Washblog

You should consider unfinished wood floors in any new construction or remodelling job. Prefinished wood flooring is currently very popular, but many homeowners and contractors insist on only using unfinished hardwood floors.  quarter sawn oak flooring If you don't mind the extra steps of finishing and sanding at the end of an installation, you may prefer the assurance that you have laid down a floor that will last for many, many years.

Usually, installing an unfinished wood floor is a three-part process. First, you will fit together the solid wood planks piece by piece, usually nailing them down to a subfloor. Second, you will sand the complete floor, which allows for a smooth, even finish that is hard to get with prefinished flooring. Finally, you will fill in any gaps or flaws in the wood and use several coats of protective finish.

The most frequently used species of wood in unfinished hardwood flooring is oak, but different woods are used based on the look desired. While you don't want to get a wood that is too soft to hold up well, almost any species can be used. You may be astonished that a stain color looks completely different on one kind of wood than it does on another.

While unfinished wood floors have many positives, there are a few cons as well. Initially, there are a couple of additional steps involved with unfinished flooring - the sanding and finishing steps - that it's not necessary to do with prefinished flooring. Also, take into account that your living environment may be briefly shut down while installing your unfinished floors, due to the dust produced by sanding.

There is another disadvantage to consider, if you choose to leave your unfinished hardwood flooring in its unfinished state. You are risking greater damage from everyday wear, such as scuffs, scrapes, dings, spots, and water damage. While bare wood has a character all its own, it becomes hard to clean over time and is very susceptible to moisture and water damage.

Despite these disadvantages, there are certain advantages to installing unfinished hardwood floors. The primary advantage is that these floors can be put in at any point during a remodeling or construction project. Secondly, you can choose any type of wood stain or combination of stains you wish to apply to your floor, and you can even choose to forgo the stain and leave the natural wood as it is, for a rustic, clean look. Thirdly, if you are trying to match some existing wood floors, unfinished hardwood floors are great because you can simply install the floor and then stain the floor to match your existing floor stain. Additionally, if you are installing hardwood floors all through the home for the first time, unfinished flooring is the way to go for a flat, uniform finish. Finally, unfinished hardwood flooring is great for those circumstances where you are looking for something unique, whether it be a specific color, a certain plank width, or any other attribute you want to specify.