Why Choose Unfinished Hardwood Flooring
Many people choose unfinished flooring because they desire the ultra clean seamless look of sanded & finished flooring. Or they may be hand scraping, hewing, or distressing on site. Job site finished floors are the finest floors money can buy. This is when finish is applied AFTER the flooring is installed. Whether the floor is sanded flat or hand scraped, planed, or distressed on site, it is nearly impossible to match this look with factory pre-finished flooring. With unfinished hardwood flooring borders and elaborate inlays are possible. Unfinished floors can be stained to match or contrast existing decor. For expert opinions on hardwood flooring finish go to Floormasters.com.
Pro's of Finishing Floors On Site
- "Perfect floor" can be achieved, Looks Amazing!
- You choose bevel, v-grooves, or square edge
- Floor is sealed
- Longer Lengths
- Wider Planks
- Patterns, Inlays, Medallions, Stone, etc. can be laid into the hardwood flooring
- Choose stain, color option, and finish (more environment friendly finishes possible)
- Finish with Solvent/Oil or Water Based Poly-Urethane, "Swedish" Finishes, Natural Oils, Natural Waxes
- Hand Scrape On Site
- Add several coats of finish, commercial finish possible also
Con's of Unfinished Hardwood Flooring
- Job takes longer. Often, only one coat of finish can be applied per day
- Dusty Environment. Dustless systems have some dust emission and are more costly
- EVERYONE MUST STAY OFF THE FLOOR. Hence, all work must stop until dry
- Non-professionals, rushing contractor, or distracting contractor may cause imperfect finish
- Odor can be strong and lingers for a few hours to a few days
- Not good for people with allergies to be around floor until it "breaths" for awhile
- More money
Most of us grew up on these types of floors and know that they can stand up to anything. Solid site finished oak, maple, cherry, walnut, pine, fir and hickory flooring are part of american heritage and we believe that these floors are still the best floor for your money. A simple refinish with a surface coating from one of today's leading poly-urethane companies will always impress the masses. If you are in new construction or doing and addition we recommend buying some of our unfinished long length strip or wide plank hardwood flooring. We have great prices on some of the longest wood floor material you can find.
Site Finished Glossary
- Water Based Urethane - Water is used as part of the chemical make up of the polyurethane finish.
- Oil/Solvent Based Urethane - Generally the most common hardwood floor finish, known for being easy to apply. It is a solvent-base polyurethane that dries in about six-twelve hours. Oil based urethanes offer a hard mar-proof surface that will not crack, chip, or peel. Usually available in gloss, semi-gloss, and satin sheen levels. This finish tends to amber with age.
- Moisture Cured Urethane - MCU's are the ultimate in wood floor surface protection. Similar to oil/solvent based urethanes but, this finish needs the moisture in the air to cure. MCU will retain gloss longer than any other finish and is more durable and more moisture resistant than other surface finishes. Ambering and Non-ambering available. These finishes are best left to the professional.
- Natural Oil - Tung Oil, Vegetable Oil, and Linseed Oil are common oil finishes. All provide their own unique benefits and maintenance instructions.
- Wax - Liquid or paste wax
No comments:
Post a Comment