# Bruce Lock & Fold engineered hardwood?



## Zel1

:thumbsup: Has anyone used this yet? We are considering it for the master bedroom. It seems to be easy to install like laminate, but has the high quality of real wood. I'm just looking for opinions and suggestions on this. Lowes is having a 20% off sale on special order flooring. Thanks!


----------



## Zel1

Anyone? Bueller?...Bueller?...


----------



## sedwick

Hi Zel, i've been suckered into putting this down in my mother-in-laws living room this saturday, i would like some advice also.


----------



## Floorwizard

Probably a thin engineered.

nothin wrong with that. unless you want higher quality, or a different type of species.


----------



## Zel1

thanks for the replies! It is 3/8" thick. When looking at the end, it looks like plywood. We went to Lowes to get some samples last night. I guess my question was a little vague. I'm wondering about the ease of installation? Also, if the planks are laid parallell to the floor joists, will I see "ridges" when looking across the floor? I have 3/4" ply over 2x4 joists, with the "4" side being the nailing surface for the subfloor. The joist spacing is 2' and when gutting the bathroom, I noticed the subfloor sags a little between the joists.


----------



## Floorwizard

3/8 is thin but still a wood that will be o.k.
gluing to subfloor is fine, it is an engineered (ply) so that is acceptable, but the sagging needs to be corrected before install.


----------



## Zel1

Thanks for the reply. The whole house is like that. I dont see any way of correcting the sagging, short of rebuilding the house.


----------



## rbodenschatz

I thought about using it in my basement. Bought a case and tried to lay it out on my floor as a test. Pure crap. It will not lay flat. Cups. I suspect that if I had connected the whole case, I would've ended up with a tube. It's junk.


----------



## ron schenker

rbodenschatz said:


> I thought about using it in my basement. Bought a case and tried to lay it out on my floor as a test. Pure crap. It will not lay flat. Cups. I suspect that if I had connected the whole case, I would've ended up with a tube. It's junk.


Let me get this straight now...Are you saying don't use it?:laughing:


----------



## Floorwizard

it cups right off the start?

Was it acclimated?
Do you have a humidifier?


----------



## smgray

*Bruce Locking*

I just used this flooring today and I did about 1/3 of my office/living room. I love it. You have to be sure to press the locking edge under the receiving edge firmly before you lay it down and some boards won't lay down as well as others but so far 90% of the boards I have laid have went in with ease and the other 10% worked elsewhere. The only point where there is any issue is the space where the two rooms meet. Laying the floor was so easy that I just picked up what I had laid in that area and did it again. As for the "cupping" comment: of course there will a little of that if you lay a few pieces without a moulding to hold the edges down. Even when I was in the store putting samples together they weren't flat but the weight of the floor and the moulding keep the floor in line. I used a spare box or two to weight the floor down while I was working. I'm actually looking forward to finishing up tommorrow.

PS - I bought at Lowe's during the 20% off sale too.


----------



## Zel1

Great info! Thanks!


----------



## smgray




----------



## Genghis1971

I stumbled across this board while looking for information about the Lock & Fold flooring. I'm looking at trying it late this year but it will be a big project at ~750 sqft. In the meantime I'm gonna be scouring the net looking for comments and tips.

smgray- thanks for the pic and the positive comments. I'd welcome any helpful hints you come up with based on your experiences. That goes for anyone else out there (Sedwick??)


zel- I'd love to hear your experience if you try it but I agree with Florcraft, everything I have read has stressed the need for the subfloor to be completely level. 

I am on a slab so one of my questions concerns verifying the concrete moisture content. They recommend using a "Tramex concrete moisture encounter meter". Since I've never had to have my concrete moisture measured, is that something I can rent from a typical hardware store?

If this thread is still alive when I finish mine I'll be sure to post my comments.


----------



## smgray

The subfloor needs to be very flat in a newer building but the slight dips in my concrete subfloor has given the floor a sound that is authentic for a 90 year old condo. Just be sure not to leave and tiny bits of plaster, concrete, tile or anything hard under the floor. I have only cut about six pieces in laying 200+ sq. ft. The less you cut the better as any peice you cut will have limited utility once you cut off the locking edge. It takes a long time to lay it without cutting but they give you enough variations in length to fit almost any space.


----------



## Zel1

That is looking real nice!


----------



## smgray

Thanks. I can't take all of the credit. James Taylor, Nina Simone and Willie Nelson have been indispensible.


----------



## bkapfaff

smgray, that looks sharp! Is that color gunstock? Also, is underlayment recommended, and if so, what are you using?

My project will be ~1,000 sf, so I hate to to even think of 'professional' installation cost of any other hardwoods. Ease of install is a huge perk (and I'll definitely be in the market come 20% off).

Thanks again for the feedback.


----------



## Zel1

That floor is looking great!

We decided to go with standard 3/4" hardwood for this bedroom. We went with Brazillian Cherry from Lumber Liquidators. I am still considering the lock and fold for the basement in the near future, so any experience is great to know. Good Luck!


----------



## smgray

*Thanks*

It took me a month to finish my 650 sq ft condo working after work and the odd Saturday (and moving really slowly to boot). The floor looks great but the subfloor needs to be really flat. I used a high mil plastic sheeting and red rosin paper over my concrete subfloor. It worked well in almost every area and was less expensive than most other methods. I took my time and I would say that my waste was less than 5% including some pieces that were warped or had seperated plys out of the box which I used some parts of in the closets. I went with the Gunstock and I ended up with about 3/4 of a box left over.


----------



## Bob Surkein

*Floating engineered hardwood flooring*

I would be interested in any updates from the April, 2007 discussion posted here.
I am currently considering Bruce lock'n'fold, available on Ebay from multiple vendors for <$2.00/sq.ft. This is awfully cheap; I'm worried whether it is any good. Does anyone have any experience with it?
I have previously put down Barlinek floating flooring, and its OK; seems to be durable, but doesn't really look like wood, although I believe it is supposed to be.


----------



## Genghis1971

*Beware of cheap versions*



Bob Surkein said:


> I would be interested in any updates from the April, 2007 discussion posted here.
> I am currently considering Bruce lock'n'fold, available on Ebay from multiple vendors for <$2.00/sq.ft. This is awfully cheap; I'm worried whether it is any good. Does anyone have any experience with it?
> I have previously put down Barlinek floating flooring, and its OK; seems to be durable, but doesn't really look like wood, although I believe it is supposed to be.


Hi Bob, I looked at the deals on eBay when I first started considering this. You should know that those sales are probably for 2nd quality (cabin grade) product. I even emailed one seller in particular asking if the Lock & Fold was the same type and quality as found at Lowe's. He said it was but I emailed a customer of his that I found had purchased it and they said it was cabin grade. Cabin grade come with no warranty, may be filled with small pieces or may have finish/color issues. I decided I am better off just just waiting for Lowes to run their 20% off sale and buy it then.


----------



## prettywoman

*Bruce Lock & Fold*

I am currently one of the vendors on ebay that sell the bruce Lock & Fold for under $2.00 per sq.ft. .
Many consumers have a bad outlook on lower prices....that is why they make feedback for ebay.
Bruce does carry a Value grade line and simply it is exactly what it is....a VALUE to the customer. That is true, Value grade does mean Cabin grade but w/ a warranty directly from Bruce stating that they will guarentee that it will go together and that the finish will not wear out.
To everyone's surprise, over 80% of the population buys cabin grade hardwood.....simply b/c it is much cheaper and it has beautiful characteristics instead of the same on DULL lock that the 1st quality gives.
There are some bad pieces and the distributor recommends you buying 8% overage, for culling those bad pieces that you might not want to use, but with the 8% overage that you are buying, you can build a 1st quality looking floor (if that is what you want) and depending on the job size, savings of over $1000.00 dollars.
And by the way, no one will EVER know that you went cheap on your hardwood.
Another thing that Bruce's distributors will tell you straight up that the big box store by cabin grade hardwood, and b/c they are so big...Bruce will put WHATEVER warranty that they want on the box.
I hope this helps you in making a wise financial decision in the future and stop listening to individuals who want to put Cabin grade flooring down.
I am not trying to sell you anything but trust me when I say that everyone in Dalton, GA (Carpet Capitol of the world) knows their flooring products!!
Take care


----------



## mike costello

Im in the middle of an 8000 sq ft install of this product. Very installer friendly.


----------



## mike costello

theres a trick for that..After locking it together give it a little tap with a tapping block and it will lay flat.

Ive put thousands of feet of this stuff down with no issues


----------



## joepb70

I just completed the first room with this the other day. I'm a little disappointed, I have to admit. I'm noticing a LOT of boards are warped. I ordered the recommended 10% overage but I'm wondering if that was enough. I've combatted this problem by trying to bend the boards back gently. It works most of the time unless I put too much pressure and I hear a crack. Then it basically goes to the junk pile. It's kind of a pain to do this but I really don't want to waste these if I don't have to. So, I finished the first room and noticed that the floor doesn't lay completely flat. The subfloor is plywood and was pretty flat so not sure what went wrong. It's not horrible but you definately notice as you step on it that the boards sink maybe 1/8" a bit. You can also hear a little tapping sound as you step in certain parts. 

Being the first flooring project I've ever done, I pretty much decided that this particular room was going to be the practice room. I didn't weed out the bad boards when I first started and that may be part of the problem. So, now I know. However, I still have a feeling that there may still be an issue even if I weed out the bad pieces. 

I should also note that I'm using the "floor muffler" underlayment. The instructions with the underlayment said to lay it parallel to the joists but the flooring instructions said to lay the underlayment in the same direction that the flooring would go. The flooring would go perpendicular. So, these are conflicting instructions. I decided to go with the underlayment instructions. Could that cause the boards not to lay flat? 

One last thing. I woke up this morning and thought that maybe I could use a staple gun in the groove to solve the problem. I know this would defeat the whole lock and fold thing but I really don't want to do the whole house and have it feel like fake flooring. I figure that solid hardwood floors are nailed and glued down so how bad could it be?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading! 

Any thoughts are appreciated!!!


----------



## Rossman

*Bruce Lock & Fold progress photos*

I am installing this stuff for the first time, and have been documenting the process. I am not a professional flooring guy, I am just moderately handy around the house, i.e., I can fix toilets, install light fixtures/ceiling fans, etc. By day I am an attorney, so if I can do this, anyone can. You can view photos of my progress on my web album. As of the date of this post, I have prepped the room so I am ready to begin the installation. I will keep the web album up to date, so check there for updates.


----------



## slk3202002

*I am 90% done installing this floor*

I purchased my floor at Loews. The floor was fairly easy to install and cut around floor vents, etc. I went with the 5in width and would recommend it.

I would also recommend using boxes to hold down the floor flat as you put the next row on - very helpful.

I installed about 600 square feet. The only part left are the door jams in the hallway - not looking forward to this.


----------



## slk3202002

*How is your floor going?*



Rossman said:


> I am installing this stuff for the first time, and have been documenting the process. I am not a professional flooring guy, I am just moderately handy around the house, i.e., I can fix toilets, install light fixtures/ceiling fans, etc. By day I am an attorney, so if I can do this, anyone can. You can view photos of my progress on my web album. As of the date of this post, I have prepped the room so I am ready to begin the installation. I will keep the web album up to date, so check there for updates.


 
I started mine first of the year and almost done. I went with the 5in width 
amarratto color. It appears you do not have any door jams - lucky you. I have 5 and is the last part of the project. Funny, the last 50 sq feet will take the longest it appears. 

I used T-molding in my project already - around the fireplace and dinning room to kitchen - looks good. However, the pieces are cut and being held in place by gravity only - how are you planning on Permanently attaching these pieces?


----------



## Rossman

I hadn't thought about that yet, but I'll let you know what I come up with. Let me know if have any good ideas. I am thinking that some strong double sided tape might work for adhering it to the tile side. That might be enough. I'll keep you posted.


----------



## mike costello

try giving it a little tap with a small tapping block down the length of it. when its totally locked it lays pretty flat


----------



## mike costello

You can fasten the moldings to the floor ,providing they arent holding the floor down in any way. Just be sure you still have your expansion gap under the lip. 

I fasten them down with PL urethane adhesive and a few finish nails.


----------



## joepb70

rossman and slk3202002...curious to know if and how you checked your floor for flatness. i'm working on my second room (see above post about how first room came out not so great) and really taking time as to avoid any problems.


----------



## Rossman

*Anyone have a suggestion for 45-degree trim cuts*

Well, I am pretty much done. Updated photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/rdannenberg/BruceLockFoldFloatingHardwoodFloorInstallation.

The only thing left is to put down the 1/4 round trim pieces, but I am having a heck of a time figuring out how to accurately and safely cut the pieces. None of my equipment seems to do the trick. Anyone have any suggestions?

As for making sure the room was flat, I was lucky, it was flat. I fairly confident it would be because it is a first floor room on the concrete slab. Builders are generally pretty good about making sure the slab is flat and level, not to mention that hardwoods were a builder's option when this place was built in 2001, so I knew the floor must have been prepped for it in case we ordered them from the start.

I'll post more photos once I get the 1/4 round trim in place. That might be a few weeks though.


----------



## mike costello

Go to a box home store and get a little platic miter box and a hand saw. Best way to cut 1/4 round unless your use to using a circular miter saw


----------



## joepb70

Rossman said:


> Well, I am pretty much done. Updated photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/rdannenberg/BruceLockFoldFloatingHardwoodFloorInstallation.
> 
> The only thing left is to put down the 1/4 round trim pieces, but I am having a heck of a time figuring out how to accurately and safely cut the pieces. None of my equipment seems to do the trick. Anyone have any suggestions?
> 
> As for making sure the room was flat, I was lucky, it was flat. I fairly confident it would be because it is a first floor room on the concrete slab. Builders are generally pretty good about making sure the slab is flat and level, not to mention that hardwoods were a builder's option when this place was built in 2001, so I knew the floor must have been prepped for it in case we ordered them from the start.
> 
> I'll post more photos once I get the 1/4 round trim in place. That might be a few weeks though.


Looks good. I just completed another room and it came out much much better than the first room i did. I spent a lot of time measuring the flatness and it payed off to correct any problems. I used 30# roof felt. I'm wondering if it necessarily has to be roof felt and maybe not something else? Just a thought.


----------



## brucetackett

I'm getting ready to install the lock and fold hardwood on my first floor. I live in a townhouse and the joists run front to back. that is the way i wanted to run the floor, but i understand hardwood should be installed perpendicular to the joists. Anyone have any thoughts on running the hard wood the same way as the joists?


----------



## mike costello

You are installing a floating floor. Put it any direction you like


----------



## Rossman

In theory I disagree, although I have no data to back me up. As long as the plywood does not sag between joists, then you should be ok. But if the wood underlayer ever starts to sag, then it will be much more noticeable on a floor installed parallel to the joists than on a floor installed perpendicular to the joists.

Incidentally, I also have a townhouse, and our builder installed all the hardwoods perpendicular to the joists. The joists run from the front to the back of the house, so the hardwoods run from one side wall to the other. Looks great. The hardwoods I just installed I installed the same way, as can be seen in the photos I posted (link is provided in previous post).


----------



## Rossman

*I'm Done!*

Ok, I bought a $20 miter box/saw kit (but I bought it from Home Depot) that I bolted temporarily to my workbench in the garage. Worked like a charm, even for the 45-degree wall which required 67.5-degree cuts on the trim. Once all the trim was cut, all that was left was attach the trim to the baseboards. Luckily, my stepfather has a nailgun (for finishing brads) that I was able to use on the trim, and the nailing took all of about 10 minutes for the one room. Then I had to reattach the T-mold over the doorjam, because that GE silicon stuff was crap. It moved a lot, and didn't keep the floor from springing up. So I reattached the T-mold in the doorjam using Gorilla Glue. LOVE THAT STUFF. Solid as a rock now. Its never coming up though...

The room looks great. No new photos, 'cuz they won't add too much to the previously posted ones. All in all, I am a fan of the Bruce Lock & Fold. For those deciding whether or not to use it, go for it. Don't expect it to look like $10K hardwood flooring, but it certainly looks great.

As I mentioned before, the indispensable items I would have been pulling my hair out without, were the rubber mallet to tap the wood in place, vinyl gloves to keep from getting splinters (you are handling wood, after all), and the gorilla glue to attach the wood T-molding to the concrete floor.

Good luck everyone.


----------



## nancy-max

*photos showing scribing*

I viewed all of your pictures on Picasso. Please explain to me how you scribe the last row of lock n fold flooring. I couldn't understand the picture. I am installing this floor myself without the help of my husband. I need to do it perfectly, so no comments will be made. I have a miter saw and nail gun so that part will be very easy for the quarter round. Should I go out and purchase a deadhead mallet and tapping block at Lowes? I appreciate your help in this matter.


----------



## nancy-max

*scribing*

Can anyone explain to me how to scribe the last row of Bruce Lock n Fold hardwood flooring? I have no idea how to do this. What exactly is a tapping block?


----------



## Zel1

A tapping block can be a simple 8" peice of 2X4. You put it against the edge of the flooring and tap the other side of the block. It protects the edge of the finished flooring from you hammering directly on it. They also sell plastic versions which fit the toungue and seem to offer even better protection.


----------



## nancy-max

*Bruce Lock n Fold*

Zel, Did you have trouble installing the last row of engineered hardwood? I'm installing the 3/8 Sangria Cherry and it is 5 inches wide. I read the directions on Bruce's site and it said to measure the width of the room and allow for 1/2 inch expansion for each side. Here's my problem. The width of the room is 10 feet 10 1/4 inches. Should I just get rid of the tongue on the 1st and last rows to have enough room for expansion?


----------



## brucetackett

I'm installing my lock and fold hardwood floor this saturday and I have a question. Understanding that it is a floating floor, would there be an advantage (or disadvantage to nailing down just the first row?


----------



## nancy-max

*nailing lock n fold*

I haven't installed my floor yet, but all of the information that I have read says not to nail the floor down. It said that you should leave space between the wall and the hardwood the thickness of the hardwood planks that you have. They used pieces of the wood as a shim between the wall and the 1st row of hardwood. They also used it to shim the sides.


----------



## joepb70

brucetackett said:


> I'm installing my lock and fold hardwood floor this saturday and I have a question. Understanding that it is a floating floor, would there be an advantage (or disadvantage to nailing down just the first row?


I think this would be a disadvantage. This is a floating floor that is supposed to freely expand and contract, providing the recommended expansion spaces have been met. If you nail down any of the rows, especially the beginning or end rows, the floor isn't going to be able to move as it should. Therefore you may have problems (buckling etc) later on when the floor needs to expand but can't.

You should use spacers during installation between the first row and the wall. This will prevent any movement when you install the rest of the rows.


----------



## nancy-max

*scribing Bruce lock n fold*

Once again I am asking for help. Can anyone explain to me how I would scribe the last row of hardwood so I can cut it properly?


----------



## nancy-max

*Bruce Lock and Fold*

I finished installing my Bruce Lock and Fold hardwood floor and it was all installed in one day. I finished the threshold and quarter round the second day. The project was so simple and it looks great. I couldn't ask for an easier project.


----------



## jo8243

This stuff looks good.... and I'm thinking about using it.

However, since it isn't glued or nailed down I'm concerned it will move/sink/make noise when walked on. I've walked on some laminate floors that do that and it is super annyoing and sounds cheap.

Does this feel/sound just like a real nailed/glued hardwood floor or does it make noise and move when you walk on it?

Thanks


----------



## nancy-max

The Bruce is not laminate, it's engineered hardwood. You put down a 3 ply underlayment that keeps the floor very quiet. The floor doesn't shift because you have each board locked into each other and the quarter round holds it in place. I didn't remove my baseboards I just left a 3/16 gap around the room. Once the floor was completed I just added quarter round to the baseboards in the same color. The floor looks and feels like real hardwood that has been nailed down. I have real hardwood in the rest of my house that was nailed onto a wood subfloor,sanded and stained and sealed in the house. It took forever and the house was a mess. We don't have a basement and the foundation is cement. The Bruce was completed in 2 days and is really good looking and doesn't make clicking sounds. I did most of the work and my husband started to help at the end when he saw how easy it was to install and how good it looked. It was my project and he was convinced that it wouldn't work out and wouldn't look good. He now wants to do the one bedroom that still has carpeting.


----------



## Scott 1974

*Scott 1974*

Has anyone tried using a boarder. What I want to do is a border of 3 or 4 planks in a darker color and then a 22.5 diagonal through the field in a lighter color. I have about 1100 sqft to do over concrete.


----------



## donjonson

*over tile?*

I am thinking about using this product over my existing tile. What type of underlay matting should I use?

also...

The room that I want to do is actually broken up into tile and carpet. I would like the wood floor to be level and flowing over this junction. My thought was to tear up the carpet and glue plywood down so that it is level with the tile. then lay the lock and fold down over the entire room as if it were one homogeneous floor.

does anyone think this will end up like crap? sould I take the time to rip up the tile and level out the concrete underneath?

thanks


----------



## Sarabou

Mike and talented DIY Lock and Fold installers, 

Would love your advice. We're needing about 1700 sq ft installed in our house. My husband thought about attempting it, but takes care of our girls so decided to bid it to professionals. Since Bruce Lock & Fold seems easier to install than traditional glue-down hardwood, we're wondering how to go about getting accurate bids that reflect the time it takes to install this "easier to work" with product.

When you contract to install lock & fold, what is the rate - or range of rates - you charge per square foot? 

Also, of all hardwood options, would you suggest Lock & Fold is one of the best? Anything else out there that is as easy and beautiful? Thanks so much for your time. 

May the loads of unbent, perfect boards come your way ; ) :thumbsup:


----------



## Sarabou

Nancy - I loved following your thread and cheered when you finally finished. Did anyone ever help you figure out how to scribe that last row of hardwood?

Congrats and good luck if you decide to do your bedroom. We have to cover a new house with this product and I wish I didn't have the full time job and intense move-in schedule - as I'd love to try to do a room by myself as well.

Must be a great feeling of accomplishment. I've always thought laying hardwood seemed as difficult as tiling a roof.


----------



## angus242

Sarabou said:


> Mike and talented DIY Lock and Fold installers,
> 
> Would love your advice. We're needing about 1700 sq ft installed in our house. My husband thought about attempting it, but takes care of our girls so decided to bid it to professionals. Since Bruce Lock & Fold seems easier to install than traditional glue-down hardwood, we're wondering how to go about getting accurate bids that reflect the time it takes to install this "easier to work" with product.
> 
> When you contract to install lock & fold, what is the rate - or range of rates - you charge per square foot?
> 
> Also, of all hardwood options, would you suggest Lock & Fold is one of the best? Anything else out there that is as easy and beautiful? Thanks so much for your time.
> 
> May the loads of unbent, perfect boards come your way ; ) :thumbsup:


Sarabou,

This is primarily a DIY site. You would benefit most with questions on how to do things on your own. When you start asking about rates for professionals, you are opening a can of worms. You may find a member that would be willing to discuss prices in private but as for posting rates, that's not what this site is about.

Also, easy, beautiful and cheap don't always combine in the same sentence! There are quality laminate snap and lock products out there but as with any material, you pay a premium price for a premium product. My best advice for you is to figure out your budget and then see what you can get within your range. If you're not happy with the materials available in your budget, save for a bit longer until you can get what you want. When people start compromising for price, that's when unhappy results can occur. Most flooring professionals will offer free estimates. Why not find 2-3 local installers and have THEM give you an idea of what it costs to get the floor you're looking at.
Or m-a-y-b-e.....let your husband try it himself????!!!!!?????


----------



## brunk

*Just got done*

Hi! I'm new to this but have a question. I finished our dining room with the Bruce lock and fold and it turned out great. I then went onto the family room and when we got done, I noticed a sagging part. The subfloor didn't seem too uneven and we didn't notice this sagging until we were finished. How do I fix this? It is in a major thoroughfare in our home. Do I need to peel the whole thing up and start over? I am just sick over this. My husband was very impressed with the dining room and now I feel like I let him down with the family room. Someone help!!!


----------



## hollys1

*Any advice for cutting?*

Hello,
I plan to install the floor in my living area and we have a foyer with tile all ready in place that has a curve to it. Does anyone have any good advice for how to go around the tile? Should we try to cut the wood on a curve with a power saw or would it be easier to rip up the pieces of tile that are on the curve?
Thanks!


----------



## bob22

Holly,
How were you going to cover the raw edge of the Bruce where it meets the tile (if I understand what you are doing)?
Usually, you need a molding to butt against a wall or to transition from your new floor to an existing one. Since these are straight, I don't see how else to do it but to remove/cut your existing tiles in a straight line.
B


----------



## Jane karen

*Do research*

I had this installed and it squeeks and cracks and pops - like rice krispys! Contractor coming back to glue down. I am going to look at floor condition underneath to make sure it is very flat. Jury still out it could be a bad product of uneven floor. Good luck!


----------



## owencarpet

About 4 months ago we removed the vinyl in our kitchen and had this product installed in our Kitchen and dinning area. We had been trying to sell our house and a lot of lookers were balking at the vinyl (it was in great shape, they just wanted a higher end looking floor). It looks great and didn't have any issues with cupping, noise etc. I did have someone else install it however . 

It was put down as a true floater with no glue or nails.

FYI, we do feel it helped to sell the house.


----------



## handyeng

*Bruce floor not laying flat*

I installed a Bruce locking floor in my dining room this past weekend. It looks really nice, but there are a few locations where it sinks a bit (maybe 1/8") when stepped on. It's a bit hard to notice it when you're walking on it, but it's easy to see it when someone else is walking on it. Like I said, I really like the way it looks, but this "sinking" makes it seem like fake wood (which I guess it is). From what I've read on here, others have had a similar experience, but I haven't seen any posts on a remedial solution. Does anyone have any ideas on how to address/fix this?
Just FYI, I did use the tap block on every third row (or so), and I also used the pull bar on almost every row.


----------



## mike costello

First off its not fake wood. Its a floating engineered hardwood.

As for the sinking, its not the wood itself , sounds to me like its a dip in the floor below.

Did you check the grade of the old floor before you put in the new one? What did you use for underlayment?


----------



## Floorwizard

I think maybe a tapping block on every row and a pull bar on the last row.
Not that it has anything to do with sinking.

Mike is right, it has nothing to do with your real wood floor.


----------



## handyeng

Well, technically it is a hardwood VENEER. It's not a solid piece of wood, it comes in plies, or laminations, just like plywood. Additionally this "wood" has no ability to span any distance or do any real work like you might expect out of traditional hardwood flooring. 

To get to the questions, yes, I checked the flatness of the floor, and it was installed over an existing parquet floor with the advanced 2N1 underlayment that is recommended. I was thinking that it's possible that the inherent lack of stiffness with this type of product makes it susceptible to warping and/or buckling that you wouldn't see with a traditional hardwood flooring.

When I was using the tap block I started out using it on every row, but noticed that when doing that it was opening up the joints - not the joints between rows, but the joints between boards in a single row. This makes sense when thinking about it - if you tap it at the end of a board it wants to rotate as a rigid body, so the other end rotates out and the joint opens slightly. I had better results tapping every third (or so) row because this minimizes that rigid body rotation.


----------



## mike costello

Yes I know what it is, I have installed thousands of feet of the stuff with no issue. Technically is is a hardwood floor.

Another cause for the buckling could be you are pinched somewhere under a door casing or you may have an expansion joint that is not adequate to handle the expansion.

Laminated engineered flooring will nor warp on its own.


----------



## Floorwizard

> Additionally this "wood" has no ability to span any distance


Absolutely it can expand. Just not as much as a solid. It is more stable than a solid, but it can still move....big time.



> I was thinking that it's possible that the inherent lack of stiffness with this type of product makes it susceptible to warping and/or buckling that you wouldn't see with a traditional hardwood flooring.


Not really. Like I said it's more stable. Your floor will have just a tad bit of "bounce" as it is a floating wood, but not super springy. Unless again...subfloor conditions are allowing it.
Unless you are suggesting the actuall wood is so soft your foot is caving in on it.

Sounds like more education is in the works to make sure you solve your problem. It seems as you are slightly uninformed and I am glad you are posting so we can help.
You have to understand the problem before you can fix it. And that's why we are here.


----------



## handyeng

First of all, I said "SPAN", not "EXPAND" (EVERYTHING expands and contracts with temperature - and wood also does with humidity). That means that it has no strength in and of itself to function as a structural member - specifically that it can span over a small dip in the subfloor like a traditional hardwood floor can.

As for the inherent lack of stiffness I mentioned, it is absolutely true of this type of floor. Take a piece of laminate floor (say 36" long), hold one end in each hand and twist it. Now try the same thing with the same length of a traditional hardwood floor piece and you won't get nearly as much twist. This has nothing to do with the stability of the wood in the presence of water.

It's not bouncing, it's just not sitting right. It's not crushing under my foot, that would be an obvious (and egregious) failure. 

As for education,


----------



## Floorwizard

> Additionally this "wood" has no ability to span any distance or do any real work


Can you elaborate. It wont span or work? Huh?
Won't span ANY distance?
Look, sorry I am taking these words literally, it tends to happen on forums......



> there are a few locations where it sinks a bit (maybe 1/8") when stepped on.


Look, it's either subfloor or it is pinched. Your choice what you want to believe.
it may flex 1/8" or so normally because it's floating (I never actually measure the specs) But I do not see a big problem.


----------



## handyeng

I can certainly elaborate. When I talk about the ability to span or do work I mean that if it didn't have the subfloor to support it and had to rely on it's own strength/stiffness to transfer load to the joists it would fail miserably. It would immediately snap as soon as you stand on it. I'm not saying that regular hardwood can do all the work necessary to span the joists, but it likely wouldn't collapse (deflection is a whole other issue). What I am referencing specifically is in a typical hardwood floor application if there is a low spot in which the hardwood loses contact with the subfloor it will have the ability to span that short distance across the low spot without having to sink down to touch the subfloor for support. 

The problem I have with the sinking is that you can see it from a distance (mostly because of the way the light reflects off the floor) and it does look bad. It's hard to notice it when walking on it (seeing or feeling it), but easy to see from a distance.


----------



## Floorwizard

I see thanks for the elaboration. That helps.



> When I talk about the ability to span or do work I mean that if it didn't have the subfloor to support it and had to rely on it's own strength/stiffness to transfer load to the joists it would fail miserably.


Yes that is correct. That is why there is a need for a subfloor. 
It's kinda like my clients who say "look, this hammer damages my lam"
Well stop hitting it with a hammer!
But I see what you are saying. If the floor was installed incorrectly it will fail. period.



> What I am referencing specifically is in a typical hardwood floor application if there is a low spot in which the hardwood loses contact with the subfloor it will have the ability to span that short distance across the low spot without having to sink down to touch the subfloor for support.
> 
> The problem I have with the sinking is that you can see it from a distance (mostly because of the way the light reflects off the floor) and it does look bad.


Now I am totaly convinced there is a dip in the floor.
please help me understand.

You are saying if there is a big dip then lam will fail because it cannot span. I completely agree.
You are saying that your lam is dipping and you can see it from a distance....must be becuse it has curved permanently because of a dip in the floor right?

But I have a small problem. Lam WILL span the distance and you will not see it unless you step on it. But you said it is noticable when you look at it from a distance.
Your lam must somehow be permanantly bowed as stated earlier...I have never seen this. I would love pics.



> From what I've read on here, others have had a similar experience, but I haven't seen any posts on a remedial solution. Does anyone have any ideas on how to address/fix this?


Based on what I am hearing you need to repair the subfloor to repair the lam.
But I would disagree that solid wood will react perfect under these (I am assuming) extreme subfloor irregularities that exist.

unless I am completely confused....


----------



## CDeb

I'm about a third of the way through installing the Bruce Lock and Fold product in a 350 sqft room and I think it's coming out quite nicely. A few observations that I have about the product:

1) While not as easy as Bruce's website makes it out to be, it's still pretty easy to install. Bruce's video clip makes it seem like you just plop the stuff on in and work at a fast clip. That's true if the boards you are working with don't have any warp whatsoever, but I've found that to be the case with only about 10-20% of the product. Most of the boards need a few good whacks with the tapping block to properly seat. All in all, though, still a pretty easy install. I'm moving pretty slowly, but I've never installed any type of wood/laminate flloring before.

2) I have noticed the "cupping" issue that seems to be associated with this product by lots of different web sources. However, I think it's pretty easily remedied. Usually, a couple of good whacks with the tapping block helps it seat properly and the cupping goes away. Also, before you install a board, check the tongue and groove for splinters. Those extra chunks of wood can prevent the boards from locking together properly and can cause cupping. Finally, I keep a few bricks on the leading edge to "hold it down" if there is still cupping. I put some scrap underlayment under the bricks so I don't damage the finish.

It's certainly not a perfect product, but I think it'll look fantastic when it's finished.


----------



## jcifjr

*Clicking sound*

I've read several people on this thread say that after installation, there was a poping, clicking or "rice krispy" sound when you walk on it. I just finished installing this product in my den and I am experiencing the same thing. It's driving me nuts.

It looks great, but the clicking sound is very noticable at times. 

The floor seems to lay flat and I left plenty of expension so I don't understand why this is happening. Can anyone tell me if the sound will go away as the floor settles or is it something that I'll have to learn to live with? 

My wife seems to think an area rug would solve the problem....but I don't want to hide the beautiful floor.

Thanks!!! Great forum.


----------



## Floorwizard

Sounds like the old "tounges breaking" problem Pergo had with the Home Depot quality.

ouch


----------



## jcifjr

*Noisy Floor*

OK, so now I've read read in quite a few places where this flooring tends to be noisy once installed. So don't feel like my situation is out of the ordinary.

What I'd like to know from anyone out there who has experienced this situation with this floor is.......does it get better with time?

If not, can anyone suggest a way to fix the problem? I used the recommended underlayment; the correct expansion spacing; my floor is sub floor is clean and level and I followed the installation instructions to a T.

Any advice would be great.


----------



## Floorwizard

I hope you find an answer.
You should not have to deal with wood being noisy after install.....


----------



## bob22

I put it down in the summer in hallway and kitchen. I didn't install it perpendicular to the floor joists as instructions suggest so I already started incorrectly. But, I've no noises and all seems well. I did acclimate the boxes for at least 2 weeks while I was doing other work; were yours acclimated long enough? My floor is over a basement if that has any impact. I wish you luck. Have you contacted the manufacturer for warranty resolution? I would.


----------



## shayne2790

*best underlayment for lock and fold*

About to have lock and fold installed in a day or two. (removal of carpet, plywood subfloor over crawl space)

What is the best underlayment to prevent cracking noises??

Any advice?

Will spend a lot of time making sure installer gets the subfloor as perfect as possible.


----------



## Madison

*Finished installing Bruce "Value Grade" Lock & Fold*

Put down ~800ft in my basement, used foam underlayment w/ vapor barrier. Took wife and I one long day to finish install. 
The quality of the flooring is outstanding. Most pieces were blemish free, although many of the lengths were 12-18" long which made it take a lot longer to install. About 10% had some kind of defect be it knots or finish issues. I used all the pieces with knots because I think it makes it look more like a real wood floor as opposed to a "fake" floor. I paid $1.89/ft for the wood...cheaper than the carpet I was going to put down.
I overbought thinking that there would be a lot more waste and now Im sitting on 6 cases, probably donate to Habitat for Humanity.

Tips for someone who has never done floating floor.
Clean your floor really well with a vac, any crumbs will become high spots. Get a radial saw and set it up away from the area to be installed so you dont throw sawdust all over your floor. Use a section of 2x4 ~6" long to whack the boards togther periodically. I started using one of those tap blocks but found it easier to do with a piece of wood that fit in my hand. Good luck. I found this forum helpful for me so Im passing along my experiences.


----------



## Jim P

*Lock & Fold*

My first post..I'm a newbie here. 
I am in process of having Bruce Lock/Fold put in our house build on a concrete slab. Lowes guys have done one room so far and it sounds like
walking on rice crispies/ sand. Tell me this is not normal..please. What could they have done wrong?? Also the boards move some when you step on one. (is that normal?) I noticed a lot of sawdust and the concrete wasnt' too clean from taking up the carpet. Ideas?? Thanks.


----------



## Madison

*Rice Krispies*

Sounds like you are installing over a floor with stuff on it. Make sure your floors are CLEAN and level. Any high spots will haunt you. The couple of seams of underlayment I got lazy and lapped them on one another and you can tell exactly where they are. I can imagine what chunks of carpet padding must be like. Good luck


----------



## Jim P

Madison said:


> Sounds like you are installing over a floor with stuff on it. Make sure your floors are CLEAN and level. Any high spots will haunt you. The couple of seams of underlayment I got lazy and lapped them on one another and you can tell exactly where they are. I can imagine what chunks of carpet padding must be like. Good luck


Tnx Madison, This was done by some so called pro's at this. I know this is a DIY , and I should have been doing it. We had them to take it all back up and fix it correctly. Problem was CLEAN as you said. They had not taken pains in cleaning sawdust, grit, and underlayment was not correctly installed as well. :no:

I know a limited amount from experience and I kept telling them it needed
TLC.


----------



## princessdniez

*would like to know about flooring*

Hey everyone
My husband and I are thinking about doing our floors. We just bought our house and it looks like there was carpet but it was pulled before we bought the house so now the hard wood floors are exposed but they look old. We priced how much it would be to get them sanded and polished (and its expensive), then we also thought about our kids and two dogs and how they would mess the finish up. So our next thought was just replacing the floors. I have never done anything handy in my life and the only step that I know would be to measure the area of the room. I would ask my husband but right now he is a bit busy with work, his unit is getting ready to deploy so I just need something to keep me busy and my mind off of him leaving. thanks for the advice


----------



## Jim P

*Replace*



princessdniez said:


> Hey everyone
> replacing the floors. I have never done anything handy in my life and the only step that I know would be to measure the area of the room. I would ask my husband but right now he is a bit busy with work, his unit is getting ready to deploy so I just need something to keep me busy and my mind off of him leaving. thanks for the advice


WELL Princess, I would get a quote on putting down either laminate or the engineered type over that floor if its level and compare with refinishing quote that you have gotten.
THEN you would know which route to take. The restore route would be the most messy I would think, but the DIY would give you something to do (can you say challange). It would be a large project for a first timer, but doing a small room at a time would be a learning experience. Just depends on what you feel like taking on. Good luck.:thumbup:


----------



## KatiesHouse

I have an offer on a house and hate the floors. If all goes well, I will be doing something about that. This is a very helpful discussion, thanks, everyone. A few questions I had are:

Is this product made of all wood, or is there MDF as part of it?

Are the T-moldings wood, plastic, MDF? Can you get wood moldings? (I put laminate in my kitchen and hate the T-moldings I had to use. They just look fake and cheap to me.)

Could this be installed over lineoleum/vinyl sheet flooring or does that have to be taken up first, or perhaps underlayment put over it?

How did you level the floors if they aren't level?


----------



## achow26

I am planning to go with Bruce lock and fold also. I need to know where can I find the cheapest material. Lowes turns out to be around 4.25/sq ft for material.


----------



## Madison

achow26 said:


> I am planning to go with Bruce lock and fold also. I need to know where can I find the cheapest material. Lowes turns out to be around 4.25/sq ft for material.


 
I bought "Value Grade" from Hurst Hardwoods online. $1.89/ft. There are imperfections but like I said before I like the knots, makes the place look homey. If you want top grade you can find it cheaper than $4.25 online but you cant take back the extra quite so easy. I rec buy the bulk from an online distributor but under order than buy the rest from Lowes. Make sure you check all the boxes for consistency, would hate to have a color change when you switched over. Good luck.


----------



## achow26

*Remove or cut base moulding*

I am installing the floor now. I need to check with you guys if you removed or cut the base moulding before installing the floor so that the base moulding covers some part of the end of floor to give it more strength? Please let me know asap so that I can start on this project. 

Madison thanks for your response. I will buy the wood from Lowes then. I am installing only 500 Sq Ft.

Thanks All


----------



## bob22

I left the baseboard and took off only the 1/4 round shoe molding. I replaced the shoe and it provided enough cover for any of the required gap between wall and edge of flooring.


----------



## Tess

*seeking suggestions*

I'm installing a floating engineered wood floor over a slab and using cabin grade (hickory veneer and floor muffler underlayment). I really want to use the knotty pieces. But most of the knots are empty, like the center fell out, and the second layer of the board is visible. Is it possible to fill these holes? Any product, home-made mixture, suggestions? I saw some tinted wood putty products, but it seems like filling with that would require some type of top coat to seal and keep the putty from falling apart when it's walked on. Also, I've noticed that the boards with surface flaws seem to not be finished. The locking part doesn't have that small line of something waxy or gummy that the other boards have. Those boards are kinda squeaky when walked on (did a section of a small room with them). It's not loud or obnoxious. But I'd like to fix it. Anyone have suggestions for how I might "finish" these boards? I don't mind putting some elbow grease into it but I don't have a clue about what that bead of stuff is and what I could use that would serve whatever its function is? Ideas, anyone? In theory, my husband is helping me but he's traveling so much that it's pretty much all me. All the solutions that come to my mind are based on products I'm familiar with--things like clear nail polish, ivory soap, canning wax, sally hansen roll-on wax hair remover, etc. Anything y'all have to offer couldn't possibly be any worse or crazier than what I'm thinking or trying! Also, my flooring doesn't have a warranty so me messing with it doesn't negate any manufacturer promise or anything like that. (Posted these questions in another thread but didn't get any responses so trying here.)


----------



## hungtdao

*Make sure your floor is flat when install lock & fold*

Make sure that your floor is flat. If not, there is pave type that you can lever your unflat floor before installing the lock & fold hardwood floor, this would eliminate the pop-up noise.





jcifjr said:


> OK, so now I've read read in quite a few places where this flooring tends to be noisy once installed. So don't feel like my situation is out of the ordinary.
> 
> What I'd like to know from anyone out there who has experienced this situation with this floor is.......does it get better with time?
> 
> If not, can anyone suggest a way to fix the problem? I used the recommended underlayment; the correct expansion spacing; my floor is sub floor is clean and level and I followed the installation instructions to a T.
> 
> Any advice would be great.


----------



## hatchjd

*my review of lock and fold cabin grade flooring*

My son, daughter and myself just put down 750 sq ft of lock and fold Timberland Butterscotch cabin grade flooring. This was for my sons first house, he wanted hardwood but with a very tight budget this was the only option he could afford and cheaper than carpet. Total cost of flooring underlay, mouldings, thresholds and delivery < $900 from Hurst Hardwood in Florida.
Ordered online, received call the next day to confirm and schedule delivery, and it arrived a couple of days later exactly on time. The flooring was laid in the hallway, dining room and large 15 x 22 ft family room. We purchased 10% extra to allow for waste but the majority of the boards were of good quality and we ended up with 6 boxes left over. We used thresholds between each room to allow for expansion space in the floor rather than carrying it continuously throughout. There were no issues with color variation, but mixed up three boxes at a time which also gave us more boards to select from. As each box as it was opened and we sorted the wood by length pulling out the damaged pieces into a pile, most of which was knots or holes in the finish. We were able to use a lot of these boards to start or end a row cuting off the damaged area. We vacuumed the slab, then used Silent Blue underlayment, carefully taping the seams flat. We put spacers every 1-2 ft behind the first row as it shifted quite a bit when tapped and it helped to have someone stand on the previous row to weight it down for more resistance. Once you learn the knack of tapping the boards togther it is fairly simple. (block, rubber mallet and S shaped metal flooring tool are essential to get it tight) The bowing that some people have referred to seemed to occur when the board was not knocked tight enough into the row behind It could be resolved 90% of the time by giving it an extra thump with someone standing one row back . The finished floor looks good. There is a slight give over some areas where the sub floor must not be totally level and some slight crackling in these areas which hopefully will resolve with age. The floor is floating so it does have a slightly softer and hollower feel than that of nailed "solid" , wood, not unlike laminate. For the money it looks great, feels warm under foot and has more sheen and variation than many laminates. 
If you are looking for the "feel" of solid hardwood this is probably mot the floor for you but as an attractive alternative to carpet or laminate it is good value for money.


----------



## carsonsig

*just finished...*

well, I as well put in about 700 sq. feet... I have previously done about 800 in laminate in one house, and 200 in another, so I was pretty well versed... all things being equal, and our slab being terrible($1100 in grinding and skim coat to fix it enough to float a floor on it) I am pleased. there are a few spots where it has some give, but as was said unless your subfloor is PERFECT, like a pooltable, the floor will ride up ( or feel that way) a bit in the areas that are higher or lower... I installed the brazillian cherry from lowes. 

ALL your click together floating floors are going to have little pops and snaps in them... the floor is designed to move a bit, it has to. 

glue tongue laminate does the same thing over time... it is just the price of the product in my opinion... if it POPS, like loud, you have a bad piece that will eventually fail.... as for cupping, I found some cupped pieces, they just went to the cut pile for ends and starts. some pieces just WOULDN'T go in in certain spots... remember, this is wood, not plastic like laminate, it is going to have more variability from piece to piece... but it also looks awesome... 

the only thing I found hilarious is that the product comes in like 6 lengths, but there is no notation on the box as to what is in it... first like 5 boxes I opened had all longs.... so you really have to open a bunch of boxes to get that good mix....


----------



## Brianjonesphoto

We are looking at the 5" distressed Gunstock for the majority of our house. I'd love to get an update from some of you that have been living on this floor for a while. Are you still happy with it? Any issues?

Thanks


----------



## memphilly

*Currently installing 3" Cabin Grade...Intalled 5" Cabin Grade*

I am currently installing 3" Amarreto in master, which is on second floor. The house is 37 years old and the existing sub floor was not in very good shape. I installed 1/4" OSB to give it a nice smooth surface. So far, it is going down ok. I previously installed the 5" plank in my dining room - this was my first time installing this type of floor. This was installed over concrete. I used a 5ft steel level and went around the entire floor and, remarkably, it was pretty flat. But, it still pops and cracks when walking on it. I chose the Amaretto since I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, and this light color doesn't show the scratches very much. A darker color will definitely show the scratches. The 3" actually looks nicer. Only real problem I have had is the end to end joints not having a tight fit. The side to side joints are very tight, but no matter how hard I bang the ends, they just don't fit as tight as the sides (I banged so hard I broke the block!). I chose to remove all the molding and replace with new. Have trouble with the transitions (wood to tile, wood to carpet). Overall, pretty pleased with it. I'm not sure if you can post pictures, but I'll take a few and post once I'm done.


----------



## M57blackie

*I like it*

I just installed 200 sq. feet of this flooring in my dining room in about 5 hours with the help of a friend. It went in really easily and looks great. I found that you have to make sure you hear the click in the wood when you lock the tongue into the groove. A slight tap will tighten everything up. I laid it over an existing hardwood floor that had seen its better days with no problems what-so-ever. The one thing I will have to do is to make a transition from the new floor to the old one at the entry way between the living room and the dining room as they now sit at different heights. I don't believe a pre-made transition exists that is 8 ft. long so I'll have to make something myself. But I would definitely recommend this product to the DIY-er


----------



## tdeepness

I just bought Bruce lock and fold in natural oak. the quality seems good, i'm letting it acclimate now and will be installing it next weekend. i tested out a bunch of boards from different boxes and seems to click together pretty easily.


----------



## FirstHome121

I am interested to hear how it turned out. Would you buy the Bruce product again ?
I am looking at some 3" Bruce click-lock in gunstock but having doubts based on what I have read here.
How does the finished floor sound / feel ?


----------



## carsonsig

I like mine... in areas I knew my subfloor was off... it floats a bit... but in areas where my subfloor is dialed, it is super flat, no popcorn sound...


----------



## tdeepness

i just finished installing it. the first couple of rows were difficult, but it turned out there were a couple of warped boards. when i replaced those, it was fine. there were a lot more warped boards than i would've expected. you have to be careful because if it buckles even a little bit, it will affect all the rows after. i have the natural oak and it looks great. there's no popcorn sound, but every once in a while you can hear a little crack. in the 2 areas that my subfloor was less than perfectly level, you can feel it "float", but everywhere else it's fine. i would say yes, i'd buy a bruce product again.


----------



## superfly19

I'm curious to hear from anyone that has had this product installed for a few months or more if the float over the areas that were less than level ever settled down or if they remain spongy. Does the product eventually sag to the contour of the floor over time due to use and gravity?


----------



## folmomdiyer

*Bruce Flooring*

We have had it for 5 years! Its not horrible but if you have kids and dogs you will want to make sure and use area rugs. Scratches very easily. And I wouldn't use it for any area that could get wet. We had a bathtub overflow problem once that had reached the hallway. I cleaned it immediately and shop vac I thought I had got it all but it warped. It was a pain to put in. And I noticed after a couple of years and we were going to use the same product that they had changed from using long lengths to these short little pieces which I know that were all go backs from previous projects that they boxed up.:no:


----------



## bita

*Is your Bruce floor quiet now?*

You made this post in 2009. I want to know if your floor has quieted down. I just installed the floor about 4 weeks ago and it makes noise. I find that when it is humid out it make more noise. Will this go away as the joints rub together over time and become soft? What are your thought





hatchjd said:


> My son, daughter and myself just put down 750 sq ft of lock and fold Timberland Butterscotch cabin grade flooring. This was for my sons first house, he wanted hardwood but with a very tight budget this was the only option he could afford and cheaper than carpet. Total cost of flooring underlay, mouldings, thresholds and delivery < $900 from Hurst Hardwood in Florida.
> Ordered online, received call the next day to confirm and schedule delivery, and it arrived a couple of days later exactly on time. The flooring was laid in the hallway, dining room and large 15 x 22 ft family room. We purchased 10% extra to allow for waste but the majority of the boards were of good quality and we ended up with 6 boxes left over. We used thresholds between each room to allow for expansion space in the floor rather than carrying it continuously throughout. There were no issues with color variation, but mixed up three boxes at a time which also gave us more boards to select from. As each box as it was opened and we sorted the wood by length pulling out the damaged pieces into a pile, most of which was knots or holes in the finish. We were able to use a lot of these boards to start or end a row cuting off the damaged area. We vacuumed the slab, then used Silent Blue underlayment, carefully taping the seams flat. We put spacers every 1-2 ft behind the first row as it shifted quite a bit when tapped and it helped to have someone stand on the previous row to weight it down for more resistance. Once you learn the knack of tapping the boards togther it is fairly simple. (block, rubber mallet and S shaped metal flooring tool are essential to get it tight) The bowing that some people have referred to seemed to occur when the board was not knocked tight enough into the row behind It could be resolved 90% of the time by giving it an extra thump with someone standing one row back . The finished floor looks good. There is a slight give over some areas where the sub floor must not be totally level and some slight crackling in these areas which hopefully will resolve with age. The floor is floating so it does have a slightly softer and hollower feel than that of nailed "solid" , wood, not unlike laminate. For the money it looks great, feels warm under foot and has more sheen and variation than many laminates.
> If you are looking for the "feel" of solid hardwood this is probably mot the floor for you but as an attractive alternative to carpet or laminate it is good value for money.


----------

