tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post7827244942720612398..comments2024-03-19T06:07:41.917-04:00Comments on Thrifty Decor Chick | Thrifty DIY, Decor and Organizing: Picking out the hardwood floorsThrifty Decor Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08387609050626968143noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-4640542102191151522011-09-25T18:11:19.706-04:002011-09-25T18:11:19.706-04:00We have the SAME flooring! They are gorgeous, but...We have the SAME flooring! They are gorgeous, but I have to say they show EVERY. SINGLE. PARTICLE. They drive me crazy because of it. Again, beautiful but it shows everything!Amy Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06622317211375541683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-11574665574644828482011-09-22T10:28:04.276-04:002011-09-22T10:28:04.276-04:00I refinished my first hardwood floor back in 1983....I refinished my first hardwood floor back in 1983...and after working in Biotech for a dozen years started my on remolding and carpentry business...Since then I have install a gazillion sq feet of floor...here is some real time advice form working in dozens of peoples homes.<br /><br />PUT TILE IN THE KITCHEN....dishwasher, leaky sink..your fridge problem...all of that could have been avoided with a tile floor...Tile should also alway be used in bathroom, laundry rooms and Outdoor entry spaces....PERIOD.<br /><br />If you do choose wood go with a site finished...the grooves of a prefinished floor collect dirt and water can soak through the cracks...site finished floors are sealed by the surface finish and lake these gaps.<br /><br />Bamboo Engineered and laminates are all disposable floors.<br /><br />http://kmswoodworks.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/the-great-green-washing-of-bamboo-flooring/<br /><br />another concern with bamboo is the embodied energy...which is way higher than concrete...(considered to be one of the highest energy products ever)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-29210323681083369992011-09-20T22:08:13.188-04:002011-09-20T22:08:13.188-04:00My husband owns his own hardwood company, and this...My husband owns his own hardwood company, and this was his comments to me when I just asked him: hand scraped... never had issues with from any customers (unless you pick a wood that shrinks, or unless the wood isn't acclimated before installation). It hides any scrapes that kids and life might leave in it's path as well. He said definitely real over engineered... and price solely depends on the wood. Some engineered are more expensive than the real wood. His website is utah-hardwood-floors.com and can answer any FAQ's you might have just to pick someone else's brain (and to find the pros and cons of various floors he has dealt with). He would have our entire house in hardwood if I let him. We have all but our downstairs family room and the 2 boys' bedrooms in hardwood, and it is SOOOO easy to clean and make look amazingly beautiful. Hope this helps.Tonia Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15296338887081449085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-4367310670169913902011-09-20T00:24:06.854-04:002011-09-20T00:24:06.854-04:00I have been a reader for a while, but have never c...I have been a reader for a while, but have never commented before. When we moved to our new home, we pulled up all carpeting in the house, and installed oak flooring throughout the house. It is almost identical to what you've fallen in love with. I think it looks gorgeous, but I have to say that I do regret putting such dark wood floors in. They show everything. Constantly. Minutes after I've swept and mopped. They look nice, but are very difficult to keep clean. I agree with another reader when she advised going a shade lighter. I would actually go a lot lighter if I could do it over. Unfortunately that's not an option (given how much we spent putting the floor in). Just make your decision carefully, and weigh all your options. Good luck!Natashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04520717987129459386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-45279032712349356892011-09-19T23:11:15.168-04:002011-09-19T23:11:15.168-04:00Wow - just read through nearly all of these posts!...Wow - just read through nearly all of these posts! Not sure you'll even get to mine and I'm totally the minority. To be honest, I'm shocked at all the hardwood only suggestions! <br /><br />We are getting new flooring and are going with engineered wood. :-) We currently have engineered wood in our house that is probably 14 years old. It has held up beautifully (we've only been here 4 years). We are replacing b/c it's a bit too '90s for our style. It's a yellow/blonde oak color and small planks. We are getting 4" Hickory hand scraped dark wood. We are in Texas on a concrete slab, so going the glue down route and with our weather engineered wood is preferred. <br /><br />I'm eager to see what you go with .. whatever, it will be beautiful!! :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-73268616130853711842011-09-19T22:21:27.632-04:002011-09-19T22:21:27.632-04:00Hey girl!
I just read your post to my hubby and fo...Hey girl!<br />I just read your post to my hubby and for what it is worth, here is his opinion:<br />He said the engineered wood is good, depending on how long you want to stay in that house. It is a good 10-15 year product, and it usually comes with a good warranty. However, if it ever needs sanding, it isn't as good as the real wood floors. There is just a small amount of wood on top that can be sanded and may wear through. Real wood can be sanded over and over without hurting the wood. You may not ever need to do that though. If you can afford the prefinished hard wood, my hubby says that is the best choice.<br />Can't wait to see what you chose. We will be installing wood in our addition soon. We are leaning toward real unfinished wood, but we do not have to worry about moving out furniture to sand and stain it, so that makes a difference.<br />Goodluck, girl! It's going to look fabulous. I love the dark stain you chose. :)<br />xoxoTraci@ Beneath My Hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14999589776655702059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-68033160575506872302011-09-19T21:28:47.387-04:002011-09-19T21:28:47.387-04:00Don't go dark, you'll regret it! It will s...Don't go dark, you'll regret it! It will show every speck of dust, every crumb, every scratch. <br /><br />Also don't do grooved floors, because the dust and crumbs will get stuck in the cracks. I had grooved floors in my old dining room and hated it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-6029625191191755902011-09-19T10:59:45.815-04:002011-09-19T10:59:45.815-04:00Hi Sarah!
Picking out floors can be a challenge, b...Hi Sarah!<br />Picking out floors can be a challenge, but as you're finding out - a fun one! You asked for more information about the difference between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood, and I thought I would send you the link to this informational area of our website. [http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/hardwood.html]<br /><br />Good luck!<br /><br />Kim with Armstrong FlooringKim with Armstrong Flooringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02468024910896313235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-85393235996137992752011-09-18T18:19:17.129-04:002011-09-18T18:19:17.129-04:00I grew up with hardwood floors (maple) and loved t...I grew up with hardwood floors (maple) and loved them! Easy to clean and upkeep. I like that hardwood can be redone where engineered really can't. I'm not a fan of handscraped as I also lived in our family homestead with wide pine planks - gorgeous, yes - pain in the neck to clean grooves. Bottom line? Hardwood definitely! The most beautiful I've seen was my cousin's 1st floor and they ran the wood diagonally! Have done onsite and keep yourself occupied with other projects! (Uhmmm...you do have some to work on? lol)<br /><br />Ciao!<br />Guerrina in CTGuerrinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-23337395992255700852011-09-18T14:04:32.674-04:002011-09-18T14:04:32.674-04:00We've been in the process of researching floor...We've been in the process of researching flooring for our house too, which we're thinking of doing throughout our whole house (holy cats, it's EXPENSIVE!!). We've done the real vs. engineered. Never at laminate, I couldn't stomach the fake look of it (snobby of me?). I think in the end, we're ultimately going to wait for our older lab to go (he's 12, arthritic, and his legs splay out from under him often), because I don't think that even the hardest of hardwoods, which would be putting us in the "eating ramen for the rest of our life category", would hold up to his gouges and scratching. <br /><br />Anyway, yes, you CAN get solid hardwood for cheaper, but you're going to compromise on the hardness for that. Solid hardwood maple isn't going to cost you the same as some other harder engineered pre-finished flooring. It's just not done. However, you also have to factor in your subfloors and whether or not they will have to be build up, or if the width of the pre-engineered floor is too high, etc. If you're lucky, your floors won't need an extra layer of sub flooring or anything done to the sub floor, which costs extra money. Which is why a salesperson will tell you that you can get solid for the same price. There are so many factors that you have to take into consideration when choosing one vs. the other. It's so convoluted and exhausting. My one requirement with having hardwoods installed, be it pre-engineered, or solid, is that it had to either be floating, or nailed. I didn't want the VOC's from the glue in my house. Even the "eco friendly" stuff. Glue is glue. We thought about DIY, and in that case, it HAD to be floating. We don't have time for messing around with nails and that mess with two small kids, and limited babysitting options. <br /><br />Build direct will also send you five free samples, (they're small, but a good starting point when you're looking for hardness). I gouged the crap out of them with keys and matchbox cars. :o)<br /><br />Good luck.statiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14467429719047005561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-76046741541344279912011-09-18T12:52:50.315-04:002011-09-18T12:52:50.315-04:00Wow, we are in the middle of picking out flooring....Wow, we are in the middle of picking out flooring...2 kids and a dog who dribbles water from her muzzle after she drinks. So much information!! I think we are going with a pre-finished stranded bamboo. One of the hardest woods. We don't want the mess but we need durability. <br />I found this chart that rates the hardness scale of woods. Called the Janka scale. Its very helpful!<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_testCarlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00925040150613747788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-78631308267062930442011-09-18T11:52:58.755-04:002011-09-18T11:52:58.755-04:00We put in a real hardwood floor in our living room...We put in a real hardwood floor in our living room about 2 years ago and I love it! We chose the real thing because if anything were to happen in one spot, we wouldn't have to replace the entire floor...and it's easy to match up if we decide to extend the floor to other places where we currently have tile. Anyway...the inconvenience of the install wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Granted, we didn't do a huge space but the guys installed it in one day and then put our furniture back on it. We lived with raw wood for a week or so (they let the wood expand and contract and adjust to the temp in your home before finishing)and then they came back, moved our furniture for us and then finished the floor. Furniture was back on within 24 hours of them staining and sealing. They also kept the dust to a minimum. I was pretty impressed. My in-laws had just gone through a major flooring mishap when their engineered wood floor had to be replaced (the whole house!) because of a leak in the kitchen. They couldn't match the existing floor. They went with engineered again which looks fab but it was a major hassle. Hope that helps...good luck!! Can't wait to see the results.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857137605707358828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-65345141119268731092011-09-18T09:36:42.895-04:002011-09-18T09:36:42.895-04:00We had a similar situation with laminate in the ki...We had a similar situation with laminate in the kitchen that just looked awful after a few years, and carpet in the family room that a dog and two cats had done a number on. When our baby was born and we realized she'd be crawling on that carpet (ewe) we decided to go for engineered hardwood. We LOVE it. We chose a similar color to your choices, and it's hand-scraped. I love the hand scraped because it looks a little more rustic and if it gets scratched or nicked, a little wood marker from Kirkland's makes it look like it was there all along! My mom had her real hardwoods refinished and there is an INSANE amount of labor and dust involved. Don't let your guy sweet talk you. Engineered, handscraped hardwood all the way!!!Ashley Pepitonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17264150543195893573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-72803728619747807952011-09-18T01:57:33.743-04:002011-09-18T01:57:33.743-04:00We are in the same boat as you, in the process of ...We are in the same boat as you, in the process of picking colors etc.<br /><br />what brand/color , any info on the one you chose would be greeeeeeeeeattt!! love the way it looks.DADDA AND MOMMYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08943666274579103193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-32936969438497968842011-09-17T23:32:50.319-04:002011-09-17T23:32:50.319-04:00I have had hardwood floors installed & finishe...I have had hardwood floors installed & finished on site twice. Both times were select red oak. One of those houses has been a rental for 3 years- and the floors are 11 years old. They look better than the prefinished cherry floors that we have now. As much as I love that dark sample (ours are not quite that dark, but close)- they show EVERY.SINGLE.THING. Dust, pet hair, scratches, water drops- you name it. And I clean them at least daily. And they scratch MUCH more than the oak. They shouldn't, but they do. Not sure if it's the diffence in finish or wood. Also- if you're a type A person, the grooves in a prefinished floor WILL make you nutty. I promise. Ask me how I know.<br />I'm sure whatever you choose will look fabulous and you will love it!! <br />Good luck!jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940854458345629242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-69087017473061136742011-09-17T21:20:25.443-04:002011-09-17T21:20:25.443-04:00I have to chime in on this... We have dark wood fl...I have to chime in on this... We have dark wood floors and love them I don't see the dirt thing as an issue but we clean/swiffer frequently and shoes are not allowed in the house. Get the HARDWOOD floors you want , not something that covers dirt well, lets be honest here, whether it shows or not, it's there. I personally rather see the dirt and clean it then know it's there-blending in with the floor. Also we all still get white kitchen, and stainless steel--and those are awful for showing marks/dirt, but we get them cause we love them right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-36120225797737560702011-09-17T13:38:43.924-04:002011-09-17T13:38:43.924-04:00That meant to say the prefinished floors could cha...That meant to say the prefinished floors could change colors (die lots etc) over time and then you can't match them should damage occur again.Charlene Austinhttp://www.willowandpaisley.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-25130786849570337292011-09-17T13:36:27.153-04:002011-09-17T13:36:27.153-04:00We just finished a major Reno and we tore out our ...We just finished a major Reno and we tore out our prefinished orange-y floors on 2 levels and replaced with site finished WALNUT. They are amazing and nothing beats the look of real wood. It's not a hard wood but we don't have kids and our 2 dogs total 10lbs. The color is to die for. Dark but in such an awesome natural way as all they need is 3 clear coats. I say go for the real thing. They can be refinished years down the road to look brand new. The refinished floors could change colour over time and then can't be matched which means you are ripping them out again if damage occurs.<br /><br />I work in insurance (as an adjuster) and I will say that the price the insurance companies contractor gave is probably so outrageous (cuz that's just what they do) that I would not be surprised one bit if you could take that amount they have authorized and put it towards your choice of floor and contractor and get the real thing. Because no sane human would pay insurance contractors pricing on their own. Yet insurers really are put up against a wall by the contractors. Oh the conversation we could have!Charlene Austinhttp://www.willowandpaisley.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-22511898129804605162011-09-17T13:07:11.981-04:002011-09-17T13:07:11.981-04:00also...if hardwoods get scratched, you can rub a l...also...if hardwoods get scratched, you can rub a little peanut butter onto the scratches, and the oils from the PB cover the scratches very well. I also like the patterns and natural variation of shades in the midgrade hardwoods. I wanted dark stain also, but was talked out of it for many of the reasons already stated. (It is a beautiful look though.)Alicia R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-11943243816687262862011-09-17T12:56:02.301-04:002011-09-17T12:56:02.301-04:00We used #2 oak floors and varied the plank widths....We used #2 oak floors and varied the plank widths...I believe it is 4", 3", and 2" and I love the look. We stained on site, but it was when the house was bing built and we didn't have to deal with the mess (and the odor). I could send pics if you like.Alicia R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-62397573287161116252011-09-17T11:31:34.161-04:002011-09-17T11:31:34.161-04:00I LOVE your blog and follow it faithfully. I got a...I LOVE your blog and follow it faithfully. I got a lot of ideas from here when we moved into our new place. We've always had wood but in our last home the wood came with the house, which was 1930's. It was under carpet and we refinished it. Of course it had a lot of scratches and dents, etc., but we loved it. In our new place we have wood floors finished before installation. They're a honey colour, which is gorgeous, but we also have a dog and she leaves scratches. I'm getting used to less than perfect floors.:) And still love them! I use a spray hardwood cleaner and a mop and find them easy to clean. But I think I'd go with finished on site if we ever do this again - from what I'm reading above, those floors don't dent as easily.carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311489781470769613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-56173279742506454142011-09-17T11:26:16.525-04:002011-09-17T11:26:16.525-04:00Hi, l absolutely love your blog and follow you dai...Hi, l absolutely love your blog and follow you daily :)<br />We built our house three years ago and did real hardwood in the whole house except one bath that has tile, and I absolutely love it! My husband and I had originally wanted a darker stain, but once I saw the stain on the floors and how the lighter color brought all the details in the wood I loved it!!Missynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-18888040608331479122011-09-17T11:18:25.306-04:002011-09-17T11:18:25.306-04:00Forgot to add, the real wood looks better after 45...Forgot to add, the real wood looks better after 45 years than the prefinished does after 4 years!Lisa at Paint in my Hairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843034256592517362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-92152335611401752062011-09-17T11:16:13.623-04:002011-09-17T11:16:13.623-04:00I have real wood in most of my house (it has been ...I have real wood in most of my house (it has been there for 45 years) and prefinished wood in the kitchen (we installled it 4 years ago). If I ever get to choose again, I will go real wood, finished on site without a moment's hesitation. The prefinished is so easy to damage (drop a can of beans and you have a dent) -- they went on and on about the 30 year warranty, but that only covers walking on your floors -- dropping a can of beans is considered abuse and not part of the warranty. I also find that they are very difficult to keep clean...a steam cleaner and a swiffer wet jet both left streaks, the only way to get it looking really good is to get down on my hands and knees with Murphys Oil Soap. In the rest of my house (granted the wood is lighter in color), I could go weeks without doing anything to them.Lisa at Paint in my Hairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843034256592517362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781670590071996754.post-24461453540357832402011-09-17T03:17:24.920-04:002011-09-17T03:17:24.920-04:00I've had all three types and will definitely g...I've had all three types and will definitely go engineered in the future - easy to care for and beautiful to look at. Dark is gorgeous, but you.will.see.every.spec.of.dust. My daughter chose dark and now regrets it in spite of their beauty.Suzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15055804703196090415noreply@blogger.com