I want to install a thin (1/2" - 5/8" or so) solid prefinished red oak over concrete. I want straight edges and ends, and I want good quality wood - clear or at least select or better.

I've been to every store in town and looked all over the internet and can't find what I'm looking for - does it exist? If so does anyone know where I can find it?

Thanks,
Steve

Look at Lauzon.

If you are not opposed to an engineered plank. I love the Kährs product.

Hard nut to crack there, especially with a solid. I really don't think it does exists but I'll snoop around at the NWFA(hardwood convention Ft.Lauderdale) show this week and see what I can come up with. I have a special link for the convention if I have the time to put some stuff up.


NWFA Convention 2008

You can also try Launstein http://www.launstein.com/

Thanks for all the replies. I checked out Launstein and Lauzon. Lauzon appears to have only 3/4" solid and I could not tell what the thickness of flooring Launstein is selling. I spent quite a bit of time on their site and could not find anything on thickness or edge trim.

Maybe I'm being silly but I just don't like engineered hardwood. To me It's nothing more than a high grade hardwood faced plywood. It would be a better choice for my application, but I just don't want a plywood floor.

It's beginning to look like I'll have to use 3/4" flooring. I wanted the thinner wood because it's going over an existing concrete floor and the finished height is going to be a little over 1 1/2" higher than the surrounding floors. I plan to put down a moisture barrier, 3/4" plywood, felt, then the flooring.

Even using the thicker wood it looks like it's going to be hard to find a high grade prefinished flooring with straight ends and edges. Everyone wants to sell the beveled or microbeveled stuff, but I want the boards to fit tight together without the grooves.

You will not find that in prefinished flooring. I would suggest getting unfinished flooring and having it sanded and finished in place IF you must have a square edged solid wood floor. Even Bruce's Natural Choice, which is a 5/16" T&G solid with square sides and ends, does not look exactly like a sand in place floor. Some engineered floors, like Owens PlanK Floor were made especially for your situation. A 3/16" solid sawn hardwood top layer, bonded to an 11 ply birch plywood, with an overall thickness of about 5/8". And it can be glued direct over concrete with no need for vapor barriers or plywood on slab. The milling is so good, often, only minimal sanding is needed. And over 50% of the cartons contain lengths of 7'. After installed, sanded and finished, it is indistinguishable from a solid wood floor. It solves that height issue as well. Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed.

Gotta agree with Gary, the Owen's Plank is a great way for you to go if you want a site finished product with the issues with the installation you mentioned. Still if you are considering a pre-finished I think you should look at the Kährs products. Their 2 strip products are great IMHO.

I looked at the Owens plank and it looks like a very good flooring material - especially the thick veneer. The problem is that it is still a plywood. I plan to sell this house in the next 2 - 4 years and I want to be able tell potential buyers that the floor is sold wood. In this neighborhood anything less would be a price deduction regardless of how good it looked.

I have found a manufacturer named Sheoga located in Ohio that sells a clear, unfinished, 3/4"red oak with square ends and edges. They have quoted me a price of $3.40/sq ft for pre-sanded material. Has anybody used their flooring and does the price sound reasonable?

Sheoga is a good brand but it will still need to be sanded after it is installed.

Nice long lengths on the Sheoga too. If memory serves me they go to eight feet on a clear grade. Good choice

I just came across this Armstrong/Hartco kingsford strip. It is a 5/16" thick, solid, prefinished, oak, 2 1/4" wide with square edges and ends. Anybody have any experience with it?

http://www.truehardwoods.com/hartco_kin ... strip.html

It's still not going to look like a site finished floor. No pre-finished product will look like a REAL site-finished floor.

I'd go with the Owens Plank if I were you. I know your concerned about not having a solid product, but I'd challenge anyone to tell the difference between a solid floor and the Owens Plank once it's all sanded and finished.