Before moving into our house 6 months ago, we had all the tile flooring and carpeting replaced with a dark engineered wood (Sangria Maple) by Oro Flooring. Like a black car, from the start it was beautiful when clean but terrible when it wasn't. Although we do not wear shoes in the house, it so rarely looked clean, showing terrible streaking and footprints throughout. We dismissed it as part of having dark floors -- like the woes of having a dark car -- and stopped fretting over it.

Well, starting about 6 weeks ago, a new and more serious problem arose. We noticed that the clear coat was peeling off in high-traffic areas. It would start as a tiny little patch (a sort of 1/4"-1/2" dot) and would spread over time. Before we new it, such "patches" had begun to appear all over, especially in the kitchen. After much head scratching, we realized that if even a tiny a drop of water got on the floor and was not cleaned up immediately -- and I mean IMMEDIATELY -- it would "eat" through the clear coat, starting a new patch of peeling. That certainly helps explain why the patches are predominantly in the kitchen, although it does not help explain the patches in other parts of the house that are not near water of any kind.

Our flooring contractor came out to look and said he'd never seen anything of the kind before. He implied that we might have caused it by using improper cleaning techniques, but backed off after we explained that we used only Bona. He contacted his supplier, who investigated and said the same thing -- she'd never seen anything like it before.

The contractor and supplier have volunteered to replace a small portion of the flooring so that (1) we can see if we fare better with a new batch of wood and (2) they can test the materials to see the cause. Because that will be an enormous inconvenience (moving furniture, prying up the glued down wood, removing floorboards, replacing everything, and repainting), we are reluctant to do it unless and until we KNOW it will solve our problem. Now, as I investigate further, I cannot find anything online about Oro Flooring. I'm starting to grow concerned that they're a fly-by-night or bargain basement foreign brand, and wonder if it's just poor quality (rather than defective). I've had hardwood floors my whole life, and never have I felt like they were the most fragile thing in the house. They were there to be walked on. Occasionally they'd get scratched, but they were generally durable and worry free. These are the opposite.

If anyone has any experience with this problem, or knows anything about Oro, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on the situation. We spent so much time, money, and energy remodeling, and now we are very frustrated as we confront a major repair only 6 months later. Thank you.

Seems to me the salesman/person who sold you the flooring should be able to tell you the country of manufacture. And there should be a warranty. I would guess it was made in China or South America. Let them remove a small section to send away for inspection, as they proposed. It could be the finishing system is incompatible with the wood species. Or just a flawed batch. Until the manufacturer determines the cause, I wouldn't agree to have it replaced with the same product. At any rate, clearly a manufacturing flaw. As the manufacturer's representative, the retailer is responsible for helping make it right. Hold them to it and don't let them walk away.

Thank you for the prompt response. And, yes, I will not let them walk away. The good news is that, as frustrating as this is, both the installer and supplier (retailer, I guess) have been extremely supportive and helpful. Neither has disclaimed responsibility (except for the quick kneejerk attempt to blame our cleaning products) or to pass the buck. Both have vaguely referenced a one-year warranty (we're at six months, so no problem there), and have said things like, "Don't worry, we'll make this right." I give them credit for handling it well so far.

What I haven't been able to get is a straight answer about the product itself. When I ask about the company and mention that no one (including Google's spiders, apparently) has ever heard of Oro, they say things like, "Really? That's weird. It's such a great product. We used it at the Ritz Carlton here 2 years ago, and it's great." All of which strikes me as sales pitch, and not a real answer.


Yeah, that's my concern. I suppose instead of having them replace a "section" (e.g., the kitchen), I'll have them replace a few planks. That way, we don't have to deal with floorboards and the like while they can test the sample to give me an answer.

Thank you.