engineered eucalyptus floors - thumbs up or down - does anyone have anything to say in general about engineered -
by
Lynn M
+12
it's the Melissa II collection - is this a good quality line and can anyone tell me how to source eucalyptus for a study in ATL - thanks for your help
15 answers
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Engineered floors are a notch above laminate in my book...but its just a little notch. Depending on where this is being installed, it may or may not be the best choice. I Always recommend tile in kitchens, baths and any area that can or could see water. There are countless examples of leaks in sinks, fridges, icemakers, dishwashers etc. that have completely ruined kitchen wooden floors ( laminates, engineered and real wood) I have done dozens of these repairs over the years. In my book its not worth the risk. for bedrooms and living type rooms Solid hardwood is my first choice in a sand in place config...then prefinished...then engineered. Keep in mind that most engineered floors like ALL laminates can NEVER be refinished and when worn or nasty looking they need to be replaced...I call them "disposable floors". A solid hardwood can be refinished over and over and I have worked on floors that were 80 to 100 years old...a much "greener" option.
KMS Woodworks
on Sep 22, 2011
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As a longtime real estate agent, I have been in thousands of homes. I have yet to see an engineered product that comes close to the look, the quality or the durability of real hardwood, installed, stained and sealed onsite.
Leslie E
on Sep 22, 2011
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Engineered floors are sold on a regular basis for homes with a concrete slab. They are necessary if your plan is to glue them directly to the slab. Solid hardwood will not work. Solids must be nailed in. The only way to do this would be to shoot a 3/4 inch plywood into your existing slab and then nail your flooring into it. Also, engineered floors CAN be resanded and finished. Up to 3x depending on the thickness of the wear layer. This is not typically done, however, because more folks opt for the screen and urethane process, which takes very little of the surface of your floor and can be done numerous times. It is also much cheaper than a full sand and finish. I am familiar with the Melissa II product. A 9/16 in thick Euculyptus product. Not a bad product and more cost effective than other euculyptus products on the market.
Bob H -
on Sep 22, 2011
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Bob...In my experience as a flooring installer / refinisher. Only a very small percentage of Engineered flooring has a wear layer thick enough to refinish...even a screen and recoat. The wood top layer is where the "money" is not in the MDF and ply core materials. People choose engineered mostly to save money, I would not attempt a refinish on any engineered product with less than 3/16" of a top layer. Most of the engineered stuff I have installed lately looks fine ( at least initially ) with a wear layer that is mere thousandths of an inch thick...
KMS Woodworks
on Sep 23, 2011
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K-does the photo mean that you've installed the engineered plank flooring for a customer? I'm curious if you could recommend a good quality brand (or what to look for that makes it a good quality engineered floor brand) because we live on a slab and have been told that we'd be better off with the engineered flooring because of that. Cost is a consideration as we're planning to live the 'retired' life in about 5 years and will probably sell about then. Thanks!
Helene C
on Sep 23, 2011
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Helene...the owner of that home (above pic) picked up that engineered product...I just did the install. It was an OK product but one of the thin NOT able to refinish kinds....When He told me how much he paid I asked why he did not just go with tile? This was upwards of 6-7 a sq ft....I have installed tile for that kind of $$$. This product is tiger wood has been damaged already. The outfit that came to install the granite counters left some pretty nasty dents in the kitchen...needless to say the owner was pissed off as this type of flooring can not be spot repaired either. To me it still has a little of that hollow Laminate type of feel. One thing I notice a lot as I install flooring is how tile and solid hardwood really "stiffen up" a floor...you can feel the sturdiness under foot as you walk from the old to the new. Being on a slab I would recommend tile for you....it is the most robust and will add lots of value. A rug or two eliminate the cool bare foot thing. I have granite tile in about 400 sq ft on the lower level of my home...Kitchen, hall, my office and laundry. With hardwood in the living room and all up stairs but the master bath.
KMS Woodworks
on Sep 23, 2011
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There are many better quality engineered products available in Florida with as much as a 4mm top wear layer, which is plenty. I agree that many, many engineered floors are garbage, with hardly any usable wear layer and I always advise my customers to avoid these. Take a look at the Mirage product and you will see what I am talking about.
Bob H -
on Sep 24, 2011
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Bob...I took a look at the Mirage stuff...it looks pretty good...I'll have to add it to my knowledge tool box...there is only one dealer in my area and he is 50+ miles away.
KMS Woodworks
on Sep 25, 2011
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I might consider the tile idea for the family room, entry and kitchen as they're really connected, being a side hall colonial (with an owner who is decorating using contemporary/modern--sorry, the house belonged to the new husband, the furnishings come from my contemporary house shared with the late husband in NJ--a real 'eye-opener' when people walk in expecting to see pseudo colonial decor, lol). Biggest issue for me would be my bad back and a love to cook/bake, which means lots of standing in the kitchen--thus an even floor with comfortable support in that section of the open family rm/kitchen. WHICH FLOOR MATERIAL (thought CORK at one time) would work best for that??? Issue to consider--don't want the kitchen to stand out sep. from family room since seeking to solidify that open GREAT ROOM concept since, honestly, that's where we 'live' while in the downstairs part of the house.
Helene C
on Sep 28, 2011
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go with the tile and get a "anti-fatigue" mat or some area rugs for the kitchen..the difference between "fatigue" on a tile floor VS a Hardwood floor is pure visual perception...people have measured the "deflection" under walking conditions and the amount is so small that it is essentially zero.
KMS Woodworks
on Sep 28, 2011
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I agree with Leslie E. The more natural the wood flooring, the more easier to maintain and you can't beat the look.
Design Time for Homes, Atlanta
on Oct 26, 2011
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going with engineered hardwood--price and slab floor...and that's what buyers are looking for here. I've heard that florida and california buyers love tile but woods sell here in ATL. Let's hope.
Helene C
on Nov 09, 2011
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I must say that tile is fading fast in Florida as well. Wood is what everyone wants now, except maybe for the wet areas, of course.
Bob H -
on Nov 21, 2011
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Wow....since no one on this board even came close to answering your actual question about Eucalyptus, I felt compelled to research this topic. (even though this question is 2 years old, I am aware. Someone might stumble onto this message board with the same question). Here is a link that praised Eucalyptus for is "green" and renewable attributes. Its harder than red oak, so slightly more durable, and good for uses in humid areas. http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/the-benefits-of-eucalyptus-flooring/index.html Engineered wood flooring is a good alternative for slab foundation when you don't want to go to the expense of preparing the floor with a plywood subfloor to receive the nails the solid flooring requires. This subfloor will also cause concern for flooring transitions when you add the thickness of subfloor and the hardwood. Any adjacent floor may be 1-1/4" or more different in height. Of course solid hardwood is preferred in a perfect world where there is no slab foundations and money grows on trees as fast as Eucalyptus grows. Cost and logistics sometimes just don't allow solid wood flooring material. Engineered wood is a fine option.
Ann230271
on Sep 16, 2013
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Ann, thank you for posting this. Here it is..almost 2015 and your post was exactly what we were looking for!
Shanna C
on Nov 26, 2014
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