Hardwood • Finish Format
Prefinished Hardwood, Explained
Prefinished hardwood has its surface coating applied at the factory before installation. This page explains what “prefinished” means and the specs you’ll commonly see on technical data sheets — reference-only, no product or install advice.
What Is Prefinished Hardwood?
“Prefinished” means the boards are coated before installation at the factory. The finish system may include multiple coats and controlled curing, resulting in boards that arrive ready to install with a completed surface.
On spec sheets, you’ll commonly see details about the finish type, sheen, and surface texture (for example, smooth vs textured), in addition to the usual hardwood identifiers like species, thickness, and width.
Related Pages
How Prefinished Differs From Site Finished
Site finished hardwood is installed unfinished and then sanded and coated on-site. Prefinished hardwood arrives with the finish already applied, so the primary difference is when and where the finish system is created.
Because prefinished boards are produced as finished components, documentation often emphasizes coating system and surface features (sheen, texture, edge details) that affect the finished appearance.
Common Prefinished Terms You’ll See
- Finish Type (finish chemistry category)
- Sheen (gloss level: matte/satin/semigloss, etc.)
- Texture (smooth, wire-brushed, hand-scraped terms)
- Edge Detail (micro-bevel / bevel terminology)
- Coating System (how the finish is built in layers)
- Stain (color treatment applied before top coats)
Prefinished Hardwood Specs Glossary
One-sentence explanations of common spec-sheet items, with links to deeper spec pages.
| Spec | What It Means (1 Sentence) | Where It Appears | Deep Dive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | The wood species used for the floor (or veneer), influencing appearance and physical properties. | Construction / Appearance | Species Explained |
| Total Thickness | The overall thickness of the flooring material, commonly listed in inches or millimeters. | Format / Construction | Total Thickness Explained |
| Wood Finishes | The surface coating system applied to wood, affecting sheen, feel, and resistance characteristics. | Surface / Performance | Wood Finishes Explained |
| Janka | A hardness reference test value often used to compare how wood species resist denting under a defined test. | Performance Reference | Janka Explained |
FAQ
What Is Prefinished Hardwood? ⌄
Prefinished hardwood is wood flooring with the surface finish applied at the factory before installation, so the boards arrive with the final coating already on them.
How Is Prefinished Hardwood Different From Site Finished? ⌄
Prefinished floors are coated before installation at the factory, while site finished floors are coated after installation in the space where the floor is being installed.
What Specs Matter Most For Prefinished Hardwood? ⌄
Common specs include species, thickness, width, grade, finish type, sheen, surface texture, and coating system details; some spec sheets also reference hardness using Janka.
Does A Stronger Factory Finish Guarantee Better Performance? ⌄
Not necessarily. Factory finishes can be very consistent, but performance depends on the full system: coating chemistry, surface preparation, wood properties, construction, and how the floor is specified and installed.
Reference-Only Note
This page provides general informational reference about prefinished hardwood terminology and specifications. It does not provide installation instructions, professional advice, or product recommendations.