Comparisons of Site Finish and Factory Finish
A troubling decision for many homeowners is the choice between factory or site finished wood floor. You may be wondering which is best. There are advantages to each. Listed here are several pros and cons. These should help you choose the hardwood floor that is best for you.
| Site Finished | Prefinished | |
| Smooth joints | yes | no |
| Inlays and borders | unlimited | minimal |
| Hard finish | no | yes |
| Dust from sanding | yes | no |
| Quick move in | no | yes |
| Finish odor | yes | no |
| Quick completion | no | Yes |
| Can be refinished | yes | With difficulty |
Smooth Plank Joints
A major consideration for factory or site finished wood flooring is the joints.
- Site finished wood floor is sanded on site, following installation. A proper sanding assures smooth joints between boards.
- Prefinished wood floor you can expect a slight variation in height between the planks at the joints. While the difference may be difficult to see it can be felt by rubbing your hand across the joint or walking on the floor in bare feet or stockings.
Inlays and Borders
Do you like your new hardwood flooring to have inlays and borders?
- With a site finished wood floor unlimited inlays and borders can be used.
- Prefinished floor only minimal inlays and borders can be used.
If you are considering inlays you will need to decide if the choice will be factory or site finished wood.
Hardness of Finish Coating
- A factory finished floor will usually have 4 to 5 coats of finish and contain aluminum oxide which makes the finish much harder and more difficult to scratch.
- A site finished floor will usually have about 2-3 coats of sealer and finish and will not be as hard.
Factory finished floor has the advantage over site finished when considering the hardness of the finish.
Dust from Sanding
- Sanding on site, expect some dust. While a professional company with the proper vacuum control equipment will contain much of the dust. They will not be able to eliminate it.
- A prefinished floor comes from the factory ready to install so there will be no sanding on site.
If dust is a concern in your decision, you may want factory finished wood flooring.
Quick Move in
- With a prefinished floor you can often move in the day of installation.
- With a site finished floor you need to wait for the installation, finishing and drying of the floor before you can move in.
Finish Odor
- Site finished floor will have little to considerable odor. The amount of odor primarily depends on the choice of finishing products used.
- With a prefinished floor, you will not have a finish odor.
Quick Completion
Prefinished floor install and move in. Site finished needs installation, sanding, finishing and drying first.
Future Refinishing
- Site finished floors can be sanded and refinished.
- Most prefinished floors contain aluminum oxide the same product sandpaper is made of. These floors are very difficult to sand for refinishing.
Site finished floors have the advantage when it comes to refinishing. While factory finished floors can usually be refinished expect to pay a lot more money. The sanding may cost you 2 to 3 times what you pay for sanding the site finished floor.
Tip: Site finished and prefinished floors can usually be sanded multiple times. Engineered wood floors need a thick enough veneer for sanding.
As you can see there are advantages and disadvantages to both factory and site finished wood flooring. Weigh these advantages and decide if factory finished or site finished is best for you.
