Unfinished hardwood flooring is wood flooring that is rough during the installation process and is finished later. The reasoning behind unfinished wood flooring is that wood is a natural material and therefore expands and contracts, making it almost impossible to install precut flooring and still have a flush finish. Another factor that comes into play is that most floors are not completely straight. One way or another there will be instances where one plank will stick out above another, making the floor look uneven. There are machines that specialize in prefinished flooring, but even then during installation, damage is done that requires refinishing on site. That is why unfinished hardwood floors are the smarter option to work with.
Hardwood is denser and more natural than engineered flooring which is stacked in layers and does not expand as much. The difference between hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring is that hardwood is generally one solid piece of wood cut by machines to a predetermined width, depth, and length. Engineered wood flooring is made out of constructed planks of wood. Each plank is a combination of finely layered slices of wood put together in a criss-cross fashion to make it more durable and protect against expansion due to weather conditions. Although it may not look as natural, there are many advantages. However, hardwood flooring is the favorite of many due to its authentic feel and longer life.
Unfinished hardwood flooring comes in a few basic sizes. Solid hardwood generally comes in about three fourths of an inch thick and ranges in width from 2 1/4 inch to five inches thick. Grooved on both ends with matching edges they fit well together with other pieces. The fact that solid hardwood does not fit in perfectly smoothly after installation leads to the final finishing process. The finishing involves electric sanders that completely sand down any beveling pieces of wood to create a smooth floor. Then the wooden floor is polished with evenly distributed coats to complete the process.
There are three basic qualities or grades of hardwood. Each has its own varying price of wood and installation. The first type is grade 1 wood. This is perhaps the cleanest type of floor you can find with no color variation and no knots in the wood. Grade 2 is just one step down in appearance, but quality is basically the same. Instead of each plank carrying the same color, in grade 2 wood you will find variety in color and a few small knots. In grade 3 wood you find the greatest variety of color. Also in this grade will be stains from the drying process as well as large knots on the surface of the wood. All grades of wood will create an even and smooth floor, the only difference is cosmetic.
Unfinished wood plank flooring is typically nailed or stapled onto prepared wood planks, and then sanded and polished afterward. Although it is a process you could do on your own with the proper tools, it is recommended that you leave it to professionals. An unfinished hardwood floor is a great way to customize your flooring with whatever stain you choose.
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