Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Mar 26, 2007 12:07pm | #1

   by getting walked on

    

    

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1. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 26, 2007 09:25pm | #2

   i'm thinking about putting it down but I haven't heard any feedback fm folks if they like it or not after they get it... are chairs and wall units scaring or denting it?  Also I have a golden retriever will her nails be a problem?

1. 
   Piffin | Mar 26, 2007 10:46pm | #3

   As a genral rule, the lam surfacce is harder than a finished wood, but there are exceptions and once it does begin to wear, you will have to replace it instead of refinishing it.But in some situations, it can be easier to replace than to refinish wood if cost is not an issue.
    

    

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1. 
   FastEddie | Mar 26, 2007 10:56pm | #4

   Ok, not to be picky, but he titled the discussiion "engineered floors" and you're answering about laminate floors. "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

1. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 27, 2007 12:22am | #5

   true.....anyone?

2. 
   Piffin | Mar 27, 2007 01:35am | #6

   and laminate is not a kind of engineeed flooring? 

    

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3. 
   FastEddie | Mar 27, 2007 03:21am | #9

   Yes, but they are very different products.  Laminate tends to indicate the mdf core, snap lock 1/4" thick costco product.  Engineered tends to indicate 3/8+ with a plywood core.  Well, to me it does."Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

4. 
   Piffin | Mar 27, 2007 03:26am | #10

   So what is a lam surfaace over a 5/16" MDF base with soft pad backing? 

    

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5. 
   Piffin | Mar 27, 2007 03:36am | #11

   Deaal is - it's not an exclusive either/orAny building material that is modern and man-made has been called "engineered" such as LVLs and TJIs. Notice that they are also made up of laminations of materials.The top surface generally thought of a a Lam surface is like Formica which is simply multiple layers (laminations) of paer preswsed with resins to end up dense enough to resisst wear. So we think of what we used to aalways call Formica (name brnd) as a laminate surface.But that gets pplied to flooring and the flooring gets called laminate flooring because of tht surface material while the full flooring product also happens to be laminated of different various materials.By the same token, when flooring is engineered by layering (laminating) several layers of wood, those laminations make it a laminated product. 

    

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6. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 27, 2007 08:27pm | #14

   have you seen these floors after a couple of years wear on them or heard feedback fm  folks who are not satisfied with them.

7. 
   paul42 | Mar 27, 2007 08:31pm | #15

   I have a couple of bathrooms with laminate flooring - about 6 years old and no problems.

   Your lab will hate them though, they are very slick under a dogs foot.

    

8. 
   Piffin | Mar 27, 2007 10:11pm | #16

   I have done a few floors with laminated suraface materials ove MDF core and after 4-5 years, the owners are still happy with them. most of my floors are solid wood and owners are mostly delightled with them, though they move more than the lam floors.I have not worked with the thin skin of wood over plywood core that was also mentioend. The finish on it and on prefinished wood floors is generally harder than the finish used in situ on real wood, but the bervel edge or microbevel that these have is undesireable to myself and my customers. 

    

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9. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 27, 2007 10:31pm | #17

   i too am not fond of the bervel edge of the solid wood prefinished floor and the wood engineered floor.  arent' the solid prefinished cheaper than having unfinished put down and stained on site?

10. 
    Piffin | Mar 28, 2007 12:03am | #19

    "the solid prefinished cheaper than having unfinished put down and stained on site?"Too general a statement to say true or not.I don't work with the engineered so I am not sure of costs there.
    Solid wood can run from $7 installed and finished up to $20 

     

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2. 
   ted | Mar 27, 2007 01:57am | #7

   If you're inferring wood engineered floors I can tell you from personal experience that I wouldn't install the same type of floor again if I had it to do over again. I found the finish surly lasted and the guarentee states that it will hold up to punishing conditions. But the impact resistance is pretty lame and within two years my kitchen floor had a patina of dings and dents throughout and several that penetrated the thin top layer and dented clear to the plywood core. I can see how the floors may hold up better to a family without kids or pets.

1. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 27, 2007 02:21am | #8

   tkx, exactly what i was thinking - and the cost isn't cheap either.

1. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 27, 2007 08:05pm | #12

   humm so how long have you had this floor.... do you have it in the family room also? that is where i'm considering putting it - everywhere except the kit.

   i'm thinking that a solid wood floor over time would also show its character of dings like  the patina of dents you describe.

1. 
   NavarreFL | Mar 27, 2007 08:20pm | #13

   pls read my recent email it was intended for you - my laptop is giving me fits lately.

1. 
   ted | Mar 28, 2007 02:32am | #21

   We had engineered wood in our kitchen and living room. In the living room it has held up well with a few deep scratches here and there. We had it in the kitchen but ripped it out last December due to a flood. Actually I was glad that it happened as I was really getting disappointed with it's appearance. The big difference between solid wood getting dinged and dented and Engineered wood gett damaged is that I'd have to say solid wood is a lot easier to repair and a big hole or divet in an engineered wood might not have been as big or conspicuous on a solid floor.

3. 
   mcf | Mar 27, 2007 10:35pm | #18

   If you are going to use engineered go with Owens Plank Flooring. It is a site finished product that has a wear layer that is thicker than solid wood flooring. Check out there website. There product is the best of both worlds. Most engineered floors have a 1/8" or less wear layer and that is why they puncture and cannot be refinished. Owens Plank flooring can be refinished as much as solid 3/4".

    

   http://www.owensflooring.com/sitemap.html

   
   

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   Edited 3/27/2007 3:39 pm ET by mcf

1. 
   Piffin | Mar 28, 2007 12:12am | #20

   That does look good 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!