Hardwood Floors

[TxFordGirl]

What is the best brand of hardwood flooring?

[8mpg]

I dont think there is a brand that looks better than anyone else. You need to go look at them and feel.

If you want to feel my wood...just let me know :D

[bcoop]

Probably Bellawood or Armstrong.


That's a loaded question, though. Different woods have different appearances, hardness, etc. So there is no "best wood floor". It's all about what you need.

[89gt-stanger]

If you do wood, get the flooring with the aluminum-oxide coating.

[TxFordGirl]

If you do wood, get the flooring with the aluminum-oxide coating.

Thank you...

I was looking at Armstong or Pergo. I will ask about aluminum-oxide coating.

[bcoop]

Thank you...

I was looking at Armstong or Pergo. I will ask about aluminum-oxide coating.



From what I hear, if you go laminate, WilsonArt is the Cadillac of laminate flooring. And judging from pricing, the pricing definitely backs it up.


How many square feet are you looking to get?

[2000 vert]

I have bruce on my floors and it has held up great. Just rememer if you go with pergo of another laminate, If you get a lot of water on it they are ruined.

[bcoop]

I have bruce on my floors and it has held up great. Just rememer if you go with pergo of another laminate, If you get a lot of water on it they are ruined.



Depends on your definition of 'lots of water'.


My kid spills shit all the time. And when my buddies are drunk, so do they. I've had spills that go under the couch, that I never knew about. No effect whatsoever on the laminate.

In fact, I had a pipe bust a little over a month ago. Flooded my kitchen and hallway. The laminate is still perfect. Of course, the emergency clean up company cut half of the hallway out, to dry everything. But no effect whatsoever on the laminate. Don't believe everything you hear. ;)

[J&T's 82]

I have Bruce laminate in my house and I love it. When I had it installed I had them glue it down instead of letting it float. Bruce has real wood underneath the laminate instead of particle board.

[TxFordGirl]

From what I hear, if you go laminate, WilsonArt is the Cadillac of laminate flooring. And judging from pricing, the pricing definitely backs it up.


How many square feet are you looking to get?

My living room is about 490 sq ft. The kicthen is about 190 sq ft.

What do you think is a fair price to pay for labor?

[Sgt Beavis]

From what I hear, if you go laminate, WilsonArt is the Cadillac of laminate flooring. And judging from pricing, the pricing definitely backs it up.


How many square feet are you looking to get?

ABSOLUTELY! Wilsonart is the absolute best in laminate. I would say that QuickStep is second...

[Sgt Beavis]

Thank you...

I was looking at Armstong or Pergo. I will ask about aluminum-oxide coating.

You need to understand that Pergo is Laminate flooring, not hardwood. Armstrong makes both Laminate and hardwood flooring (as well as carpet, tile, etc,...)

Here is a good article about choosing wood floors:
http://www.taunton.com/inspiredhouse/pages/ih00014_02.asp

It also explains aluminum-oxide.

[bcoop]

My living room is about 490 sq ft. The kicthen is about 190 sq ft.

What do you think is a fair price to pay for labor?



I don't think anything is a fair price to pay for the labor end. I was given a bunch of WilsonArt, and the expensive underlay. This, by far, is the easiest thing I've done to the house thus far.

Anyone can put it together. You only have to pay attention to what side of the laminate you are cutting. We did a 15' x 21' room in a day.

[8mpg]

I don't think anything is a fair price to pay for the labor end. I was given a bunch of WilsonArt, and the expensive underlay. This, by far, is the easiest thing I've done to the house thus far.

Anyone can put it together. You only have to pay attention to what side of the laminate you are cutting. We did a 15' x 21' room in a day.

yup...its very easy to do if you have a chop saw and a hammer. I laid down about 300sq ft BY MYSELF in about 7 hours. If you are a do it yourselfer...this is a project for you. I think typical install is around $2/ft.

[Sgt Beavis]

I don't think anything is a fair price to pay for the labor end. I was given a bunch of WilsonArt, and the expensive underlay. This, by far, is the easiest thing I've done to the house thus far.

Anyone can put it together. You only have to pay attention to what side of the laminate you are cutting. We did a 15' x 21' room in a day.

Its just like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. Except every piece is the same and the whole thing is easier.

[HECDOGGIE]

1. What are going going over? Pier and beam? Concrete?
2. What do you want/like?
3. Kids? Pets?
4. Do any of these areas touch any outside doors?

[stinginstang]

You only have to pay attention to what side of the laminate you are cutting. We did a 15' x 21' room in a day.

I had been so careful not to make that mistake - but I did it on the last piece I was installing. Had to go buy a whole new box to get one plank.

[bcoop]

I had been so careful not to make that mistake - but I did it on the last piece I was installing. Had to go buy a whole new box to get one plank.


That would suck... :p

[FreightTrain]

Ok wood experts I have a question for yall. I was thinking about putting in an engineered hand scraped wood floor. How long do wood finish's last and what kind of traffic do they hold up to. For instance if you have a dog does that drasticly cut down on the life of the floor. Also on the handscraped stuff can you sand it down and refinish it like plain wood flooring.

[TxFordGirl]

1. What are going going over? Pier and beam? Concrete?
2. What do you want/like?
3. Kids? Pets?
4. Do any of these areas touch any outside doors?

1)Pier and beam
2)I want the lock & fold hardwood floors.
3)Kids
4) Yes

I think I am going to buy Robbins made by Armstrong. The guy called it a floating floor.

[RedLilPony]

1)Pier and beam
2)I want the lock & fold hardwood floors.
3)Kids
4) Yes

I think I am going to buy Robbins made by Armstrong. The guy called it a floating floor.

I like the sound of Robbins!

<--- Maiden name is Robbins. :p


Whatever you do, research a LOT before you buy. We went to look and almost bought on a whim. It would have been a huge, expensive mistake (especially with big dogs). That's the only advice I have since we went with tile.

[stinginstang]

and what's the best thing to use to clean laminate flooring.

[JESmith]

Any good kitchen cleaner will clean laminate. For all practical purposes, it is "Formica countertop for the floor".

Personally I hate the stuff. I did my house 12 years ago with the top-of-line Wilson Art. Since then, I have had to replace most of it. Any place water can stand will eventually bubble up. Like around the cat's water dish, the sink, the dishwater, in the hall outside the bathroom, etc. It does not take much water either, just my girls walking out of shower with wet feet did it over time.

The garbage disposal in the kitchen developed a slow leak and we didn't find it for a couple of days. Totally ruined the laminate in the kitchen. I replaced it with Armstrong's best laminate and paid extra to glue all the seams with waterproof glue. Eight years later, it looks like shit.

The surface also scratches and wears very easily. It looks really good for about seven years, and then starts to go downhill fast. If you are going to put it in, don't do it in the kitchen, bath, hallway, or any other high traffic area. The laminate in the bedrooms still looks good, but then it doesn't get the wear.

My opinion ... it's fast, it's cheap and you get what you pay for. Also understand, I didn't buy the cheap stuff from Home Depot. I bought the best available at the time and had it professionally installed.

[bcoop]

Any good kitchen cleaner will clean laminate. For all practical purposes, it is "Formica countertop for the floor".


Yeah, and it will leave a sticky haze, too. I've used virtually every laminate cleaner on mine. ALL of it left a sticky haze. The ONLY thing I've found that got rid of the haze and stickiness, is a Shark steamer. Works perfectly.



If you are going to put it in, don't do it in the kitchen, bath


I hate to be Captain Obvious and all, but anyone with an ounce of common sense would have known that. Why on earth anyone thinks wood, much less laminate in wet areas is a good idea, is beyond me. Simple common sense tells you "Well no shit, Sherlock."

[89gt-stanger]

yup...its very easy to do if you have a chop saw and a hammer. I laid down about 300sq ft BY MYSELF in about 7 hours. If you are a do it yourselfer...this is a project for you. I think typical install is around $2/ft.

Did you sand the foundation?

[89gt-stanger]

If you are going to pay someone to do this, you might as well put stone down if you like it. I like the idea of having a white marble entry, living room, kitchen, with white marble, and black granite inlay. No to hard to do yourself either.

[8mpg]

Any good kitchen cleaner will clean laminate. For all practical purposes, it is "Formica countertop for the floor".

Personally I hate the stuff. I did my house 12 years ago with the top-of-line Wilson Art. Since then, I have had to replace most of it. Any place water can stand will eventually bubble up. Like around the cat's water dish, the sink, the dishwater, in the hall outside the bathroom, etc. It does not take much water either, just my girls walking out of shower with wet feet did it over time.

The garbage disposal in the kitchen developed a slow leak and we didn't find it for a couple of days. Totally ruined the laminate in the kitchen. I replaced it with Armstrong's best laminate and paid extra to glue all the seams with waterproof glue. Eight years later, it looks like shit.

The surface also scratches and wears very easily. It looks really good for about seven years, and then starts to go downhill fast. If you are going to put it in, don't do it in the kitchen, bath, hallway, or any other high traffic area. The laminate in the bedrooms still looks good, but then it doesn't get the wear.

My opinion ... it's fast, it's cheap and you get what you pay for. Also understand, I didn't buy the cheap stuff from Home Depot. I bought the best available at the time and had it professionally installed.

Any wood floor doesnt like the water. My parents house has a nice hardwood glue down floor... Had a water leak from under a sink and the floors started to buckle a bit...just the nature of it.


Did you sand the foundation?

no...there was no need to. Pulled up the carpet, pulled up the tack strips, filled the holes from the tack strip nails, put down the padding/plastic and installed the floors. The foundations shouldnt need to be unless it was all tile and the thinset didnt come off well

[stinginstang]

.

I hate to be Captain Obvious and all, but anyone with an ounce of common sense would have known that. Why on earth anyone thinks wood, much less laminate in wet areas is a good idea, is beyond me. Simple common sense tells you "Well no shit, Sherlock."


I was kind of thinking the same thing :)

[89gt-stanger]

Any Good wood floor doesnt like the water. My parents house has a nice hardwood glue down floor... Had a water leak from under a sink and the floors started to buckle a bit...just the nature of it.




fixed

[8mpg]

fixed

no... I cant think of any wood based floor that likes water.

[89gt-stanger]

no... I cant think of any wood based floor that likes water.

Me either....... (unless you use thompson waterseal ;) ..

edit: Before house trained, my dog would piss all over the floor in the middle of the night, (leave trails evrywhere) so I wouldn't be able to get to it for hours, and it didn't leave a mark. I think it is the aluminum-oxide coating.

[redheadintx]

Yeah, and it will leave a sticky haze, too. I've used virtually every laminate cleaner on mine. ALL of it left a sticky haze. The ONLY thing I've found that got rid of the haze and stickiness, is a Shark steamer. Works perfectly.


You should be a salesman for Shark steamers! :p I use water and vinegar to clean mine and it works great!

[PineGreen_Gt]

Nothing beats the real thing. If your keeping the place for awhile its worth the investment. It ups your resale more than the engineered stuff too.