1. More Difficult Repairing
Repairs are more complicated in prefinished floorings. When you spot damage in an in-situ finished floorboard you can repair the imperfection by sanding it down. However, if you were not lucky enough to distinguish a dent or scratch during the installation the only solution is removing and replacing the broken section. There is no filling, sanding or DIY technique to bring a damage prefinished floor back into life except returning it to the factory. The other solution is sanding the damaged board. Please note that if you sand some planks on the board you should sand the entire floor too which remove protective sealing layers from the boards. Therefore sanding is a not recommended repair method for prefinished wood floors.
2. Heavy Sanding
In spite the fact that prefinished floors do not need to be refinished for a long time, sanding and refinishing them is a more involved process due to durability of the urethane coating. Because the urethane layers are thick and hard, heavy sanding is required to reach the bare wood beneath them. If the protective finish is not removed completely the new sealant finish cannot be applied to the floor. This removes more far wood from the floorboard and imposes a limitation on how many times it can be refinished in the future.
3. Seams aren’t sealed
When hardwood flooring is finished in the site the sealant agent is applied on floorboard as well as seems between the boards. However, as the planks are already finished in the factory, lines between planks are not sealed after installation in prefinished floors. Dirt and grime can be absorbed by these seems. Also, the water may penetrate to seem which can lead to rot or mould grow beneath the surface or even a serious damage.
4. A flat subfloor is essential
Usually a site-finished hardwood flooring is fixed on the subfloor then any height irregularities which may exist due to an uneven subfloor can be removed by sanding. But because there is no sanding process in prefinished floors any irregularities of subfloor is transferred directly to the floor. So for the smooth wood floor, it is necessary to make sure that subfloor is perfectly flat.
5. Beveled plank style
Usually prefinished floors come with beveled, slightly rounded edges which gives the boards a more modern and elegant look. The problem is that some homeowners prefer traditional squared edged floors. In fact, this is not necessarily a drawback but a matter of choice.
6. Fewer style options: You have a greater range of overall style options in an unfinished hardwood floor than a factory-finished floor. Some specific plank widths, exotic wood species, and pattern may be unavailable in prefinished wood. If the versatility is important for you, unfinished hardwood floorings may fit best to your taste. In a brief, overall advantaged of prefinished flooring exceeds drawbacks in most cases. A prefinished flooring makes life easier for homeowners thorough easy installation and durability. Installing a hardwood floor by DIY method has been never easier. Prefinished wood is now available in many dozen of species and colors. The best is you can get rid of the mess and save time and money by installing a factory finished hardwood flooring.