Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Armstrong Grand Illusions- marks not scratches
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NoReverse
05-15-09, 07:39 AM
Just wanted to share some thoughts on this product. I'm not looking to bash Armstrong. Overall I guess i'm happy with the product. Here goes-
I recently installed about 630sqft of the Armstrong Grand Illusions (Cabrueva flavor) in my basement. Easy to install, and seems to be a very durable product before you put it down. I moved all my things to one side of the basement, installed the open side, moved my things on to the new floor, and then installed the other side. I noticed when moving my things that the floor was getting marks on it. They look like scratches, but they are not. The most notable marks were left by the bottom of a rubbermaid bin full of books my wife decided to drag across the floor instead of lifting (you could drag anything on my old laminate...It would not show any scratches). The aluminum oxide surface on this material is so hard, that anything that comes in contact with it rubs off on to it. Even the wheels of my dyson vacuum cleaner rub off on to the surface of this floor. I am now in the process of attaching pieces of felt to the bottom of everything that will make contact with this floor. Nothing seems to get these marks off. The shine on it makes these marks very noticeable. The material is thick, and seems to be of much higher quality than the Dupont Elite i had previously. However, the Dupont laminate did not mark, chip, or show it anyway. I do think that this is a durable product, with an extremely real wood look, that will last a long time. The problem is that there is a trade off for all of this. You can see marks when anything touches it. I also installed the matching quarter round, which looks very good, but does not match the floor in durability. It is soft MDF, and the floor is a much harder HDF. I do have some Cabrueva flooring, and quarter left overs here in southern NJ if anyone needs it. Just email me..... Has anyone else had this experience with the Grand Illusions product?
I recently installed about 630sqft of the Armstrong Grand Illusions (Cabrueva flavor) in my basement. Easy to install, and seems to be a very durable product before you put it down. I moved all my things to one side of the basement, installed the open side, moved my things on to the new floor, and then installed the other side. I noticed when moving my things that the floor was getting marks on it. They look like scratches, but they are not. The most notable marks were left by the bottom of a rubbermaid bin full of books my wife decided to drag across the floor instead of lifting (you could drag anything on my old laminate...It would not show any scratches). The aluminum oxide surface on this material is so hard, that anything that comes in contact with it rubs off on to it. Even the wheels of my dyson vacuum cleaner rub off on to the surface of this floor. I am now in the process of attaching pieces of felt to the bottom of everything that will make contact with this floor. Nothing seems to get these marks off. The shine on it makes these marks very noticeable. The material is thick, and seems to be of much higher quality than the Dupont Elite i had previously. However, the Dupont laminate did not mark, chip, or show it anyway. I do think that this is a durable product, with an extremely real wood look, that will last a long time. The problem is that there is a trade off for all of this. You can see marks when anything touches it. I also installed the matching quarter round, which looks very good, but does not match the floor in durability. It is soft MDF, and the floor is a much harder HDF. I do have some Cabrueva flooring, and quarter left overs here in southern NJ if anyone needs it. Just email me..... Has anyone else had this experience with the Grand Illusions product?