Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Engineered vs Solid, Online retails = Trustworthy?
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mcm
10-06-05, 11:01 PM
My first question is about the practicality of installing engineered wood floors vs solid wood floors. I am looking to do this myself, so I've been looking mainly at floating engineered long planks until...
...I was in a flooring store today and I saw this awesome looking BR-111 Santos Mahogany Solid, it just had so much more lustre and impact than the engineered samples I was looking at.. So now I'm starting to wonder, how much of a pain in the ass is solid really? The other thing is that they have the same Santos Mahogany in engineered form.. Is there any reason why this shouldn't look and feel the same? (I'm guessing it won't SOUND the same...)
One thing I like is the bevel between planks, is it possible that this can be had on an engineered plank also?
My second and third questions are about online retailers, as they seem to be able to offer the same flooring for $1-$2/sqft less than any brick and mortar around here:
1) Caveats for dealing with them? Are they in general trustworthy?
2) Any recommendations/success stories from buyers here?
...I was in a flooring store today and I saw this awesome looking BR-111 Santos Mahogany Solid, it just had so much more lustre and impact than the engineered samples I was looking at.. So now I'm starting to wonder, how much of a pain in the ass is solid really? The other thing is that they have the same Santos Mahogany in engineered form.. Is there any reason why this shouldn't look and feel the same? (I'm guessing it won't SOUND the same...)
One thing I like is the bevel between planks, is it possible that this can be had on an engineered plank also?
My second and third questions are about online retailers, as they seem to be able to offer the same flooring for $1-$2/sqft less than any brick and mortar around here:
1) Caveats for dealing with them? Are they in general trustworthy?
2) Any recommendations/success stories from buyers here?
RatLabGuy
10-07-05, 07:48 AM
Connot help you on diffs between "real" and eng hardwood. However re: online ordering, some things to consider. 1st, if you order online you'll have to pay shipping; the exact fee will depend on quantity and vendor, but it'll be $100 minimum but could easily be 150-200 or so. They have to freight it to you on a big truck, drop it off on a pallet, so don't forget to figure that expense into the total. My experience w/ retailers is that if they have it you avoid shipping, sometimes you have to pay shipping if they have to special order but it may not be as much... but then you'll have to pay sales tax too...
I just ordered 300 sq ft of laminate online and had no problems; in fact the store price-matched a competing online store and I saved ~$100. Arrived 4 days later, appears intact. This is my only experience w/ flooring online thus far though.
I just ordered 300 sq ft of laminate online and had no problems; in fact the store price-matched a competing online store and I saved ~$100. Arrived 4 days later, appears intact. This is my only experience w/ flooring online thus far though.
steve6162
10-07-05, 10:16 AM
Three days ago 10/04/05, 880 square feet of wood order on line, shipped from five States away to curbside within two days of the order. Cost me $7481 total. Wood Floor $7201, shipping $280.
From a local retailers, the price was $8025 - $9390, not counting State sales tax, deliver or the cost of me picking up the wood. Picking it up myself would have been a chore, the weight of the wood weighs more than my Sports Car. And besides, the retailers were still charging even if I did the pickup myself. Local pickup over delivery would only save about $50 from a regular delivery charge ($250-$450).
Yesterday 10/06/05, from off a Deliver Truck, off the lift gate within 5 minutes of the promised 10:30AM delivery time, and 2000 pounds (forty packages at 50 pounds each), to my Garaged on a pallet. Five minute process from the Truck pulling up to pulling off. :thumbup:
It wasn’t hard to decide.
From a local retailers, the price was $8025 - $9390, not counting State sales tax, deliver or the cost of me picking up the wood. Picking it up myself would have been a chore, the weight of the wood weighs more than my Sports Car. And besides, the retailers were still charging even if I did the pickup myself. Local pickup over delivery would only save about $50 from a regular delivery charge ($250-$450).
Yesterday 10/06/05, from off a Deliver Truck, off the lift gate within 5 minutes of the promised 10:30AM delivery time, and 2000 pounds (forty packages at 50 pounds each), to my Garaged on a pallet. Five minute process from the Truck pulling up to pulling off. :thumbup:
It wasn’t hard to decide.
mcm
10-07-05, 07:50 PM
Steve tell me who you purchased from!
Carpets Done Wright
10-07-05, 08:38 PM
It is going to depend on your subfloor/substrate type.
Wood substrate, I would suggest a solid wood. Concrete substrate, I would suggest an engineered cross-ply.
Wood substrate, I would suggest a solid wood. Concrete substrate, I would suggest an engineered cross-ply.
mcm
10-07-05, 11:34 PM
Yes this will be on a wood (ply) substrate.
I was under the impression you could float floatable engineered wood over such a base?
I was under the impression you could float floatable engineered wood over such a base?
Carpets Done Wright
10-08-05, 07:22 PM
Not all engineered cross-ply can be installed as a floating floor. Some of the cheap stuff can't be floated.
Some engineereds are gluedown only.
You cannot float any solid wood flooring and expect it to stay together.
Some engineereds are gluedown only.
You cannot float any solid wood flooring and expect it to stay together.
steve6162
10-10-05, 04:40 AM
Yes this will be on a wood (ply) substrate.
I was under the impression you could float floatable engineered wood over such a base?
floorshop.com
Did not/do not pay advertised pricing.
I was under the impression you could float floatable engineered wood over such a base?
floorshop.com
Did not/do not pay advertised pricing.
mcm
10-11-05, 08:56 PM
Hrm floorshop.com's BR-111 solid 3/4" santos mahogany is a full $1/sqft more than this local retail outlet. Who do I talk to for a discount? :)
RatLabGuy
10-12-05, 08:29 AM
Hrm floorshop.com's BR-111 solid 3/4" santos mahogany is a full $1/sqft more than this local retail outlet. Who do I talk to for a discount? :)
Call them w/ a web address handy for another online retailer that has it cheaper. Also get the shipping costs for said other retailer, thy'll want that too for the match.
Call them w/ a web address handy for another online retailer that has it cheaper. Also get the shipping costs for said other retailer, thy'll want that too for the match.