Replace carpet in living room with wood floors
by
Virginia
+5
I am getting so confused with all the information I am finding about which product to use. Could someone give me advice on buying wood flooring at a price range no highier than $3.89 per sq ft. We will install it ourself. And do you REALLY need to put paper down on the sub floor? Thier is a door to the outside in this room so that area is high traffic. Thank you for any information.
8 answers
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Well, you have options: either solid hardwood or engineered hardwood. Both can be super durable IF you buy the version that has the toughest finish (in some cases the finish is even more important than the wood.) Most factory applied finishes are aluminum oxide based and pretty tough. There are also many options in both within your price range (just did a quick search on Lumber Liquidators.com and see a bunch). As for installation, the under-layment procedure will be specified by the manufacturer and also depends on what you are going over. For example, if you are going over concrete, you'd need both a vapor barrier and an under-layment (usually thin foam). So, first pick the flooring, then check the recommendations from the manufacturer. Some of the engineered products may also have the under-layment attached.
The Money Pit
on Jan 20, 2012
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If being price conscious is driving the project, you can't go wrong with engineered flooring. Choose a style and color that matches your tastes and or feel of the room by taking samples home. Since various products by different flooring companies have different manufacturing processes, the only thing you need to remember is to... FOLLOW THEIR INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS.
Ricardo B
on Jan 20, 2012
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Thank you. Yes I am shopping at Lumber Liquidators and I did fine a nice engineered hardwood. How do you feel about Handscraped Birch?
Virginia
on Jan 20, 2012
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It's an attractive look and hard to beat their pricing....you can get the install work cheaper but sometimes clients find it easier to just do the package with Lumber Liquidators. Just make sure whatever product you use that the wood is allowed to acclimate (sit inside your home) for a couple of days prior to the install....good luck!
HandyANDY - Handyman & All Repairs, LLC
on Jan 20, 2012
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Thank you all so much, I feel better about my choice.
Virginia
on Jan 20, 2012
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Keep in mind that most engineered flooring can not be re-finished like a solid wood floor. Your Ceiling of 3.89 may be a bit on the unrealistic side...if you are considering real wood. Though there are some close to that price point. As a DIY you will want a pre-finished product. Where a real hardwood floors true value come in is in it ability to last. Say you install an engineered product and in 5 or 6 years it starts to look crappy...you now have the option of replacing it with another new floor or dealing with an ugly floor...I you install a real hardwood floor it could be refinished...there by saving you a ton of money... Solid hardwoods can be refinished a good number of times...so their long term value is greater. This is for full 3/4" thick material...thinner floors are cheaper...but lack more sanding potential. http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1494 If you bump your price up just a little...your options open up a lot more. Remember One floor at $5.00 a sq foot that lasts longer than 4 floors @ $ 3.89...will save you over $10 per sq foot in the long run. You will want to familiarize your self with the various finishes...as I describe in this article... http://www.networx.com/article/exotic-wood-floor-finishes-you-havent-s as well as the Janka...hardness rating system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test As far as Bamboo goes...avoid it ...Its not as green as people think. http://kmswoodworks.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/the-great-green-washing-of-bamboo-flooring/
KMS Woodworks
on Jan 20, 2012
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See all confused again. I do understand what your saying about a good hard wood floor. And I did look at the Janka system. I will read the article and see if that helps. I am willing to bump up my price range, but I don't want to spend thousand's on a 400 sq.ft room either.I would like a good floor at a med. price range.
Virginia
on Jan 20, 2012
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One of the other "selling" points for Solid hardwood flooring is the resale value they add to a home ( even if this is 20 years in the future)...any decent realtor will confirm this. I have worked on hardwood floors that were 80 to 100 years old...quality never goes out of style.
KMS Woodworks
on Jan 21, 2012
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