Replies

1. 
   Ron_Teti | Aug 19, 2001 05:27am | #1

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   Greg ,
   Where do you live. If it is So Cal you could take a trip down State College avenue in Anaheim Calf. They call it "Tile Row" it is about 5 miles worth of flooring stores. If you could take a trip down there you could look at the displays and talk to the folks there. im sure you get some good ideas after looking at 50 plus flooring stores displays in all price ranges. Just a idea hope it helps.

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   Greg_Warren | Aug 19, 2001 04:47pm | #2

   *Ron, I am aware of the area you are mentioning, but they will sell anything and everything. I want to narrow the field down so my clients do not get so confused with the multitude of choices. Is there a prefinished floor you like, and why? GW

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   Ron_Teti | Aug 20, 2001 04:44am | #3

   *I not a floor specialist. i have fooled with them a bit so to give you an honest answer not really. but one thing I know is popular around here is the laminate flooring, gulp pergo , bruce ect. i know quite a few folks who either have it installed or want to get it installed. As far as species, i really distressed oak, and maple but ill tell ya one thing that has sparked and interest with me is wide plank flooring. I have not seen it arond here ad i buy my flooring over at tile row and havent seen it sold there so that might be a niche for ya.

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   piffin_ | Aug 28, 2001 06:46am | #4

   *I use mostly Clear heart pine and white maple, finisherd in place but have subscribed to this thread because i would like to learn about more products than that stuff they call Pergo - I'm not impressed with it.

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   Ken_fisher | Aug 31, 2001 11:19pm | #5

   *Greg:I just found this thread after doing some searching for the "...floor, from start to finish." I guess it's too late now?If it were not for interent message boards I would have never heard of Junckers, as it seems to be a big west coast product. When it comes to hardwood flooring we seem to run into some regional manufacturers due to the cost of shipping or lack of distribution outlets.I've seen some impressive showrooms in my locale, and when it comes to the prefinished brands I'd have to select in the following order.1- Harris-Tarkett(HT)2- Mirage3- Mannington4- HartcoMirage would have topped my list, but the downside is they have a limited selection. They have the industry's best(sandable) wear layer I have ever seen when it comes to a prefinished engineered.I've always felt very comfortable with HT as there are nill quality concerns. They have the best track record over all the rest in the years I've dealt with them. No down time.Mannington? They claim they're back on track with some quality material, but I always wonder why they can't improve the thickness of the wear layer.Hartco. Why did I think about them? Better scratch that..it's under the Bruce umbrella.See Ya:)

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   Greg_Warren | Sep 01, 2001 08:49pm | #6

   *Ken, I also like the HT, but the Junckers is by far the best. It is sold in solid 9/16" and 7/8" thick. There is some 3/4". Alot of their line is European Beech natural with two of the colors performed by steaming and injecting the color throughout the board. They also have a very nice #3 grade in each species and color. It installs over concrete with 1/8 inch felt and poly laminated together loose layed. Then the floor is clipped from the underside on built in channels down the length of each board. The boards are 5" wide and 6' long. You have to allow 1/4" expansion for every ten feet of width and 1/8" for every ten feet of length. That requires one to undercut the base and drywall, then add a shoe on really wide rooms. Extra work, but you charge for it. I am going to put some 7/8" thick in my new home that is being built, and I could choose any floor. You can get certified by Junckers at a one day seminar in your region. Consumers love the stuff. The down side is that you have to have a showroom display, (not your garage), to dealer their product since they do not sell to distributors. GW

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   Ken_fisher | Sep 01, 2001 10:08pm | #7

   *Greg:I suppose that stuff is great, but I'm finding it difficult to grasp. I would suspect the 7/8" has darned good wear layer? OK, now that I've looked at the website it makes a little more sense to me. It surely is a California thing. Of the dealers listed, only three are outside of your state(Va, Md) Why is this? The material comes from Denmark and I would suspect the boat ride would be shorter to the eastern US rather than the west coast.I'll have to look into the site in more detail.Garage? Hey, I have one too..heheKen.http://www.junckers.com/flooring/index.html

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   Greg_Warren | Sep 01, 2001 10:08pm | #8

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   My showroom will begin deliveries of prefinished floors from the various manufacturers and distributors this upcoming week. Although I have been in the biz for 20+ years, it is hard to determine all of the samples that I want to show clients(there are alot, and I don't want them all). With each manufacturer there are products within there showroom displays that I like and others that I would not want to sell. Any comments as to the exact make and models that you like or dislike would help. One floor that I think will become quite a hit is a floor that has been around in this country since the early 80's. It is the Junckers Clip System solid 9/16" to 7/8" thick floor, floated over 1/8" Polyfelt.