Unfinished Hardwood Flooring - Is It Right For You?

Unlike prefinished floors, unfinished hardwood flooring will need to be finished after installation. That means you'll need to do the sanding and all finish work yourself. Is unfinished hardwood flooring right for you? Here's a look that will allow you to determine this yourself.

What To Expect

As mentioned, with any unfinished flooring you will need to do all sanding and finishing. Keep this in mind if you have difficulty with sawdust or paint odors.

Solid hardwood floors that are not finished are generally 3/4" thick and 2 1/4" x 5" wide. They are tongue and grooved and available in lengths from 1 ft to 6 1/2 ft. Naturally, if you require something longer you can special order.

One important tip here is to make sure you realize that it will be a week or more before you will be able to walk on the floor after installing it. The sanding and all the staining and finishing will render the floor unusable for a while.

This is one big reason why unfinished hardwood flooring works best in houses that are being built. This type of flooring is also better suited for those with experience.

Unfinished Hardwood Floor Grades

One of the major areas that affect the prices for any type of unfinished flooring is the grade. All of these floors are categorized in different classes. Prices vary substantially between the classes.

You will find flooring in a clear class, which means it is nearly perfect and without any kinds of defects.

There is also a select class, common class and several others.