Thanks Katz! Wow... sounds like you are in a houseful of chaos. Congratulations! It must be a wonderful feeling being able to "move in." I can't wait! I sent you an email to whatever email address is linked here at gardenweb. One of the questions I had was in regards to the Provenza Old World Collection. That is the flooring we are thinking about. We noticed that the tung oil finish is much rougher than the urethane finishes. Have you noticed that it is more difficult to clean? We are also going to have fur babies on this floor (one of the nice things about that tung oil finish, - quick removal of scratches!), and was wondering about the fur clean up issues. I have heard that those with urethane finishes initially can't believe how much fur "floats" around, especially if they had carpet before. Now I am curious about this rougher finish. Will the fur cling to it? Is it tough to clean? I am thrilled to hear about your experience with this floor and wish you well as your finish your home. Thanks again! :)

Unfinished engineered hardwood flooring is made by a few manufacturers. The reason you do not find it offered through many floor stores is that it is a premium product that must be finished on-site; many flooring retailers simply do not offer finishing services. As for your pricing question...unfinished engineered wood flooring, such as that offerd by the Owens Flooring Company, all said and done (supplied, installed and finished), should run around $14.00 to $16.00 per square foot on average. The advantage of unfinished over factory finished is that you can get a floor that looks exactly like a solid on-site finished floor in any color you can imagine or desire. Be aware that most engineered wood flooring will be a slight bit 'softer' than a traditional solid, however they are for the most part more resistant to denting than heart pine on average.

This is the house where my Father grew up, and where my Mom now lives. Grandma and Grandpa bought it in 1943, Mom and Dad bought it from their estate in 1999. The first picture was taken right after WW II. This picture was taken in the late 1980s. It's a very formal Queen Anne built in 1903. The woodwork is clear American Chestnut and has never been painted in the front part of the house. It even has an escalator that Grandpa put in in the 1950s in the kitchen stairs when my Great Grandmothers lived with them.

The floors are from UA flooring. http://www.uafloors.com/g/g931.html I loved the Carlisle floors also but they were out of our budget for the heart pine. Cypress cabinets are fairly common in Louisiana. It has a nice grain and accepts stain well.