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Flooring Design Dilemma Remodeling

Anyone recommend a brand & color for dark engineered hardwood floors?

last year

last modified: last year

I am trying to pick a dark engineered hardwood floor for my home's main floor. It is about 1000 square feet in size. I am having the hardest time fidning something of quality. More specifically, I (like others) am looking for something that is water resistant (at least), scratch resistant, chip resistant and has a decent wear layer (3+mm). I feel like I have found good choices in the Shaw Expressions line, HF Design Montage European Oak and also HF Design Avaron Collection; however, I am having a hard time weeding out any red undertones. Not to mention, Shaw has an awful reputation on this site, which has really deterred me from that brand altogether. Lastly, at $7.79 sf, are these collections worth that? Is there better? Would I be better off just getting Malbu Wide Plank in its darkest brown color from Home Depot at $5.29 sf? I mean, I do want to save money.... I just prefer quality and aesthetic over savings.

Please help. If anyone has pictures of their dark floors that they would recommend, that would be great too. Thanks.

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Comments (5)

PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
@Zee,

Thanks for your questions! I haven't heard any engineered wood floor brand that claims to be water resistant, scratch resistant and chip resistant. However, most of well-made with 3 to 4 mm wear layer should have or close to have those features. I would start by finding a local wood floor specialty store, a sales professional there could educate you and walk you through the buying process. In current market, you will find $7.79/sqft isn't a high price for 3 to 4 mm top layer sawn cut engineered floor. Here are a few dark engineered wood floors for your reference.
Cicerone Porter · More Info

Cicerone Noir · More Info

Mill City Obsidian · More Info

Millennium Barrique · More Info
Zee
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@Unique Wood Floors Thank you for the prompt and thorough reply! I was just about to reach out to a local flooring expert in Atlanta to help, and now I plan to ask about the floor in your second photo. The "Vintage Noir" is exactly what I am looking for in terms of aesthetics. I clicked on the link, but I didn't see whole lot of information regarding that floor, so I plan to do some research. It seems very similar to the Shaw Expressions floor I have been considering (see link below). Thank you for all this information. Incredibly useful!

https://shawfloors.com/flooring/hardwood/details/expressions-sw707/coda
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littlebug zone 5 Missouri
last year
last modified: last year
Is your heart set on a dark color? I believe that’s going to be your first mistake. My former boss built a new home and installed expensive dark hardwood floors. They always looked dirty and showed every footprint.

Your second mistake is buying engineered floors. And your third mistake is expecting engineered floors to be water-scratch-chip resistant. If those are required qualities, buy tile.
Zee
Original Author
last year
@littlebug zone 5 Missouri I think you are right about the water-scratch-chip resistant impossibility. Let's chalk that up to dreams of a newbie. As my home is on a concrete slab, however, I do feel certain about engineered wood just as I feel certain about dark floors simply because it's what I like. I appreciate your comments. Thank you for sharing :-)
PRO
Unique Wood Floors
last year
@Zee, I am glad you like Vintage Noir. That is the floor we have done many projects in the past before darker floor has been as popular in recent years. But I wouldn't consider a mistake to choose a darker floor. Here is a link to this floor thar will give you more info. Shaw Expression seems to be a quality engineered collection in 5/8" thick though I couldn't find the wear layer thickness.

Vintage Noir

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