Engineered , hardwood can't decide

rocketdoctor

I need some help making a decision, all along I have been planing on nailin prefinish 3/4 red oak in a 600 sq ft remodel. the subfloor is a perfectly level 3/4 plywood.

My Wife recently has decided that she doesn't think it goes well with the cabinets so she is looking at other choices like Bamboo and others. She has found a floor she likes which is called slimline White Oak (see link below) from GreenWood. This is a 9/16" floor which they say can be stapled , floated or nailin. I want the floor to be solid and not crazy about glue but unclear how you nailing floating floors and is that really a good idea?

Also this floor is about 50% more than the solid wood floors I have been looking at, its in our budget but I have always thought engineered floors to be lower quality than a solid wood floor?

thoughts suggestion

http://uniquehardwood.com/ROOM%20SCE...HITE%20OAK.htm

HardwoodGuy

You're not alone. It's taken quite awhile for people to get used to engineered wood floors and quality thrown in the same breath. When I got into this business in the early 90's I thought the same thing after seeing the engineered Bruce and Mannington day in and day out. Some producers have changed the opinion of many.

I've handled a few of the Greenwood products and what I like about it best are the lengths involved. Not your standard 12-48" either. Here's a review I did last year on their handscraped line. Specs are the same as the product you're looking at. You will not be dissappointed and they do have some quality customer service.

rocketdoctor

One thing that might help my decsion is the ability to butt the floor up to door jambs with any spacing like recommend for flooring. I have so large folding doors that span the entire room at one side and want to Butt the flooring up to the thresholds. I heard that I don't have to worry about this with engineered floors as much.

tharrison57

we put down the 9/16 Tarkett from Home Depot. Daughter's boyfriend & brother started a 15 x 26 room about 10:30 A.M., and I called it quits on them about 1:15 A.M. Wife really likes it, but occasionaly the butt joints to me leave a little to be desired. If we can find a few more cartons, getting ready to do another room & hallway.

Really like the "heavier" stuff, as I don't seem to get the "tapping" noise like some of the lighter ones.

Pictures of ours are located under another post.

Good luck, and I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever you choose !

rocketdoctor

What do you mean by the heavier stuff are you referring to a different engineered floor or solid wood?

Floorwizard

keep in mind that there are thin solids and thin vaneered.
if you get a 3/4 solid, that should last you a lifetime.
if you get a thick engineered sandable finish like the one found on Kahrs wood, that will also last a lifetime.
Biggest difference.....engineered tends to be more expensive, but more stable and better for the environment.

rocketdoctor

this is helpful but what thickness of veneer is considered thik? the Green wood product claims it can be refinished three times? Interesting information about how engineered is more expensive and stable?

tharrison57

Really like the "heavier" stuff, as I don't seem to get the "tapping" noise like some of the lighter ones.

In our case, it was 9/16 engineered and floated, also with the 3 time refinish guarntee. Most floated floors I had been on used the 3/8 thick stuff. I think you can really tell the difference.

Sorry for the confusion, but I'm new at this.

Floorwizard

Nobody knows how many times a floor can be sanded. But they can average out.
Let's review the facts.
A 3/4 solid is only good up to the tounge.
Usually 1/4 thick lets say (not sure exactly)
A true sanding will need at least 1/16 to 1/8 taken off to sand. So usually that's 3 times.
The average homeowner sands their floor once. Alot of times they only need a screening and that can be done a billion times.
Some engineered flooring has the same sandable thickness (or very near) to what a 3/4 has.
Therefore it can be sanded multiple times.
chances are...it won't be.

Enginered flooring is made up of layers...just like plywood. Therefore it is limited on movement as the multiple layers have wood grain that is running opposite of the layer above and below it.
Solid floors can move any direction it chooses.

Engineered is more expensive because it takes more to produce it.
Solid floors get cut down, tounge and groove....done.