While doing your homework and research for your next hardwood Flooring project, you probably came across the term ‘prefinished bamboo flooring’ at one point. Well what’s the difference between prefinished and site finished? Why do most bamboo floors come prefinished and are not finished on site? There is a lot of terminology thrown around in the flooring industry so it can be a little daunting when just starting your project. Read on to find out the pros and cons of both types of installations and find out which one will work with you and your budget as well as schedule.

Prefinished bamboo floors come in natural and carbonized varieties and don’t require further processes like additional sealing, sanding or staining after installation.  The floor can be used right away. What’s more, is that any surface features such as hand-scraping and distressing has already been done in the factory.

All Ambient floors come prefinished with our proprietary AccuSeal® Finish System – backed by our industry-leading lifetime warranty. This super-tough 10-coat UV-cured acrylic urethane bamboo floor finish with aluminum oxide features water-based, solvent-free, scratch-resistant (no surface is scratch-proof except diamonds!), integrated layering that is manufactured under the most stringent guidelines.

Prefinished bamboo flooring is a convenient choice for homeowners who prefer an easy-to-install floor type. There is a quick turnaround time for ordering and the flooring will retain its attractive look for many years. Prefinished is highly resistant to chipping, dents, and scratches, and it stands up well in high traffic areas such as the living room or kitchen.

What are the benefits of prefinished bamboo flooring?

Purchasing a prefinished bamboo flooring offers several benefits.

• The finish on prefinished floors is much more durable than a finish applied on site.
• No life disruption from sanding dust and waiting for stain and finish to cure.
• Once it is installed, you can immediately walk on it and move furniture in place.
• Prefinished floors often come with an extended warranty.
• Installation overall is much faster compared to site finished flooring.
• There are low maintenance requirements for prefinished strand bamboo floors.
• Never really need to be refinished as part of the life cycle of the flooring.
• Bamboo flooring is a safe and effective way of controlling allergies for household members.

What are the cons of prefinished bamboo flooring?

• Fewer off-the-shelf options for stains and finish sheens.
• Some do not like the look of micro beveled edges.
• A little more care is required during installation to not damage the flooring.
• Floors can’t easily be screen and recoated but they can be sanded and refinished.

What are the benefits of site finished flooring?

• Easier to customize the final look of the floor from the stain, distressing, and level of gloss, and type of finish.
• Can be less careful with the planks during installation because everything will be sanded down eventually.
• Can be easier to match new hardwood flooring with existing flooring of a similar species.
• If the finish gets scuffed up, it’s easier to screen and reapply the finish.

What are the cons of prefinished bamboo flooring?

• Installation takes much, much longer. Installing the floors is quick, but sanding, staining, and applying a finish each take 1-2 days per stage.
• Have to wait at least 48 hours after the final coat of finish is applied before walking on it.
• Some companies recommend waiting up to 30 days before setting some types of furniture and rugs on the floor because it can take that long for the finish to cure.

Looking for flooring samples to test out ideas? Order up to five samples free with Ambient Bamboo Flooring.

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