Prefinished Flooring – Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

What is the purpose of micro beveling prefinished hardwood flooring? I have asked myself this question often, so I finally sought out the answers. It seems that micro bevels allow for the manufacturer to produce boards that are of very slightly different heights. Across long runs of wood, it is understandable that slight height differentials can occur from board to board; after all, hardwood flooring is a natural product, not man made. As this is the case, micro bevels on pre-finished hardwood flooring help to afford for these slight discrepancies in height. Another benefit is that they collect the dirt and debris that can accrue on the floor surface.

“Now wait,” you might be saying, “Why would I want to collect dirt? I would rather have a dirt ejection system of some sort.” While that James Bond-ian solution may still be far out into the future, the reason for dirt catching is fairly obvious if you think about it: If the dirt is collected in the little micro bevel grooves, it is not skittering around your floor, waiting for a shoe or the leg of some piece of furniture to drag it across the surface of the floor and produce a big nasty gash.

Square edged flooring, or a “perfect floor,” is something that is fairly common when purchasing unfinished flooring and having that installed. The contractor/installer can then ensure that the heights of each board are perfect by modifying them on site. So, if you would prefer to have no micro beveling, this would be the option for you. But be forewarned that dirt and debris fragments will run free across the plains of your grooveless floor, so it will probably require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.