I don't know if this is the case in all areas, but the wood from HD seems to always be seconds. The boxes will be full of short pieces, as well as boards with a nicked edge here and there, and some rough spots. So you end up buying more while you cull the bad stuff out.

Maybe the pros have a different opinion, but that's what I've seen when buying Bruce stuff off the shelf there.

Oh, also look out for more warped boards, broken tongues, tongues and grooves that are a bit off in height, etc.

Again, maybe this is not the case with the wood you'll be looking at, but this is something HD seems to do (and doesn't mention it as such, as far as I can tell.)

I'm sorry that info is just wrong. Perhaps as a special buy or in stock products you may find things that way. 99%of HD products come from the same hardwood distributors as any flooring retailer. Why would Shaw want to be associated with selling crappy wood?? Advice is easy to give but should have a hint of truth in it. If a product is a 2nd its normal in the 'stock' # to have a c for cabin or t for tavern grade. That would be one clue.

Thank you both for weighing in. My thought is that Shaw is a relatively good name and I wouldn't think they'd want to be associated with an inferior product - but who knows. I think the sample box I ordered will help me really see what to expect.

I don't want to sound cheap but I really don't want to spend a ton on a floor (we have a 1000sf to cover and then possibly do 3 bedrooms) and then worry about it. I want people to walk on it even with their shoes on! If I spend 8k or 10k on it, I'll be worried about actually using it.

I'll post when I get the sample box and let you know what my husband and I think.

"I'm sorry that info is just wrong....Advice is easy to give but should have a hint of truth in it."

I merely described my own experience from several occasions. If that's not the case for you, great. In my area (Northern VA/ DC) on multiple occasions I have found unopened, undamaged boxes of Bruce on the shelf that will have the product in the condition I describe. Upon further investigation, I found the side or back of these boxes marked up in crayon, presumably from the manufacturer.

Taking another example, I just had a customer who found a great price on name brand oak from lumber liquidators. Similar situation, but without the box markings. So don't kid yourself, there's a market for this wood and customers need to know it.

I say that as I was the District Mgr for Bruce and dealt with Home Depot for both Armstrong and Mohawk. Bruce would on occassion make a line of wood for HD but it was first quality, just private labeled. Most of the products at HD are special ordered from the same distributor that any retailer would call. They could buy a lower grade wood that had more 'character' than standard. I don't question your experience but I do find it a sweeping generalization which in my opinion is just not accurate. Crayon markings on the wood indicates flaws marked in grading which are normally cut out. It doesn't indicate 2nds.

Thanks for the info. If I'm wrong, and maybe I am, I would simply blame HD for my multiple bad experiences and skewed point of view. (BTW, I meant to say the boxes themselves were marked in crayon - as well as some of the wood inside, I think). I'm left scratching my head as to why I've encountered that more than once for so many pieces.

Generally speaking, we all know a lot of tricks for how to deal with box stores and what's ok and what's junk (or what won't be on the shelf 75% of the time, anyhow). But I suppose I have more to learn on their flooring. (Bottom line is I'd rather spend my time at a specialty place anyway, knowing they will have all the extras in stock)

I'd rather spend my time at a specialty store too but with ultimately 1800sf to cover, I can't afford to buy flooring at $8 or $10 a sf! I'm still waiting for the sample box to come in and we'll check it out thoroughly and report back.

I sell Shaw 3/4 solid hickory natural for 3.99 a ft on promo about once a month and stil make money. And that is a buying buy the carton price. HD buying tuckloads can surely sell it for that. It will be 1st quality and nice stuff. I also buy 2nds from shaw occasionally. They would never have the quantity of 2nds needed to distribute to HD. We buy a truckload of wood 2nds and it cleans them out of a style. The warranty is inflated by HD but 30 years is a joke anyway. The guy having the problem with Bruce is just a Bruce thing in my opinion. Any lower cost Bruce products has problems based on our experieince. We allow an extra 10% waste for Bruce lower cost stuff. That is what HD and Lowes sells a lot of. You will not have troubles with this shaw product. Guaranteed. I know Shaw just too well. Watch and see and learn. Good luck with the Hickory.

The flooring sample has arrived. We've laid out most of it and no issues with quality. The finish looks great. There might be one warped board and there's one damaged tongue but I bet the installer could still use it. If I choose this for our full house, I'll provide and update when we get a larger order of flooring to confirm it's as good as it appears from this sample.

I would love to get more pictures of this wood. I am thinking of purchasing it from Home Depot with a 10% off coupon I rec'd for moving.