Pre-finished floors come with an extended factory finish warranty unlike unfinished floors. The heavy duty finishes are urethane-based. Within a few minutes, a number of urethane coatings can be applied on planks using ultra violet lights. However, you also have the option of unfinished hardwood flooring. The pre-finished hardwood floors have a definite advantage, as clean up and labor is not required and one can choose from a number of wood species. Unfinished floors need sanding and coating after they are secured while pre-finished floors do not.

Pre-finished hardwood floors are cheaper and can be maintained easily. Addition of aluminum oxide chips to the finish, a recent advancement, makes urethane finish more durable. Pre-finished hard wood flooring made from red oak is cheaper than floors made of white oak. Red oak flooring is soft and its grain pattern is open.

Pre-finished products are usually available in three or four colors. The surface of pre-finished engineered floor has a hardwood veneer that is known as the “wear layer”. The layer may be thin or thick. The thickness of this layer will determine how many times refinishing can be done. In some products, refinishing is not possible.

Pre-finished products can be installed quickly and easily. Pre-finished products are not prone to seasonal contractions and expansion, and generally pre-finished products come with 15 and 25 years warranties. A variety of finishes and kinds of wood are available for pre-finished floor. The finished wear layers are better than those applied on job-sites. Factory applied finishes are more abrasion resistant and are free of dust, hair, swirl marks, etc. These evenly applied heavy duty finishes do not have an odor.

A pre-finished hardwood floor is processed and finished in a factory. It does not need sanding or finishing.