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Advice on hardwood flooring please?

I am on a limited budget and while I want my floors to look beautiful, I'd also like to be thrifty. I know nothing about hardwood flooring except that I want real wood. Can I cut costs with substituting wood varieties, grade etc. (I really don't know about wood "grades") I am looking to put down flooring in my bedroom (12X16), my foyer, dining roon (12X10) my kitchen (12X14). I know what stain color I want, though- a Jacobean stain I saw. I love darker colors. I don't want a lot of "knots" in the wood, either. Can anyone give me any advice on how to get nice looking floors that don't look cheap, but don't break me? Thanks a lot!

Public Comments

  1. Hi, sweetpie!!! I just had my house hardfloored!!!! And I hired really nice Mexicans and one his dog died when he was there the 1st day.... then... when we were done, he bought tequilla for us, and we drank it together... I got lots covered for like $1,900, and it was kinnda fun!!! HYPER love you
  2. I know that they make engineered wood, it is not real wood like you want but it sure looks like it. This will cost much less, also you can install it yourself this would help with cost as well. Good luck on your project!
  3. I am in the process of selecting flooring for a house we are renovating. We will be purchasing about 1000 ft2 of likely engineered hardwood. There is a small chance that we will go with a laminate but we don't like the "feel" of a floating floor. You will need to select either traditional hardwood flooring or engineered hardwood flooring. Traditional hardwood flooring are full pieces of hardwood planking that are between 1/2" and 3/4" thick and come in tongue and groove plank form. This is the most expensive material to buy and to install. As this floor wears out, it can be sanded dow and refinished numerous times given it's full thickness. Engineered hardwood flooring has a thin layer of hardwood laminated to the top of a pressed wood core. It's typically 1/4" to 3/8" thick and can only be re-finished 2 or 3 times before the wood is too thin. Engineered flooring is designed to install quickly. It is a good option for us and may be a cost effective option for you. Go to www.lumberliquidators.com and take a look. They have locations across the country. They will have a pre-screened list of local installers for their products. Good luck.