To start with, this isn't promising: On the top of their website:


ENG | 中文

That's a bit of a clue. You get to choose between English or Chinese.

Be aware of the pretty words. They indicate what we in the industry know...but homeowners do not...until it is too late.

The Oak Frost is:

7.5" wide plank = wide plank installation = glue assist or full spread glue = more expensive install

1/2" thick = middle of the road thickness = cheaper construction

2mm Saw Cut wear layer = not thick enough to handle a sand refinish = cheaper construction

UV Cured Urethane = one of the cheapest finishes on the market = wear expectancy of 15 years

Another hint at what's ahead of you re. irritating issues as a homeowner:

"The open-grained wood exudes a warmth and texture...."

Open grained = rough

Texture = rough

A rough finish (like wire brushed) LOVES to grab things like cooking oils, body oils, mayonnaise, etc. The oil LOVES to seep through the LOW END urethane finish to discolour the stain below the finish. Once this happens = forever stained = forever ugly.

We have seen time and time again (with wire brushed wood with low-end finishes) they STAIN like the Dickens! Wow do they stain! The extra texture causes HIGHER SURFACE AREA. Like anything with a greater surface area (tons of hills and MILLIONS of valleys) you have the potential for LESS finish on the peaks = easy place for oil to penetrate.

Here is your FANTASTIC installation documents: They have covered darn near everything (which tells me they have already seen issues and are on the front foot to STOP people from doing silly things)

http://artisanhardwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Artisan-Engineered-Installation-Guide.pdf?timestamp=20200522

Have fun. I wouldn't touch these with a 10ft pole. If I HAD to work with this company, I wouldn't be willing to pay more than $3/sf for them (and then I would know I was getting what I paid for: a lower grade engineered hardwood floor).

What's the price you have been quoted?

Thank you for your feedback. Do you have an opinion about Mohawk's engineered hardwood Coastal Couture Collection? https://www.mohawkflooring.com/engineered-wood/detail/8661-144218/Coastal-Couture-Coastline-Oak

The Mohawk specs don't list the thickness of the hardwood layer. Or where they're manufactured.

If you are playing in the Mohawk range I'm guessing you have a limited budget.

A WIDE plank in the APPEARANCE you are looking for (very special product) should have a BIG price tag to it. A quality product (not the highest end...just quality level of 'better') should start around $12/sf. The best stuff in this visual with the best finishes and the best manufacturing process = $17 - $25/sf.

What is your budget for the flooring?

Following... most made overseas ~/ https://artisanhardwood.com/product/sandpoint/

Clean using Provenza’s All Purpose Floor Cleaner for LVP products; do not use harsh cleaners or chemicals, or abrasive scrubbing tools.
Avoid exposure to long periods of direct sunlight. Close blinds or drapes during peak sunlight hours. MaxCore LVP flooring subjected to excessive heat and light is subject to thermal degradation.
Maintain consistent room temperature of 65°- 85° F and relative humidity levels of 35%-55% at all times.
Do not expose MaxCore® LVP flooring to temperatures exceeding 110° or temperatures below 32°F.

S J McCarthy, what flooring is $25/sf? We’ve been looking at flooring and I haven’t seen anything like that. Are you saying that flooring costing less than $12/sf is not a quality product?

Considering large tile LVP vs. plank look for a large open floor plan (dining-living-FP-kitchen)same flooring bedrooms closets.

Chesapeake Engineered HW flooring looks good.

9.80 psf (incl install) install fee 2.90 psf approx for Chesapeake Eng. wood Points east

Hallmark Engineered waterproof thin veneer wood 6.40 psf (not incl. install). Their Regatta Collection, 1.2 wood veneer, total thickness 7.5 mm waterproof.

My understanding (based upon what I read on Houzz when I was looking for an engineered hardwood wide plank floor) is that 1/2” thickness for the Chesapeake floor would put it towards the lower quality (I think there are some at 3/8” - so it would be better than those floors). My understanding is that you want at least 5/8” for a medium quality and 3/4” for a better quality. The Chesapeake doesn’t list the veneer layer so not sure where that falls. The Hallmark only has a 1.2 (I assume mm) wood veneer - that is very low. You didn’t list the overall thickness of the floor. For a good engineered floor, the veneer should be at least 4 mm (I think they go up to 6 mm). The ones I installed are 5/8” thick, 4 mm veneer with a water born UV cured finish - I was told they are a solid mid grade engineered wood floor.

not sure how "waterproof" that's just how Hallmark is marketing their alternative to LVP(?) called Hallmark Engineered Regatta Collection It's waterproof thin veneer wood 6.40 psf (not incl. install). Their Regatta Collection, 1.2 wood veneer, total thickness 7.5 mm waterproof

Hallmark Ventura Hardwood is 7.90 psf not incl. install (install approx 3.25 psf)Hardwood

Naturally Aged Flooring Company Engineered floor ½" thick 6-7"wide are 6.55 psf and Mannington Engineered 7.5"wide ½ "thick are 7.25 psf (both not incl of 3.25)Mannington

1. MANNINGTON FLOOR CARE INSTRUCTIONS

• Wood flooring performs best in climate-controlled interior environments. A permanent HVAC unit must be operational in order to provide consistent room temperature between 60° and 80°F (16° to 27°C) and a humidity level of 35% to 50%. Temperature and humidity must be controlled for the life of the flooring

Boardwalk engineered hard wood floors, Modern Craftsman Engineered HW ½" 7.5"wide $7 psf (not incl install 4.25) are quite niceEuro HW Oak

Ohhhhh....that's a wood veneer sitting on SPC core. Most of us do not consider that to be engineered hardwood. It is SPC with a thin wood veneer. The veneer is NOT water proof. In fact it will peel and curl and have issues with water. Only the core is water proof. And that's not enough.

If you want water proof, then go for tile. The only wood in the WORLD that is water proof = cork.

Yep. Cork. The one and only wood that people love to hate. It is 100% impervious to water...so long as it is 100% cork that is glued in place AND finished on site...It should cost you $18/sf for purchase and install. Subfloor prep is extra.

appreciate @SJ McCarthy agreed wood is wood. I've had cork before from prior owner, several residences ago and it is warm underfoot but not for us. Not sure if cork was maintained well or not but it wasn't in great shape when we bought that house so we had the discolored cork floor professionally removed and replaced with HW. Fridge water line and later on Fridge leaked in the back, needed wood floor replacement, not planning on wood in our next home (no Laminant/Engineered either after trying Laminant in our next residence (moisture caused swelling of the Laminant planks)). Engineered planks had cupping due to moisture by kitchen appliances.

It tells me the cork was not properly maintained. And it was probably a floating/click together floor. When you pay $18/sf for cork glue down tiles, you tend to take care of it. If you pay $4/s/f for the planks and install it yourself, you have a tendency to let it 'die' a quick death.

Your options are limited to porcelain or tile.

The floor removal person showed me the glue and it's removal. The former resident was a 80 year old original owner for 15+ years. Perhaps didn't keep up with the maintenance of the cork floor. Had stains, areas of wear & damage. I will research cork thanks @SJ McCarthy

Di you go with Oak Frost? Can you share photos? I am thinking about the same floor.

Thanks,

http://artisanhardwood.com/collection/english-forest-collection/

@John Creek do you have any experience with the Hallmark Regatta?

I'm considering it but worried about maintenance if I ever decide to rent.