Wood floors? (Phoenix: lofts, condos, eat)

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by jimj

But even the best laminates are nothing like the real thing. They all look and feel cheap (my opinion) and after having both I'd never do laminate again. We've had wood floors (glue down) in Atlanta (very humid) and it held up well, Montana (nail down) which gets both humid and dry and it was great.
The question here in AZ that I've got (thinking about wood myself) is if it's properly finished (we don't use prefinished wood, don't like the look of it) and a proper vapor barrier is put down on the concrete is there still a "dry-out" issue?

It's not just the moisture coming up from the floor, it's the lack of moisture in the air which sucks any moisture the wood has out of it. Cracking, warping, etc. is the result long term.

Originally Posted by JoeC

Up here, I've seen laminate floors that have a 1/4"-3/8" hardwood layer over a laminated base. I wonder if that might be the best of both worlds - the warp and expansion resistance of a laminate with the appearance and durability of a hardwood surface. The flooring examples I've seen are indistinguishable from a true hardwood floor, and can be sanded/refinished a couple of times - a consideration for high-traffic areas & families with children.

Just throwing this out there...

Those ARE real wood floors. They are just on a "plywood type base". Those are excellent choices if you want the look and feel of natural wood and they have the added benefit of a floating installation.

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

I've never seen them chew the floor, seen them chew drywall, though, and they are murder on the floor joists (pre-ww II).

Have you seen this new generation vinyl? This is everything you want in floor covering.
Residential Flooring | Flooring Products | Vinyl Sheet | Product: Peruvian Slate - Golden Fields | DETAILS

Personally, I don't care for vinyl. Scratches and tears too easily and most of the time, the cost is exorbatant for what you get in my opinion. In this climate with all the dust and dirt tracked in, they would get dull in short order and there is no "good" way to bring the finish back to life.
I should say that I'm biased on vinyl anyway. I hated to install the stuff in the first place. Messy, tears easily and the seams rarely stayed together over the long term so take what I say about vinyl with a grain of salt.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by maverick974

Those ARE real wood floors. They are just on a "plywood type base". Those are excellent choices if you want the look and feel of natural wood and they have the added benefit of a floating installation.

Sorry - I meant to differentiate between laminate (any form) and "solid" hardwood (is that the appropriate term?). Didn't realize that the plywood w/hardwood top was actually considered "hardwood" flooring.

Ya live, ya learn...

[ReadyFreddy]

I thought all 'hardwood floors' these days were the wood veneer layer over plywood. I haven't looked into it much.

[khuntrevor]

isn't the "engineered wood" something in between laminate and hardwood?

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by ReadyFreddy

I thought all 'hardwood floors' these days were the wood veneer layer over plywood. I haven't looked into it much.

Don't know about Phx, but up here you can still get solid hardwood, tongue & grove, nail-down flooring.

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

isn't the "engineered wood" something in between laminate and hardwood?

I think you're right - "engineered" is the hardwood/plywood.

[rjrcm]

Originally Posted by JoeC

I think you're right - "engineered" is the hardwood/plywood.

I've had engineered wood floating flooring in my Tempe home for several years with no problems. Looks great. I also have a solid wood floor in one area on top of a plywood base on concrete that also has held up well, with one refinish.

[khuntrevor]

people need to consult with their hoas on floor replacement. I've seen CCR that stated carpet was to be replaced with carpet and likewise vinyl.

[maverick974]

Wow! An HOA can get that restrictive as to tell you what floors you can put down? That's insane.
Yes, you can still get the old fashioned tongue and groove wood floors. Installed and finished on site. Better get a wood floor guy that knows what he's doing though. Mostly the laminate and engineered stuff is what guys work with for years now. Find a guy that specializes or had plenty of experience with those types of installations.

[S. Chris Webb]

I've seen hundreds of CC&R's and have yet to see one that restricted indoor flooring. Was this a co-op or something?

[khuntrevor]

two level apartment style condos, built in 1994. Persons on the first floor with disabilities were exempt. It was to prevent people from building echo chambers.