What's behind our flooring Ratings? Sq. ft. per box and provide valuable feedback to other members and our testers. Begin by considering where the flooring will go and how much traffic, sunlight, and other wear and tear it will get. Vinyl proved tops in our moisture tests and most linoleum, laminates, and solid wood fared nearly as well. But many engineered woods, as well as some solid woods, and a linoleum product we tested flubbed that test--a serious drawback in a busy kitchen. And while the best vinyls and laminates fended off wear better than solid wood, they can't be refinished when worn. CO & smoke alarms This floor is beautiful and we are enjoying it so much. We receive regular comments on the look of our home since changing from the wall to wall carpeting to these floors and they show off some dhurrie rugs wonderfully. Recommend to a Friend? YesBy angelk from Tulsa, OK I can't speak to how well the flooring holds up over time because we just installed it 2 weeks ago, however the product is
Everyone who's stopped by to see our floors, love the way they turned out. The colour is great because there is nice variation. I am extremely pleased with the overall appearance and would definitely recommend.YesBy creativej from Ottawa, ON, Canada So happy that we bought this. The installation wasn't too difficult and our kitchen looks brand new. It has a cool look, and we bought the 3 different sized planks that really looks like it belongs in our 1816 farm house.YesBy Travis_herbert from Lancaster, OH Can't beat this flooring! April 17, 2016I had my whole house done in the Auburn colored hardwoods in 2007. This floor lasts and lasts and to this day, it looks just like it was installed yesterday.YesBy JTyler from Norton, MA Look and feel of this product are comparable to top quality solid hardwoods without having to pay top dollar. MADE IN USA materials. So glad we went with this for our flooring!YesBy HappyCincy from Cincinnati, OHfor great room and hall.
Very impressed with the quality level - very few non-usable boards, all are proper By jht1 from Pittsburgh, PA Installed the flooring two years ago and couldn't be happier! It's turned our home into a showcase. on how good it looks. Even with two big dogs pounding on it every day, the flooring looks as good as when we installed it. We were only going to cover about 2,000 sq ft, but we like it so much we're going to purchase another 1,000 sq ft.YesBy Satisfied Customer from Reno, NV This is my first wood floor purchase. I'm so happy with the color choice. It was featured in the model home and I feel inYes, it is a darker color (browns & grays) so it will show dust & pet hair. I don't mind because its a reminderYou will not be disappointed!YesBy Loveit from Henderson, NV it was installed in no time at all and it looks great, this is the selling point of my house By cbeauclair from boise, id While visiting my aunt I saw this flooring and it's awesome.
She had it installed fairly recently and it looks great. planning on having some installed in my home in the near future.YesBy Nick34 from Buffalo, NY We have had these floors in our home now for two months and so far we are very pleased with the appearance and quality. is easy as all we do is vacuum and use the Bruce/Armstrong cleaner with a Bona mop.YesBy Marty from Jacksonville, FL Most flooring falls into one of the following six types. The type of flooring you choose will depend on your needs, budget—not to mention your personal style and aesthetic. Pros: Wood has a natural warmth, impressive wear resistance, and can be sanded and refinished several times. Pre-finished floors can hold up better than those finished on site, and their warranty comes from the factory, not the installer. Cons: Solid wood may expand and contract with varying humidity levels and can dent easily. Some can show wear quickly and become discolored from sunlight. Note: Unfinished flooring costs less than pre-finished, but higher installation costs can offset savings.
Wood flooring is not a good choice for basements and other damp spaces. Installed cost: $5 to $10 per square foot. See Our Flooring Ratings for More on Solid Wood Pros: This flooring uses a thin veneer of real wood or bamboo over structural plywood, making it a cost-effective choice. Cons: Most engineered wood doesn't wear as well as solid wood or laminate. It also dents easily. Most can be carefully refinished once, but the veneer on some may be too thin for even one refinish. Installed cost: $4 to $9 per square foot. For More on Engineered Wood Check Our Flooring Ratings Pros: Constructed of dense fiberboard with a photo beneath a clear-plastic protective layer, laminate can mimic nearly anything. Some brands use real cork beneath the clear layer. The best laminates resist scratching and discoloration from sunlight better than most wood products. Cons: The repetitive pattern can compromise realism. In terms of durability, you might be able to touch up minor flaws, but you'll have to replace the flooring once its outer layer has worn through.
Installed cost: $3 to $7 per square foot. Read Our Flooring Ratings to Find the Best Laminate Pros: Especially good at fending off wear, dents, scratches, discoloration from sunlight, and stains. Easy installation, particularly for tiles or planks, and more color and design choices are available these days. Cons: While the premium brands can mimic the look of stone, tile, and even oak, even the best products still look like vinyl up close. Top-of-the-line vinyl can cost as much or more than the best solid-wood and laminate floors. Installed cost: $2 to $6 per square foot. See Our Flooring Ratings for More on Vinyl Pros: Made of linseed oil and wood products, linoleum is a natural, resilient material. Today's products offer far more styles and colors. Linoleum tends to fend off discoloration from sunlight. Cons: Resistance to wear, scratches, and dents varies widely from product to product. Linoleum can also be relatively expensive. Installed cost: $4 to $8 per square foot.
For the Top Linoleum Options Check Our Flooring Ratings Pros: This classic material tends to resist wear, moisture, scratches, dents, and stains. Cons: Tiles can crack and some grout can stain. Dropped cups and dishes break more easily. Tile is also relatively expensive and hard to install. While some can now be floated without the usual cement and grout, that makes replacing cracked tiles more of a challenge. Installed cost: $8 to $15 per square foot; $5 to $8 for products that can float. Visit Our Flooring Ratings for More Details on Ceramic Tile Flooring Before you buy, bring home samples of your top flooring choices. Compare them side-by-side where they're going to be installed. Manufacturers try to match solid- and engineered-wood flooring for color and grain. But variations can occur from one batch to the next, so buy all the flooring you'll need at one time. On the flip side, laminate floorboards within a given package often have a similar pattern.
To reduce repetition, pull boards from multiple packages when installing. To determine how much flooring you'll need, measure the room's square footage by multiplying its length times its width. (Divide an irregularly shaped room into smaller rectangles, calculate the square footage of each rectangle, and then add them together.) Then buy 7 to 10 percent extra to allow for mistakes, bad samples, and waste. Consider buying an extra box of flooring for future repairs or additions. Know Your Traffic Patterns Common high-traffic areas are entryways to rooms and to the house itself. If you have pets or kids, the family room can also be a busy place. Our top products performed best in simulated foot-traffic tests. For less-busy areas, consider one of the top-engineered wood or bamboo floors, for their natural veneer and easy installation. Preparing to Install Flooring Before installing wood or laminate flooring, unpack it and let it sit for one to three days in the space where it will be installed so that its temperature and moisture become acclimated to the levels in the room.
Vinyl floors with the industry's FloorScore certification (pictured below) emit relatively low levels of volatile organic compounds—substances linked to health problems and pollution. For wood flooring, certification by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative offers some assurance that your flooring comes from responsibly managed forests—a plus for the planet. Check packaging for product and manufacturer certification. • Check prices with overstock discounters. They buy directly from manufacturers, and often sell flooring below list price. • You can often save on opened or damaged boxes or on flooring with minor flaws that you can install where it won't be noticed. • Hiring a pro to do the installation? Trim hundreds of dollars off the job by doing the prep work yourself. For more helpful information see our Flooring Ratings. Looking for a Flooring Contractor? Installing a new floor could be tricky. The site connects you with local contractors to help with maintenance or remodeling projects, making home improvement that much easier.