Hardwood Floors... (Marietta, Dalton, Conyers: houses, neighborhood, purchasing)

[equinox63]

Where can I find a good deal on hardwood floors. We need a lighter colored engineered wood, like bamboo or maple. But, we are looking to pay no more than $2.50 a square foot. Any suggestions?

[BobKovacs]

At $2.50/sf, you're going to be stuck with either laminate flooring, or some so-so engineered wood. Lumber Liquidators has stores in Marietta and Conyers, and they're currently showing some bamboo on clearance for $1.99/sf. Bear in mind that in that price range you're often either getting closeouts (so pray that you don't run short or want to extend the wood to another room later) or #2 grade material with imperfections, knots, wide color/grain variations, etc.

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

At $2.50/sf, you're going to be stuck with either laminate flooring, or some so-so engineered wood. Lumber Liquidators has stores in Marietta and Conyers, and they're currently showing some bamboo on clearance for $1.99/sf. Bear in mind that in that price range you're often either getting closeouts (so pray that you don't run short or want to extend the wood to another room later) or #2 grade material with imperfections, knots, wide color/grain variations, etc.

Someone mentioned Lumber Liquidators to me, but is the bamboo engineered? One person told me that there is no such thing and that all bamboo works like engineered wood because of how it is made and can be used on cement or plywood. Do you know if there is any truth to this?

[DoveDiva]

Lumber Liquidators, Floor and Decor Outlet, or try one of the many flooring places up in Dalton.

[staywarm2]

I've heard that bamboo flooring dents really easily and doesn't look good very long. Something to check into....

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

I've heard that bamboo flooring dents really easily and doesn't look good very long. Something to check into....

What would you suggest (that's nice looking, engineered, a lighter shade, and relatively inexpensive - besides laminate)?

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by equinox63

What would you suggest (that's nice looking, engineered, a lighter shade, and relatively inexpensive - besides laminate)?

Natural maple. As was mentioned above, bamboo is not a very durable wood- it's main allure recently is due to it's "green" properties- it grows very fast and can be harvested every few years, versus oak, maple, etc., which take far longer to grow to adequate size. IMO, you'd be far better off with maple.

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Natural maple. As was mentioned above, bamboo is not a very durable wood- it's main allure recently is due to it's "green" properties- it grows very fast and can be harvested every few years, versus oak, maple, etc., which take far longer to grow to adequate size. IMO, you'd be far better off with maple.

Thanks. We found some nice oak floors today. I dropped my keys on a sample of solid bamboo and it was so badly dented, the salesperson had to take it off the shelf.

[spacelord75]

We've had oak at two houses now and it performs well. Almost any hardwood would get marked up with keys falling on them, especially if it is site-finished. I think pre-finished/engineered has a harder coat of polyurethane on it. Only problem with pre-finished is, depending on the thickness of the hardwood layer on top, you are limited to how many times you can refinish them (usually not really that big a deal...how often do you need to refinish hardwoods). I think both types come out costing the same - you save money on the front end by purchasing unfinished hardwood, but get killed on the installation and finishing (staining and poly-coating), whereas the engineered flooring is more expensive but installation is easier/cheaper.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Bob, would you recommend maple even in a kitchen application? We're looking to re-do ours, personally I prefer vinyl, but in this neighborhood we have to go with either tile or wood. I have a bad back and refuse to have a tile floor. We've got hardwood through the rest of the house and are thinking about putting it in there too.