Does a prefinished floor need special maintenance?
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 9:38When examining the characteristics between pre-finished hardwood floors and site-finished hardwood floors there are a few notable differences. One difference is the fact that the finish is applied within the confines of a factory. These factories provide dust free environments and enable the urethane to dry clearly and smoothly. The wood is coated anywhere from seven to twelve times, depending on the type/desired finish, making this wood extremely damage resistant. Other types of installations such as site-finished hardwood floors can prove to be difficult due to the level of precision involved with the actual installation.
It is possible to enhance the resilience of the pre-finished hardwood flooring by adding either ceramic or aluminum oxide particles to the urethane. Generally speaking the addition of aluminum oxide is favored due its natural resistance to abrasive materials. Even actual installation can be seen as quicker due to the fact that pre-finished hard wood floors are ready to be walked upon immediately after installation is complete. Site-finished wood needs to be finished, allowed time to dry, and can end up taking several days before the floors are actually able to be used without risk of damaging the floor.
Approaching the maintenance of your pre-finished hard wood floors can be deemed an easy approach. Pre-finished hardwood is by nature a low maintenance material. One of the most effective ways to keep the floors looking good is to vacuum them weekly. By utilizing a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush and rubber coated wheels you will be able to clean the floor effectively while maintaining the integrity of the wood. Once the floor is vacuumed, a quick shine – using the recommended solutions- can help keep your hardwood floors looking shiny and clean. It’s not hard to see exactly why pre-finished hardwood floors are a solid investment.



Steven says:
November 27th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
I am currently installing all new wood floors in my new house. I bought the gun from home depot for $450. Prefinished wood floors are a lot easier to put in than I thought. If anyone has any installation questions just ask I will be happy to help!
Flooring Wax says:
December 4th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Good post, I got some tips from it that I should be able to use.