Rather than focusing on everything I have to do between now and the point where I'm actually ready for flooring, I've been distracted by which flooring I'm going to choose. I'd like to get it finalized, once and for all, so I can move on with the other aspects of this condo renovation!

The condo, my first home, is 2bd/1ba, 714 square feet, on the second floor of a two story complex. The living room, hall, and bedrooms were carpeted, which I've removed and disposed of to get a jump on minimizing the cigarette odor. The kitchen has hardwoods, which will be replaced. The current sub-floor is particleboard. I don't plan on every selling the place, though it'll likely be a rental in 5-6 years.

I want to have the same wood or wood-look flooring throughout, minus the bathroom. The look I'm going for is a smooth Brazilian Cherry (or Brazilian Cherry look) I must have looked at, decided on, then circled back on each type of flooring there is! I believe I've finally narrowed it down to two options, laminate or real hardwood. I don't like the look or feel of LVT. Engineered hardwood and bamboo seem to cost very close to the real thing, can't be refinished the same (a couple times or not at all), and don't have the upscale prestige of the solid wood. If I'm going to make the investment, I want to do it right, otherwise there's no reason for spending the extra money.

My main hang-up, of course, is the kitchen and potential damage. I've lived in three homes with hardwoods in the kitchen, and three relatives have had laminate in their kitchens for a few years now. None of them have had an issue, nor have I seen any issues in houses or rentals I've visited. I believe the majority were real hardwoods, it seems kitchen installs are fairly common in the Northwest. Again, just my experiences, this is why I'm asking you guys

My dilemma, in a sentence:

I'd like to go with real, solid hardwood floors, but I'm not sure if it would be worth the cost, since I've heard they're just as susceptible to water damage as laminate.

The pro's of hardwoods are numerous: I really like the warmth, look, and feel of a solid hardwood floor. Hardwood floors can be refinished many times (you don't see other 100 year old residential floors still in use today). Hardwood floors increase value and add upscale finish. The only negative is the cost, and that's what has me thinking about laminate. If it's true that they're just as susceptible to water damage, I think laminate is the way to go. Most people buy a few extra boxes, in the event they need to replaced damaged pieces. If I did go with laminate I could install it myself, and float it over the existing particle board. If I go with hardwood I'll have to lay a new subfloor (materials, I can do this myself), and hire a company for the actual flooring install. An upside is that it would likely have a warranty, right? Likely not against water damage, but other things?

I know you can't seal laminate, and I've read all kinds of mixed things about hardwoods. Some say you can seal them and it'll make them more resistant to water and UV fading. Some say you can't seal them, because they wouldn't be able to expand and contract. Which is it?

I believe I could install a decent laminate myself for around $3.50/sq ft, on the high end. This would total $2450.

I haven't shopped around for hardwoods, but earlier I called a reputable flooring company for a very rough, sight unseen, sq foot quote, to see if I could possibly afford it. I don't have a bunch of money, but I plan on living here for a long time, and I believe hardwood floors would be an investment. They quoted me $2.25 for the nail down installation (providing I lay and prep the plywood or OSB subfloor), and around $5.99 sq ft for the Brazilian Cherry flooring. This would total $5768, not including the materials for the new subfloor.

One last question about subfloors, do they all require two 'layers'? I'm guessing the answer will be yes, but if I have 3/4"-1" plywood under the particleboard (attached to the joists), do I still need to lay another sheet of subfloor, or can the hardwood be laid directly on that?

I'd really appreciate any and all input you guys could provide me.

Examples of the look I'd like:







Photos of my condo:

http://imgur.com/a/uLfhO

First of all congrats on the home. It looks like having some new floors would be gorgeous. At our store we carry both mostly hardwood (both solid and engineered) with a bit of laminates.

The main thing that separates hardwood floors from any other floor covering is the natural feel on your feet. Even with all the wonderful distressing techniques on laminates, a professional can still tell the difference between wood and laminate just based on touch and feel. With hardwood you can expect this to last throughout the duration of the home with proper care and refinishing investments, whereas laminate is more of a 10-15 year investment.

It is a common myth that Engineered woods will not last as long as Solid wood. With an Engineered floor you must look at the wear layer to determine the lifespan. An Engineered floor with 4 mm wear layer should last just as long as it's Solid hardwood cousin.

The reason I brought up Engineered hardwood is because some condos require that you perform a floating installation for sound reasons. You may need to look into this with your association to find out the regulations. Solid Hardwood is not capable of being installed floating, whereas Engineered woods can be installed floating, nail down, or glue down.

Congrats on your new home.

Personally, I strongly prefer hardwood over laminate as it looks better, feels better and will last way longer. It's even more important for the kitchen which gets more wear & tear.

I agree w/ above comment.

In your place, one of the main issues is that you have pressboard rather than plywood. You need 3/4" plywood to nail in the flooring which you don't have. Therefore, if you are going to nail down, you have extra costs - either rip up and replace pressboard, or add plywood on top (hence you may end up w/ 2 layers). Not sure if height is an issue or now, and not sure how thick pressboard is and whether there is concrete subfloor or wood below that. Also, there might be height issues in kitchen w/ cabinets and appliances that can get locked in.

Re: Braz Cherry, I think it's very pretty, but it's not very practical for rentals for later. It shows scratches very easily and very light sensitive. Also, reds are very polarizing. Only a small percent of people like reds vs. browns. You may want to consider oak as it's more neutral, less expensive and will be easier to maintain through renters.

Just my thoughts.

Debbie Gartner, aka The Flooring Girl
http://TheFlooringGirl.com

Need Flooring. Buy Natural she's right, cherry scratches very easy and comes with a hefty price tag as well.