Pre-finished vs. Unfinished Wood Flooring: Which is Best for Your Home?

Homeowners may be overwhelmed with all of the decisions that go into getting brand new hardwood flooring for their homes. From the type of hardwood to the style to the installation process-- a lot goes into finally finding the perfect wood flooring. Although the process can be pretty involved, you are sure to appreciate it in the end when your home looks exactly as you intended. Extensive planning and decision making is the only way to take full advantage of the hardwood flooring Richmond Hill has available. Pre-finished flooring may seem more appealing right away, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's the right route for you to take. The unfinished wood flooring Richmond Hill offers tends to give you more room to customize the flooring, which is an advantage in and of itself. Consider the following pros and cons of each type of flooring Richmond Hill has available before deciding on which is best for your needs.

Pre-finished Wood Flooring

If cost and convenience are major concerns, pre-finished flooring may be the best option. Pre-finished floors come completely prepared, so that's one less step for you to take to have your floors looking shiny and complete. The messy process of finishing the floor can be avoided, which is an extra relief for homes with children and pets that shouldn't be exposed to the fumes and by-products involved in the installation process. You might assume that such a convenience would come at a higher price, but pre-finished wood is actually much cheaper than the unfinished wood flooring Richmond Hill offers because the wood is finished at the factory.

Usually, the pre-finished hardwood flooring Richmond Hill has available is much more durable than unfinished wood flooring. If you plan on installing new wood flooring into an especially high traffic area of the home, it may be safer to just go with the pre-finished hardwood flooring Richmond Hill offers. For areas that are exposed to high humidity levels and moisture, pre-finished flooring would be especially protective.

Unfinished Wood Flooring

Alternatively, the unfinished wood flooring Richmond Hill offers can be advantageous for homes that currently have wood flooring in adjacent rooms. Unfinished wood is the best choice when you still need to find a finish that creates a more uniform look between the two types of woods, which gives the home an overall consistent and attractive appeal. If you are installing new hardwood floors to a large portion of the house, unfinished flooring is also a good way to achieve a uniform look all around. Additionally, the unfinished flooring Richmond Hill has available provides you with a much larger variety of options when it comes to finishes and exotic woods. For example, some species of woods aren't available in a pre-finished form. By investing in the unfinished form instead, you can have the finish applied later and still enjoy the look you prefer.

Consult Your Richmond Hill Contractor

If your situation is a bit more complex or you still aren't sure about which type is best for you, contacting an installation professional in your area is the best way to make sure all of your questions are answered. Your contractor can discuss the various options in flooring Richmond Hill has available and can even bring samples to your home of various types of finishes and wood types. If you're an especially visual person, this may be helpful in ensuring you make the right decision.