Please help!!! - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

BFENNE · 03-09-2006, 10:19 AM

I am not a contractor. I am building a new home in pennsylvania and my wife and I our in the final phases of selecting our colors. From the begining we thought with our home we were getting a pre-finished solid oak hardwood plank floor from Mohawk. I believe they were 3/4"thick and 2 1/4"wide. We had our selection made and then the builder tells us that they preferr to use stained in place hardwood for larger areas. We have a choice of red or white oak with our choice of minwax stains. Why would they do that?

My question is which is better and why? or maybe better put, what are the pros and cons of each?

Thank you all for any input during this trying and anxious process of building a home.

Brian

Bob Kovacs · 03-09-2006, 10:33 AM

Probably the biggest advantage of using finished-in-place flooring is the continuous seal you get over the surface. If you spill water, wine, whatever on a pre-finished floor, you'd better clean it up immediately, or it'll seep in between the boards and warp or stain the floor. With a finished in place floor, you don't have that problem- though I still wouldn't recommend flooding the floor with a foot of water.

I've seen true wood floors in kitchens last for decades, while I've seen pre-finished stuff destroyed in a matter of months due to water damage- especially near the dishwasher and sink. Then there's the story of the homeowner who demanded that we install pre-finished Bruce flooring in her powder room- seems her 3 y/o son's "aim" was a little off, and that flooring was wrecked in a matter of weeks. Oops......

Bob

drunkrussian · 03-09-2006, 05:23 PM

Dude, get what you want. And don't be afraid to lay down the law if thats what you agreed upon at the start. Also, if you don't want it stained, don't get it stained. Red and white oak both look good when finished with no stain. If they say it doesn't, then they are retarted.

My take on this seems that someone is trying to get more money. Sand and finish costs more money that just laying prefinish down. Oh, and add a little more $ for a stain.

As far as which is better. I prefer real hardwoods because it looks better. Prefinish has micro-bevels on the sides that make it look fake to me. Also refinishing a prefinished floor takes more time, and I charge more for it. As far as a continuous seal, um, they will both move depending on weather, and the house drying out, and liquids will "seep" into both. If you spill something on a hardwood floor you clean it up asap, period.

Big Dave · 03-09-2006, 07:03 PM

I agree with Drunkrussian, get what you want. I do believe though that a finished in place floor will be a more even color whereas a prefinished floor has more color varience between boards.

Dave.

deox719 · 03-09-2006, 07:08 PM

I also Agree that it should be totally your choice.

I dont see much of an advantage in using unfinished as far as the contractor is concerned. Actually it is more labor. It needs to be sanded & sealed and then buffed in between 2-3 coats of finish. Also depending on oil or water based finish there is a longer drying time usually 12-24 hours for oil & 4-12 hour for water.

With prefinished it's pretty much one of the last things to do before you hand over the keys.

Some things to ask about with unfinished, ask what grade of floor you are getting. Oak ranges from Select to #3. ALso I have seen alot of contractors
Poly without taping moldings & it leaves a yellow stain. Make sure you get the # of finish coats you pay for.

**Floorwizard** · 03-09-2006, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Prefinish has micro-bevels on the sides that make it look fake to me

No, there are tons of square edges to choose from.

Quote:

As far as a continuous seal, um, they will both move depending on weather, and the house drying out, and liquids will "seep" into both.

Great post, I am glad you pointed that out.

Quote:

I do believe though that a finished in place floor will be a more even color whereas a prefinished floor has more color varience between boards.

Actualy that is not correct. Manufacturing is state of the art, and I have yet to see that problem.

Quote:

I've seen true wood floors in kitchens last for decades, while I've seen pre-finished stuff destroyed in a matter of months due to water damage- especially near the dishwasher and sink. Then there's the story of the homeowner who demanded that we install pre-finished Bruce flooring in her powder room- seems her 3 y/o son's "aim" was a little off, and that flooring was wrecked in a matter of weeks. Oops......

Since I am in sales, I would have to say that if I told a client it would hold up to stuff like that because it is on site finished, I would have a complaint list a mile long after a year or 2. If they have children that use a bath, or a couple dogs that drink from bowls in the kitchen, it is a good time to recommend tile, or sheet vinyl.

Big Dave · 03-09-2006, 10:39 PM

Sorry Florcraft I still see a difference in finish shade. If it were all the same then they would quit telling us to work from 4 or 5 boxes at the same time. That's just my opinion for what it's worth.

Dave.

747 · 03-10-2006, 12:09 AM

It must also be pointed out on a good size room you can cheat with hardwood floors. You can leave the middle plywood so you can carpet over that and then do the rest of the room in hardwood. I like non prefinished hardwood. What i have stated above can be a sharp look if done correctly. The conversation part of the room in the middle will be carpet but the rest will be hardwood. If you decided to go with non prefinish which i like you might consider asking how much for a gymnasium grade finish on the floor which i really like.

Finally its your house get what you WANT.

**Floorwizard** · 03-10-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Sorry Florcraft I still see a difference in finish shade. If it were all the same then they would quit telling us to work from 4 or 5 boxes at the same time. That's just my opinion for what it's worth

Your opinion is worth quite a bit.

I just have only done prefinished for 10 years, and cannot find a job that the finish looks different.
Must be a manufacturer to manufacturer thing.

I have personally seen the stuff made at the manufacturer, it's quite amazing.

PrecisionFloors · 03-10-2006, 09:34 PM

It is definitely a manufacturer specific variance in my experience. I have installed some cheaper Bruce & Hartco stuff that the shade varied ALOT, while Lauzon, Capella, Mannington etc hardly do at all, if any. You gets what you pays for

Big Dave · 03-11-2006, 12:37 AM

Must be you get what you pay for. Evidently my customers go for the cheap stuff.

Dave.

**Teetorbilt** · 03-11-2006, 02:20 AM

This dude is box store. I'm not closing this because I'm just interested in a number of different areas.

BFENNE · 03-11-2006, 08:51 AM

Teetorbilt,

I do not know what you mean by box store, but I will take it as a jab based on your cheapo remark in the other thread. Please keep in mind I am not a professional so based on what we have available to us to choose from with the builder and from the great replies posted here we have to make the best educated decision we can.

In the case of hard wood flooring. Based on the responses posted, we are going with finished in place red oak. Thinking maybe stay natural. We will not be getting the GYM floor look, just can't afford it with everything else. Not sure if I would really care for that super high gloss look anyway and I heard the satin look is still real shinny.

Thanks again for all the help.

**ProWallGuy** · 03-11-2006, 08:54 AM

Seeing you are a homeowner, and not a contractor, please post other questions at our sister-site, DIY Chatroom.
Many of the pros here answer the questions over there. TIA