Not a fan of wood flooring in kitchens, even site finished. Reason? Water/spills.

Prefinished flooring allows a space between each board, perfect for getting moisture in the cracks and under the boards. Lots of problems.

Site finished means a better water/spill barrier since the finish is one layer of finish. However, wood moves and cracks can happen.

In our previous house we had finished in place downstairs and pre-finished upstairs. While the pre-finished is an easier installation (not having to leave) we are still electing for the finished in place in our new house. We like the look better and feel that our finished in place wore better.

The pre-finished is never going to look "smooth". Because it is finished off site and then put down, each board has a slightly bevelled edge so you get a small groove between each board. The finished in place clearly has a line where the boards come together, but it isn't nearly as distinctive. We preferred the look of the finished in place, but if you have seen your neighbors floor and are fine with it, then it may not be an issue for you.

As for the wearing, our downstairs (finished in place) got far more traffic than the upstairs (bedrooms), but yet the bedrooms had strange pock marks all in the kids rooms, as if them just playing on the floor somehow damaged the floors. It wasn't bad enough that we had to replace it when we sold the house, but it was definitely noticeable if you looked down with the light on. We had nothing like that in the downstairs area, although we did have some high traffic areas that clearly showed wear, as I would expect.

A couple other things to think about - finished in place can be sanded and re-stained. Pre-finished may or may not be able to have that done. As HandyMac said, spills in the kitchen can cause damage, we had 2, a broken fridge water line and a broken dog bowl that sat overnight. Both caused some warping, not noticeable to the eye but you could feel it walking on it. Both spots evened back out in a couple of months.

We are still going with wood in the kitchen in the new house. I will be more careful with the dog bowl, but figure that all floors have some risk. If you drop a pan you can crack a tile and may or may not be able to replace it. I like the look of the wood throughout and so that is what we will do, and just try and manage the water risk. Also, you shouldn't have to leave more than a couple of days for the finished in place, just while they are sanding and staining.

Those are all good and valid points. To clarify any confusion, solid pre-finished hardwood floors can be refinished if you ever need them to be. Theres a bit more sanding involved to get the factory finish off, but it's done all the time. The floors get sanded down, and the bevels are no longer there, leaving you with a newly site-finished floor.

The little grooved edges are called micro-bevels, and the durability of your flooring greatly depends on its installation. Those microlevels won't necessarily cause your flooring to be more susceptible to water damage than a site finished floor, as long as the installation is nice and tight. Yes, your hardwood floors will expand and contract, but every wood does this. It's just a natural characteristic. Quartersawn hardwood is known to have less movement than plain sawn, so if the gaps are a concern, you may want to think about looking into quarter sawn hardwood.

Having hardwood in a kitchen is risky regardless if it's prefinished or site-finished. You just need to know, as a homeowner, that certain precautions need to be put into place to ensure the longevity of your floors. (Especially in a kitchen)

Another thing I wanted to touch on was the fact that you said you had carpet in an area and tile in another. This would mean (hopefully) that the tile is sitting on either cement board on top of plywood, or there is a cement subfloor where the tile is located. This would have to be addressed when the tile is removed, and you are probably going to need some subfloor prep for your hardwood floors. Most likely additional plywood to bring the elevations of the floors to the same height.

Many factory finishes are, in fact, more durable wear layers than a site-finished polyurethane coatings. And that is one of the reasons why many pet owners choose pre-finished floors. As long as you're not choosing a particularly soft wood, a prefinished floor would be just fine for your home. It would make sense, having children and a pet because of the time you'd have to vacate for the finishing process of site-finished floors. It would, overall, be an easier install. The quality and longevity of your hardwood floors depend on the quality of your subfloor, and the quality of the installation, not whether you have site-finished or pre-finished material.

Good Luck!

Pre-finished vs Site-Finished Hardwood floors

These responses are all giving me a lot of food for thought - thanks! I'm glad to be thinking about these things well before we've started the project. More replies are very welcome!

We did site finished hardwood floors, including in the kitchen. We used a fast-drying hardwax oil for the finish and the floors were ready to use 12 hours after the second coat of finish was put down. We didn't move out at all. Hardwax oils are fairly new to the US, but they've been used longer in other countries. There are multiple brands and some are better than others so far as how they wear, some have more or less odor, and dry times also vary. We decided on site-finished because we didn't want the little grooves that are present between boards when you get a pre-finished product. We picked the finish because we didn't want to have to move out of the house, wanted a low VOC and low-odor product, did not want to deal with extended dry or curing times, wanted a matte finish, and did not mind the occasional bit of (easy) maintenance that's required with this finish. The floors are wearing beautifully and we're really happy with the finish. But, what's right for us might not be the right choice for someone else.

There are lots of options out there, including options for site-finished hardwood floors that do not include the need for you to vacate the house (or just vacate for a few nights). There are pros and cons to everything, though. It's good that you are taking the time to do your research to find out what's best for you.

I know this is an old thread but reading through the pros and cons has been very helpful to me. I’ll throw out one more consideration ... I live in FL. I have a dog. I didn’t think I could have hardwood. I originally picked a Provenza luxury vinyl plank to install throughout my entire home. But my heart just kept going back to wanting that hardwood floor. So I shopped and shopped for the perfect floor (looks-wise). And yesterday, I found it. Brought the sample home. Took off my shoes to walk on it with bare feet see how it felt. And guess what… It feels exactly like that Provenza luxury vinyl plank. Plastic-y. Being in Florida I was tired of walking on cold tile floors. And wanted something warmer underfoot (meaning barefoot). This engineered hardwood That I selected has a UV cured urethane finish. And guess what, it doesn’t even feel like hardwood to me. I’m so disappointed because I know it’s durable but I really want that hardwood feel when I walk on it with bare feet. Back to square one. Off to look into site-finished hardwood floors.

Why do you feel like you can’t have real hardwood? Because of where you live, the dog, or both? I don’t have any experience with Florida, I am sure the moisture level can be tough on hardwoods (I guess?) but as far as the dog, we have always had decent size dogs (50-60 pounds) and have always had hardwood (highly prefer finished in place to manufactured/prefinished). Sure there are some scratches, but nothing horrible. And when it gets too bad you can refinish Them.