Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - What do you all think of these Bruce floors?

http://www.ifloor.com/item_336152/weekly-feature-hardwood/special-low-price/bruce-natural-choice-strip-formerly-natural-reflections-natural-red-oak.html

I would be getting an installer to do these. How much generally should I look at spending per sq. ft for just labor?

Also would like opinions on this floor if you have any. Thanks. :)

It's Bruce. Don't get your expectations too high.


As far as labor goes, their is not a set national price list for service provided by independent installation contractors. Each contractor has a price, to make a profit and stay in business. Some have more overhead then others, and some value their knowledge and skill more then others.

I'm going to cost less then someone in California, or a Northern state, where they don't have cheap labor flooding across the border, to keep labor prices really low.

Perhaps you can suggest a good prefinished hardwood for around $5/sq ft installed? Im in Connecticut. I also have access to anything from Prosource at cost.

No offense intended, but you would have to do the installing yourself to meet that price point.

You think so? I can get a huge variety of hardwoods at cost between $2-$3/sq. ft.

Will installation cost more than $2-3/sq. ft?

I will tell you why I said. You are looking for a "good" prefinished hardwood for around 5.00 sq.ft installed. A good prefinished is going to be around 4.00 on up. I can get them cheaper too, but then we would need to leave out that good part. Labor varies but 2.75 sf. to 4.00 sf. on prefinished is the range in my area.

I thought I'd be able to do ok at around $3/sq. ft at cost. A contractor friend of mine gets me everything at his price. Oh well...

Also, what is it about Bruce floors that gives them their bad rep?

In all honesty I don't have any real problems with Bruce. I tend to have a little more culling out but I figure in some additional waste for that. There is one brand that gives me a fit sometimes but it is not Bruce.

What brand? I've heard good things about Mirage, and a friend of mine installed theirs himself, but they seem to be a little pricey.

My mama taught me if you can't say something nice, keep your mouth shut :) .

Noo, be honest, that's the point of a discussion board like this. I'm curious what brand you have luck with, and if you must bash Mirage, mash Mirage.

I think my friend actually got the Mirage suggestion on here.

I have 1200 s/f of Bruce 3/4" in my bedrooms. It's 20+ years old and has held up fine. I just installed another 200 S/F of Bruce 3/4" strip floor in my kitchen. My only complaint is that there seemed to be more shorts than longs in most of the boxes.
I guess I'm old fashioned, but I would not install 5/16" wood flooring, especially square edge. I like the option of being able to have the floors refinished and I like the solid feel of T&G.
I suggest a trip to HD or Lowes. Both sell strip flooring products and laminates. Their display usually gives a price for the material and an installed price. I live in SE CT and there are probably a dozen wood floor installers in teh yellow pages. Why not solicit some bids and ask these guys what they recommend for your situation.

Oops, sorry...I was wrong...I have Bellawood American Cherry and it is too soft and has lots if niks and dents. They do carry harder woods....wish I had known that. :-(