Finished, Unfinished, or Engineered: Which Affordable Hardwood Option is Best?

When it comes to home improvement projects that can completely change your home’s aesthetic, there is no better choice than installing hardwood flooring. However, when planning a hardwood install, many homeowners are surprised to learn how many flooring options there are, especially when it comes to finishes. Primarily, homeowners can choose between finished, unfinished or engineered hardwood flooring.

Because these three flooring options have multiple strengths and weaknesses, it’s a good idea to take an individual look at each choice to see which one is best for you. Learn whether you should choose finished, unfinished or engineered wood when you want to install hardwood flooring to transform your home’s appearance.

Unfinished Flooring

The biggest advantage of using unfinished flooring in your home is a matter of flexibility and cost. Unfinished flooring has no stain, sealant or finishes, which means you can design your floor in whatever way you want. Additionally, because unfinished flooring is essentially just plain wood, installing this flooring type is often much less expensive than finished hardwood.

However, using unfinished flooring has its distinct disadvantages that you should be aware before deciding on this flooring type. Primarily, because you have to finish the flooring on-site, using hardwood flooring can add a tremendous amount of time to your project, which can seriously disrupt your life.

So, before choosing unfinished flooring, you must decide whether or not you’re ready for the additional time and labor costs.

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Finished Flooring

For homeowners that value ease and convenience, there is no better option than installing finished hardwood flooring in your home. As you might expect, finished hardwood flooring comes completely ready to uses with finishes and stains already in place. In practical terms, this means you can start using your flooring as soon as it’s installed, which is its primary advantage over unfinished flooring.

In addition, simplicity, finished flooring comes with several other benefits. First, because the finish is already in place, there is no risk that you family will be exposed to any toxic fumes. Secondly, there is minimal cleanup involved with finished flooring, lowering your labor costs. Lastly, finished flooring can typically be installed in one session, reducing the overall time of your installation project.

Engineered Flooring

Engineered flooring is can be either finished or unfinished and is a great solution for almost any home. Choosing engineered flooring for your home comes with a number of big benefits that can’t be matched by solid hardwood flooring.

Engineered flooring, because of its snap together design, can be installed in a very short period of time. Also, unlike solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood can be installed in almost every area of your home, including over existing concrete floors in basements. An engineered floor can also be produced in almost any style imaginable, making it one of the most versatile flooring options in existence.

Hardwood Installation Costs

No matter which of these excellent hardwood options that you choose for your home, it’s important that you understand the costs of your installation project. Cost can be a determining factor for many homeowners, and you should make sure you have a good idea of the price before you make any firm decisions.

For example, do you know how large a project you are undertaking? A hardwood installation of only 120 square feet—about one room—can cost between $243.00 and $483.00 for just the labor and may reach overall costs between $429.73 and $2,107.32. However, if you want to install hardwood throughout your home, your costs will be a great deal higher.

Install Hardwood Flooring for a Refreshed, Durable Look

After examining all the information, it’s time to decide which flooring you should choose for your home. All things being considered, your best option when you want to install hardwood flooring is a finished engineered wood floor. A finished engineered wood floor can be installed quickly, easily, affordably and in a variety of styles, marking it as a great choice for homeowners everywhere.