Specific question about Handscraped hardwood flooring (tile, kitchen, color, doors)

[cls88]

Hi,
I'd appreciate any suggestions about what we should choose among the three hardwood flooring options:

Lumber Liquidator -
1. Virginia Mill Works handscraped old world oak 3/4" x 4 3/4" on sale for $3.89/sf.

2. Also Virginia Mill Works engineered 1/2" x 5" (also handscraped) "golden teak plank" sales for $4.99/sf.

At Floor & Decor -
3. Sienna Bamboo - on sale for $3.99/sf.

I'd love to hear from people how have experience installing the floors. LL told us that we can use urethane to seal the concrete and then glue down the planks. Will this work? Thank you very much for reading and responding to the post.
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

[Hopes]

All I know is that thinkness makes a difference. You need to take into consideration the clearance you need to open your exterior doors. Other considerations are the height of any tile flooring in a kitchen or bathroom if you want to make sure all of your flooring is level. If you don't care if there is a rise between rooms that are tiled, then it doesn't matter as long as your bathroom door still operates.

[cls88]

Thank you, Hopes.

Your info helps a lot. This is the first time we deal with hardwood flooring. After the research we are more inclined to get engineered planks, and glue to the concrete as they told us. But we'll have to take our times to learn the details of it. I hope we don't make too many bad mistakes along the way.

[BentBow]

Buyer beware = Lumber Liquidators!!

You will be way ahead if you stick with a local flooring company.

There is a reason they have liquidators in the name.
Your going to get exactly what you pay for!!

Cheap is seldom good, and good is never cheap.

[art_teacher_mom]

In the last house we had, we purchased hardwoods for our study and master bedroom.
We used lumber liquidators and were fine with their service and prices. My husband did the install, so obviously I was happy there.
However, the quality of the flooring varied greatly!!
Study - Bella wood Brazilian Koa:it still looks gorgeous as the day we installed it 3 years prior. This is with my child playing with metal toy cars and my computer chair sliding back and forth. Love it!

Master - Virginia Mills 3/4" hand scraped in a dark finish (sorry don't remember color). Scratched IMMEDIATELY upon refurnishing the room. Scratches if you look at it wrong. (LOL!) It was so lovely and looked "high end" but unless you want to touch it up with a minwax stain pen every month like I did, get some bellawood instead!

In addition, my parents bought some Mannington smooth hardwoods called Jamestown several years ago, and with mega abuse from multiple dogs and furniture movement, they still look brand new! I think it all has to do with the aluminum oxide finish that - to my knowledge - is shiny and won't be found on the 'handscraped' looking floors.

[BentBow]

I vote anything Mannington!! That is some nicely constructed flooring.

If you like the handscraped look, checkout L&M, engineered. It is top shelf and very original looking, like the Amish did it, compared to some you can tell it is machine done.



Do Not Put Solid Wood Over Concrete!!! No matter what anyone says can be done!
I've inspected enough to know better. Sure some gamble and win, but you have better odds in Vegas.

There is a reason for engineered, and that is because of problems associated with concrete and solid wood. One no one thinks about is, concretes ability to be below dew point temperature. What happens when a surface, is below dew point, no matter what moisture barrier is used, because it too will be below dew point.

[CAKD]

I ditto the mannington. Our Mannington Hickory wide plank in English Leather wore like a champ and still looked new when we moved out of the home years after the install. Really was sad to leave it. Mannington does make a hand scraped floor. Aluminum Oxide helps the finish last. Also check woods hardness. That has a lot to do with how a floor will wear. Example Pine soft Teak hard which do you think is more tolerant of scratching and denting? Harder wooods will wear better.