have it refinished up to 5 times throughout the lifetime of the flooring. Pre-finished hardwoods can be sanded and refinished. We do it all the time! Most of the pre-finished flooring has a bevel in between each board. That bevel can be sanded flat, if you choose. However, it requires additional sanding. Thus, reduces the number of times that your floor can be refinished throughout the lifetime of your pre-finished hardwoods. If you choose to leave the bevel in the floor then you will still have the opportunity to refinish your floors many more times afterwards. The floorboards are particularly durable as a result of the aluminum oxide finish and the newly introduced Diamond 10 finish from Armstrong. That's not the case with pre-finished flooring which requires no sanding and staining. Resanding your old wood floor may not be the best way to save money after factoring in the additional labor costs. Refinishing your floors costs between $600 and $4,000, Visit the Solution Center to Explore Articles, Lucamato / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images. Sanding and refinishing your old floor has its cost benefits if you are willing to put in the work, but you might find yourself in a sticky situation if you get half way through and realize it is more than you bargained for. You dont have to use bleaching techniques to achieve a whitewashed look. 4) If there is major damage to your floor or you want to add more wood flooring to another joining room down the road, site-finished floors are much easier to repair, add to and match with the existing floor. We have a solution for those pet stains in hardwood floors. Yes, that's correct! Now, we can provide a cheaper solution for our clients. Replacing those damaged boards has been the only solution for over 100 years. It could also be due to a leaky pipe. Ive heard all the pros listed above for choosing on-site finish vs pre-finished. Does the article answer all your questions? If not, let me know in the comments orcontact us. caught in the finish. In a perfect world that would be true, however, wood is a natural living product and will expand and contract during the different seasons. This cuts down on the thickness of the floor planks and limits how many times you can then refinish the floor in the future. Most people prefer this look over the beveled pre-finished look. At the same time, you may not have as manycolor and finish options but you can add borders and medallions to completely customize the result. However, if your flooring is over 20 years old it is best to double check to ensure enough wear-layer exists before attempting another sanding. Pre-finished hardwood flooring has grown considerably over the last fifteen years as hardwood manufacturing has become more technical and delivers more style, design, and performance options. In the end its completely up to you. The choice of pre-finished vs. site-finished has more to do with your own preferences and goals than whether one is truly better than the other. Please leave us a review by clicking here. Pre-finished hardwoods are not meant to last forever! In-fact, they dont stand up to heavy traffic like you were told in the big box store. Pre-finished hardwoods have an aluminum oxide finish coat thats baked on at a manufacture. Pre-finished hardwoods are durable for some time. Our team, has noticed over the years that pre-finished hardwoods show scratches boldly. Theres something about pre-finished hardwoods that when they get scratched, its just so noticeable. However, pre-finished hardwoods are a real solid hardwood. Therefore, they can be sanded! This is good news because most of the industry is installing pre-finished hardwoods nowadays. The faster your floor is finished the faster your home gets back to normal. As you might imagine, in the case of prefinished hardwood flooring, the finish is part of the flooring manufacturing process, and the product ships to your home ready for installation. pre-finished hardwood products are manufactured in a controlled environment, less can go wrong. Once the floor is has been stained then its ready for sealer and finish coats. Pre-finished hardwoods are identical to site-finished hardwoods once its sanded down to raw wood. The same process from here forward as site-finished flooring. One coat of sealer is applied. This protects your color layer and gives the color its ultimate shine. When the sealer is dry, then two coats of finish is applied. You can even make them look like pre-finished floors with bevels if you like, but with far more customization options (like the image below). Pre-finished floors have become extremely popular in the last decade or so. More water below the floor causes the bottom to sink inward and curl. Whatever you can think of you can do with a site-finished floor subject to time and money of course. Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, (Comments are moderated and may take a couple of days to be approved.). Some people actually like the beveled look, others hate it. 2) Site-finished floors are also much easier to clean because you dont need to worry about getting into all the grooves to remove the dust. Mainly because its definitely a faster and more convenient way to get hardwood flooring into your home. Note: We originally published this article on 09/12/2018, and have updated it. My answer to people when they ask me this always comes back to two issues: To have complete control over a unique custom stained/colored, custom patterned or custom shaped floor then the only choice is to install unfinished wood and site-finish the floor. But if you choose a professional company that uses high-end low VOC water based finish systems, then you wont have this issue to deal with. If not, let me know in the comments or. Again, in some cases this is still correct if you use the cheap guys that arent up-to-date with the latest low VOC finish systems and only use the cheaper, lower quality, smellier finishes, then yes your home will stink for a few days and it will be difficult to stay there. Required fields are marked *, Please answer the question below before submitting your comment: one four = .hide-if-no-js{display:none!important}. So in the end when you compare similar grades of wood, comparable high-end finishes and the labor costs you end up with very little difference price wise. Hardwood can last a long time, but that doesnt mean its indestructible. Perhaps one of the biggest differences between pre-finished and site-finished hardwood flooring has to do with plank beveling. Some businesses refuse to invest in dustless vacuums and still use dust spewing bags and dont tape up plastic around the work area. In order to fix this problem, you need to determine the source of the water. Do you have any suggestions of getting the dirt out of the wood grains??? The best way to clean hardwood floors is to use the right tools and supplies so you don't ruin the finish. In fact, there are some problems with hardwood floors that can pop up from time to time. You should do a post on that to help me out :). It all depends on the quality, durability, elasticity, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance and a host of other factors of the finish used. Installing unfinished red oak flooring before it is custom stained, sanded and then finished. Download the Floor Decor Project Checklist! 5) You also dont have much choice when it comes to customizing your floor with pre-finished floors. Either way it is a high price to pay. I dont necessarily believe that based on their other horrible sales tactics, but is there any merit to how prefinished vs on site need to be cared for or resealed in the future?? Usually this occurs when small dust particles settles on the finish as its drying. So this one isnt as big an issue as the pro pre-finished crowd like to make out. Instead, once installed, you can immediately walk, set up the furniture, and start living on your floors, and with lots less mess. It probably wont be ready until after your floors are finished though unfortunately. That bevel we were just talking about above.ya, make sure that it never gets filled with wood putty (wood filler). Why? Because in a matter of 6 months, the filler will be cracking and peeling right out of it. Then, you will have to have your floors refinished again. Not a lot of people are aware of this trade secret. The rule of thumb, do not fill any gap or crack in the floor that is larger than a quarter (coin). If you can fit a quarter (coin) in the gap then it should not be filled. This is an industry standard set by the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Be worried, if a contractor says that they can fill those big gaps and consider just doing board repairs or replacements. Unfortunately there are so many variables to each option. This was my first time using them. In the winter when it gets cold and dry the boards lose that excess moisture and contract. Pre-finished hardwood flooring has grown considerably over the last fifteen years as hardwood manufacturing has become more technical and delivers more style, design, and performance options. A good hardwood flooring company should have one. There are also no-slip varieties if that suits your needs better. 2) The factory applied finish is usually very smooth and durable (depending on brands, application and finish used of course) as they are applied in a dust free booth with perfect spraying conditions. Hope that helps and you can find someone. Its either that or they will need to send hours upon hours hand-scraping the finish from the bevels.
How To Take Off Gel Acrylic Nails At Home, Unique Beach Wedding Dress, Cole Haan Mens Zerogrand Hiker Ii, Satin Lace-up Platform Heels, Real Real Louis Vuitton, Clear As A Dinner Table Crossword Clue, Dell Latitude Laptop Lock Slot, Ticket Sales Account Executive Job Description, Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Problems, Heart Shaped Messenger Bag, Antique Fireplace For Sale Near Seine-et-marne, Ziploc Space Bags Cube, Mid Blue Wash Long Leg Straight Jeans,