How to Maintain Prefinished & Unfinished Wood Flooring?

In the case of oak flooring, you will have to decide whether to buy unfinished or prefinished oak flooring.

Prefinished oak flooring is a type of flooring which takes much less time to be installed. The boards in this case have been finished before laying the floor. Therefore, you can determine what color and tone the floor will have once fitted. Such boards are usually finished with the use of hard wax oils or lacquers.

Unfinished oak flooring is a type of flooring made of boards that require finishing after installation. In the case of unfinished floors any type of finish can be applied to achieve the desired effect.

Every home owner should decide whether prefinished or unfinished oak flooring is a better option for them. Wood flooring maintenance is an aspect that should be considered at this point.

Finished oak floors may naturally fade over time and are more susceptible to signs of wear, no matters of what finish you have chosen. Therefore, you may want to “refresh” the oak floor to revive the boards.

In the case of prefinished floors, sometimes it can be hard to determine exactly the product which was originally applied to finish the floor. For that reason, you may find it difficult to select the products which will be most appropriate to refresh the floor finish or recoat certain areas. It can be difficult to properly repair visible marks which may need sanding.

As far as unfinished oak flooring is concerned, you’ve chosen and applied the finish on your own. That is why you know exactly what sort of finish was applied and what oils are appropriate for it. With hard wax oil finish, remember that many of the brands recommend specific maintenance oils that will revitalize the finish if it has dulled. More serious marks on the floor can be sanded away and then coated again.

Both unfinished and prefinished oak flooring require special day to day cleaning. It is very important, as it will make your floor last longer and look great. Sweep the floor frequently to prevent dust from accumulating there. You can achieve the same result, by vacuuming it on a regular basis. Without such regular maintenance, the floor may get damaged, as these particles can be pushed along the floor and cause scratches, making the floor look unsightly.