I posted below (species suggestion for hardwood) for the new construction I am doing. Wife wants hardwod in the kitchen (and other rooms) instead of tile. I was considering prefinished but a lot of what I read said that site finished was much better in kitchens due to the layer of finish filling in any gaps between the planks preventing moisture from getting between them or to the subfloor. However in reading Ken's comments on one post he said that site finished isn't any better for water protection.

I posted below (species suggestion for hardwood) for the new construction I am doing. Wife wants hardwood in the kitchen (and other rooms) instead of tile. I was considering prefinished but a lot of what I read said that site finished was much better in kitchens due to the layer of finish filling in any gaps between the planks preventing moisture from getting between them or to the subfloor. However in reading Ken's comments on one post he said that site finished isn't any better for water protection.

Prices I am getting locally even with 10% contractors discount are starting at $10.50 sq/ft for 2.5" select and better site finished red oak.

Since this is a new construction and the room layouts aren’t funky I am pretty sure I could handle putting in prefinished .75" solid myself for a lot less than $10.50 a sq and still be able to use a wider plank in a more distinctive wood than oak. Not sure I would want to tackle a full site finish myself though.

So is a site-finished job any better than prefinished for use in a kitchen with the normal spills of wives and kids.

Thanks for any help.

Dennis

Any opinions?

If I go with prefinished, I am thinking about the Sheoga brand. Seems like a nice product for the price. But I am still undecided about the site-finished vs prefinished for a kitchen.

Thanks for any advice.

Dennis

The difference I see in sight finished vs. prefinished, is the time factor.

How fast do you need to get in and live on this floor?

Your kidding Perry. The main concern in my mind would be spills and food getting into the seams of the prefinished.

I vote site finished.

Floorguy, Ernesto,

Thanks for your replies. Time to get the job done isn't a big issue as this is a new construction and I am not projecting cmpletion until spring anyway. One big difference between the two methods was cost. $10.50 for site finished red oak ($14.00 for brazillian cherry) vs about $8 for installed prefinished in either species (Sheoga from this site installed by local guy) or less if I did the prefinished install myself. So for the 1000 square feet we need, the site finished will cost anywhere from $2500 to $6000 more than installed prefinished depending on the species.

If I do decide to put in site finished, at these prices, I will have to cut back the hardwood to stay within budget.

thanks again.

Regards,

Dennis

Ernesto, after one year of seasonal high and low humidity, unless you have a humidifier in the winter, the site finished floor is going to gap and break the finish at the seam of each board, allowing spills and food into the seams.

Hi again Dennis,
I like Sand on site (sos). I wouldn't worry about the gaps. The guy writing from Austin has a vallid point ... if you're not into propper acclimation time (7-10 days !!! not a moment sooner!!) and go with a more stable species and if you're still concerned ... go quartersawn. Proper nailing scedule, moisture barrier, and the proper perimeter expansion gap are indeed a must. Perry has to deal with a ton of humidity and slab based houses down there in Austin (I'm from Texas too) and his advice is realavant to that. If you are confident that you can install pre-fin why not see if the local contractor will sand a floor that YOU install and knock a couple bucks per ft. off the bid. Un finished wood is less of a hassle to install. Any face nailing or dings you give it during your install can be corrected during the finish. You may even find out if the company will guarantee thier work if you buy your own mat'l etc. I'm a HW contractor and in slower times a job is a job and I'd consider sanding a customer purchased/installed job IF I felt he'd be fair to deal with ... ex. wouldn't blame me for him not properly acclimating the wood or his choice of real cheap crap for product that had terrible milling. Worse thing they can do is say no or maybe give you a referral. If you find a guy that will do it ... CHECK HIS REFERENCES!!! Go look at some of his work ...you said you've got time .. do your homework.
Good Luck,
William
Heritage Hardwood Floors
Coeur 'd Alene, Idaho

P.S. If they go for it and you need a supplier that will sell to you e-mail me jclivzinme@msn.com I can give a referral or two of quality mills and suppliers

William,

Thanks for both of your replies. I appreciate it. I just received some samples from Sheoga (also comes unfinished) and my wife likes their ash. Looks like it has average stability, on par with oak. I like the brazillian cherry for a more formal look but the kitchen and dining room are her domain so my vote doesn't count. I am going to call the installer next week who actually subs all the work for the place that quoted me the $10.50 for oak.

Thanks again!

Dennis

C'mon Perry, it ain'y gonna be nothing like the open seams of a prefinished. I mean, I prefer prefinished like a ceramic finish that a site finished floor cannot compare. But hell, what do I know anyhoo. I ain't no finish guy.