Hi all,
This is my first time at the site and you all are great. I need your advice. I just had a prefinished oak floor installed last week. It is 3/4" solid with an aluminum oxide finish and a 25 year warranty. I opted for the low gloss finish over high gloss because I prefer the look. To my dismay and several thousand dollars later, there are blemishes (shiny spots) over the entire floor. A factory rep came out to the site when about a third of the floor was installed and said that it will have to be sanded and refinished, which they will do under warranty. Great, I had a warranty claim already and the floor wasn't even installed yet.

I am worried about several issues, but most of all about what this new finish will do to the look and durability of the flooring I picked out. I spent a great deal of time selecting this product and decided to go with it because the installer said that he's been putting it in for 15 years and has never had a problem with it and every customer has loved it. So, I don't know if I will have a say in what product is used or how this finish will be corrected, but I would like to hear some objective opinions so that I know what to expect.

What is the best finish to use over prefinished aluminum oxide?
Can it be either oil or water based?
Is polyurethane okay?
Will it turn yellow over time?
Will it be low gloss?
How is it different from aluminum oxide?
Does the current finish have to be completely removed before the new finish goes on?
How long should I wait before moving in? I have a heavy, large solid wood desk going in the room and I haven't moved in yet.

Okay, so I have another issue but with the installation. At the door molding and door jam, it was cut so high that I can put my finger underneath it, I can see the wall board and subfloor through the gap and also the cut edge of the last piece. Also, no transition piece was used between the wood floor and the carpet in the hallway. The wood just ends right at the carpet, which are about the same height. Is this an acceptable method of installation? Should I complain about this also? Should I have to pay to get new door trim?

Sorry to have so many questions, but you will be helping me very much with any info. I sincerely appreciate any advice you can give me.

I'll leave the job-specific suggestions to the pros here, but from a legal perspective, make sure you get the guy to put into writing that you still have a 25-year warranty. If in ten years you have problems and come to the guy wanting a fix, he's likely going to try and tell you that the warranty covered only the original surface. You *bought* a 25 year warranty. Whatever it takes to deliver 25 years of service is their problem. Again, get it in writing that you both have a mutual understanding of this.

And it would seem to me that if the installer cut the casing too high, he's the one who should make it right.

First, there is only one finish currently available that has mineral additives that would remotely resemble the finish you had on your factory finished floor. That is called TREX PLUS and comes with a warranty. Not an easy finish to apply. Another very good alternative is called BONA TRAFFIC. Both of these can come in a low luster satin and both are as good as it gets in terms of durability. They both are types of waterbased polyurethanes and are for professional use only. They will not yellow and should be allowed to cure for one week before moving furniture on them. No finish, whether applied at a factory or on site, is scratch proof. If you drag furniture across it, it will scratch. A professional should be able to apply a coat (only one is needed) directly over the existing factory finished floor AFTER PROPER PREPERATION. With Bona finishes, they have a specified system for prepping factory finished floors. You need to have an experienced finisher who has used these products do the work.
As far as the door trim, are you sure the installer actually cut it? I have done floors where the existing trims were installed and were already to short for the floors. I didn't cut them that way. If your installer did not cut the door casings, then he is NOT responsible for them being too short and you will need to pay someone to correct a condition that existed prior to your wood floor being installed. Of course, the opposite holds true as well. If the installer did cut the door casings too high, then he is responsible to remedy that error. On a nail down or glued down wood floor, a "transition piece" is not needed or required when butting to carpet. It does look best to simply tuck the carpet to the wood floor.

Thank you so much for your responses. I really appreciate it! I will definitely use this information and hopefully the job will get done properly.
P.S. The installer did cut the door molding, which I offered to remove before the job. Live and learn!