Are you thinking about updating a room in your house? Finished basement or office space? Consider the varied options in prefinished wood flooring. Prefinished hardwood is pre-sanded, stained, and coated with finish in a factory confined space before being packaged into boxes. These floors are finished in a controlled environment which allows the finish to cure evenly and last 150% longer before needing to be refinished. With an array of wood floor options from exotic to domestic to eco friendly, you really can’t go wrong.
Things to Consider
However, you must remember a few things before selecting any prefinished wood flooring.
First, you must consider the room’s purpose. How will you use this room? Entertain? Family activities? Recreation and entertaining in a finished basement? This will help you decide what type of wood floor to buy. If your space will be a high traffic area, then you will want to choose a hardwood floor which will resist the effects of wear-and-tear.
Second, depending on the type of wood flooring you want, you’ll also need to know what is under your current floor (unless this home is new construction). Prefinished wood flooring, floating floors, laminate and hardwood flooring all have different installation requirements.
Third, consider the design and decor of the room you want to install wood flooring. There are many prefinished wood flooring colors and textures. The trick is to find one that works with your existing wood work and decor. Do you have golden oak baseboards? Maybe you want something that gives it great contrast. Or perhaps you are starting on a clean slate and hardwood floors is your first selection. Some wood flooring stains work with many different styles of cabinets while others can limit your choices.
Lastly, you will also want to consider the size of your area. The size of your area will determine the cost and availability. For example, if you have a large area to cover you might consider finding a wider plank floor or seeking out a lower cost option to fit your overall budget.
Where to Look
When you’re ready to buy, ask for flooring samples. Most showrooms will have sample boards for checkout, so you can match your room’s design and decor. It is helpful to bring home 3 or 4 samples and see how they look in your lighting. Hardwood floors can look very different depending on the time of day or lighting conditions.