Unfinished Engineered Wood Flooring

The difference between finished and unfinished engineered wood flooring is whether the wood has been treated or ‘finished’.

A finished floor has had either an oil or lacquer applied to the wood to protect it, whereas an unfinished floor hasn’t been treated.

Unfinished engineered wood flooring can be finished with an oil, invisible oil or lacquer - the choice is yours!

An oiled finish is available in lots of different shades so you can choose one to suit your decor. Oil is a great option if you want a natural wood look and don’t need to worry about water-resistance.

An invisible oiled finish is just what the name suggests - invisible! Invisible oil won’t change the appearance of your floor and like traditional oil, it doesn’t offer water-resistance.

A lacquered finish creates a lovely, glossy sheen on the surface of the wood. Lacquer offers the most protection and is water-resistant too!

Read our blog on Finishing Your Floor Yourself to find out more.

You can leave your engineered wood flooring unfinished but we really don’t recommend it!

A finish, such as a lacquer or oil protects your floor from damage from your daily activities. If you skip this important step, your floor is more likely to be stained or scratched early in its life. Because of this, we can’t accept a damage claim if you choose not to finish your unfinished floor.

All our floors come with a 25-year warranty so you can feel confident they’ll stand the test of time. However, our engineered wood floors can last 30 years or even longer!

Just like solid wood, you can sand your engineered floor to remove signs of age and refinish it with an oil or lacquer to restore it. Please note that the number of times you can refinish your engineered wood will depend on the thickness of its wear layer.

If your engineered flooring has been finished before use, you shouldn’t expect it to be damaged easily. We recommend checking whether your floor has been finished with an oil or a lacquer, as this will affect how water-resistant the wood is.

As with all our floors, please follow the care instructions carefully to keep your floor looking its best.

The oil or lacquer on your engineered oak flooring does a fantastic job of protecting it. But if you choose an unfinished floor, you’ll need to apply a finish yourself or risk damage to your floor.

It’s important to note that while a finish does offer your floor protection, you still need to take care of the wood properly and follow the care instructions.