Whether you're building a new home or renovating your kitchen, living room, or bedroom, prefinished hardwood flooring is the ultimate choice for homeowners seeking a blend of beauty, durability, and convenience.
Ready to install right out of the box, these floors save time, minimize mess, and instantly elevate the look of any room. With a wide range of colors, species, and wood grades, prefinished hardwood brings elegance and long-lasting performance with minimal effort.
In this article, we'll highlight five reasons why prefinished hardwood is the top flooring solution for homeowners who want both style and a hassle-free installation process.
HASSLE-FREE INSTALLATION
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
CONSISTENTLY STYLISH
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PREFINISHED AND UNFINISHED HARDWOOD FLOORING?
Prefinished hardwood flooring consists of wood planks—whether solid or engineered—that are fully finished at the factory, making them ready for instant installation.
The finishing process includes:
✔ Sanding
✔ Color application
✔ Multiple layers of durable polyurethane sealants
✔ A robust top coating for maximal protection
Once installed, prefinished hardwood floors are immediately ready for use, unlike unfinished wood, which requires on-site finishing.
It's no wonder prefinished hardwood is a favorite among homeowners. Let's dive into a few reasons!
5 BENEFITS OF PREFINISHED HARDWOOD FLOORING
1) Easy and straightforward installation
Prefinished hardwood floors make an installer's job quick and hassle-free. Since sanding, staining, sealing, and finishing are all done in the factory, these floors are ready to be installed in one session. This not only speeds up the process but also cuts down on installation costs compared to unfinished hardwood, which requires multiple days of labor—on-site sanding, staining, sealing with several coats of polyurethane, and weeks of curing.
Some hardwood species, like Maple, are especially tough to sand due to their dense, closed grain. This often requires specialized machinery and can turn sanding into a time-consuming project, rather than a simple installation step.
Credits: Maison Borealis and Laura-Kelly Photography
2) Ready for use immediately
With prefinished hardwood, you can walk on your floors immediately and move your furniture back in—except for glued-down installations, which need a 24-hour drying period. This significant advantage is not only a convenience. It reduces labor costs and saves you from the hassle of finding temporary housing for your family or renting a storage unit for your belongings during installation.
In contrast, unfinished hardwood requires a curing period for multiple layers of finish, which can take anywhere from several days to weeks, meaning you'll have to wait before using your space. Plus, if you've chosen an oil finish, you might need to refinish the floors again in just a few years.
Credits: Karly Kristina Design
3) Less odors, less VOCs, less mess
Oil-based polyurethane finishes can release strong odors from resins and solvents during the curing process, lingering for weeks and making your home less than inviting. With prefinished hardwood, these odors are kept in the factory, not your living space. Plus, all of Mirage finishes have been tested by third parties to show exceptionally low levels of VOCs and formaldehyde. They also contain an antibacterial agent, making cleaning easier while offering protection against bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Cleanup after installation is simple too—just a quick vacuum and you're done! In contrast, unfinished flooring requires sanding, which generates a lot of dust that settles throughout your home. Even after the floor is installed, dust can continue to be a problem for quite some time.
4) Flawless finish
Factory-applied finishes deliver a superior, flawless result for several reasons. The controlled environment ensures that dust, hairs, and other contaminants don't interfere with the multi-layered coating process. The resulting finish is more resistant to scratches and gouges, and more consistent than finishes applied on-site, giving your floors a pristine, uniform look. Conversely, on-site finishing is a manual process, often leading to variations and less consistency in the final appearance.
Credits: FRANK - Three Bears Brewing
5) Exceptional durability
While on-site finishes typically come with a 3 to 5-year warranty, our factory-applied finishes are backed by a 35-year wear-through warranty for residential use, and 3 to 5 years for light commercial spaces. Prefinished hardwood floors are coated with durable chemical sealers applied in multiple layers. The topcoat contains aluminum oxide crystals and is cured using UV light. These unique, factory-applied finishes offer unmatched abrasion resistance—so much so that wearing them down quickly would require specialized sanding machinery.
WHY MIRAGE PREFINISHED HARDWOOD FLOORS STAND OUT?
While some claim that prefinished hardwood has limited options, Mirage Floors proves them wrong. We combine industry-leading quality with a diverse selection, offering precision-milled, prefinished hardwood that suits both traditional and contemporary designs. Our expansive product portfolio includes:
- A wide array of stunning colors
- Multiple textures, wood grades, and species
- Various floorboard widths and captivating patterns
And that's not all! We also offer matching stair components, molding and accessories to simplify your shopping and installation experience.
Let us inspire you! Explore our product portfolio today!
IF IN DOUBT, TURN TO A MIRAGE DEALER
In sum, prefinished hardwood flooring offers hassle-free installation while maximizing the durability of your investment and ensuring your floors remain stunning for years to come.
While the benefits of prefinished hardwood are clear, selecting the right flooring for your project involves more than just product choice. You'll need to consider factors like room usage, traffic level, lifestyle, sunlight exposure, pets, and your own design preferences.
To navigate these decisions with confidence and ensure you choose the perfect hardwood for your needs, turn to a Mirage expert for personalized assistance.
