Which would you choose?

Our criteria are:
Type: Engineered, Floating, DIY (concrete floor)
Log Cut: Sliced or sawn
Wear Layer: 2 MM or more
Quality: well milled with no split ends, no overwood, uniform and consistent joints
Length: Greater than the usual 12-48”, if possible
Width: 5”
Thickness: ½”
Hardness: Janka of 1290 or better
Price: $3 – 4/SF (I know, I know - that's a crazy low budget!)

We have found two items that seem to meet these criteria. Which would you choose, based on manufacturer’s reputation, quality of product (well milled), ease of installation and other factors? Can you recommend other floors that meet these criteria?

LM Flooring
Asheville, Maple Topaz
½” x 5” x 12-48” (75% 48”)
Sliced cut 2.0 MM wear layer
Janka: 1450
Warranty
$3.84/SF ($3.96 delivered)

Hurst Hardwood Private Label Select + Better
(this floor is made by Arborcraft, which makes Harris/Tarkett Flooring)
Red Oak
½” x 5” x 24-60”
Sliced cut 3.2 MM wear layer
Janka: 1290
$3.29/SF ($3.66 delivered)

The Harris/Tarkett flooring has a 3.2 MM wear layer, the LM Flooring, a 2.0 MM wear layer. Is this a significant difference?

If you have experience in laying a floor with either product, how easily did the installation go?

Many thanks for your help!

I'm not sure about either of those floors, but I can tell you that someone is misinforming you regarding the manufacturer of Hurst Hardwoods. I live in NE TN, both ArborCraft and Mullican are just down the road from me. I've sold and installed tons of Harris-Tarkett products, and I know several people that work for ArborCraft, and they don't make a product for Hurst Hardwoods. Actually, they don't currently produce anything in a Red Oak Select and Better (believe me, I've looked. lol. Even in solid 3/4"), no engineered product longer than about 46 1/2", and the only sawn face engineered oak I know them to carry is an import product with a face thickness of probably no more than 2, 2 1/2 mm.

Sounds like someone probably is selling (@ that price) an import product. Back when Tarkett owned the company, they private labeled a lot of low cost imports, so they might be sellling some of that old Tarkett stuff. Only reason I'm bringing it up is, I've run into people over the years who have bought cheap private label flooring, been told there was a warranty from a major manufacturer, then when they call with a problem, the manufacturer has no idea what they are talking about. I'd be thorough in checking that out!

Just looking at the description of the two products, yea, there is pretty sizeable difference in the wearlayers....2 mm, probably can sand it one time...3.2 mm can be sanded 2 or 3 times if you don't go crazy on it.

Personally I'd never have Maple in my house. I like character in my wood. But I also like LM more than Harris. I thought LM uses a higher grade wood. Might be wrong cus I have not checked the grade of veneer lately. It can be difficult to descern unless you actually look at a box of each.

I did do a LM engineered Hickory from LM recently and it went together great. Pic on my website.

Wow! Mr. bw - thank you so much for the heads up! There are so many good products our there. It doesn't sound like the so-called Arborcraft Harris-Tarkett is worth the risk. Scratch that one off the list. Mr. Perrera - thank you for sharing your experience with LM Flooring. That's very encouraging. I peeked at your website. You do great work! This is a wonderful forum with knowledgeable people who willingly share the inside story. Many thanks, gentlemen. You have come to my rescue. I welcome any other members' opinions.

francesca_sf, hey bw obviously has the insider info which sounds right on. The dude's been around the block several times. Me...kind of a newcomer really. I just like doin newer type green flooring as much as I can. Don't have to be wood really.

Steve Simonson @ http://www.ifloor.com told me LM also produces the same flooring under a different name. Can't remember though. He gave them a thumbs up too.

LM/VERSINI are both made by the same manufacture as well as the meritage line at prosource. suttle finish diffrence between each but construction and packaging is identical.

Thank you Kevin! The Versini and LM lines are identical, as are their corporate addresses in Carrolton TX. Will follow up on the Meritage Line at ProSource. Is the finish on LM or Versini superior to the finish on the other?

one is back grained filled the other is not. No preformance diffrence one just looks a liitle slicker because they use more grain filler. One if your hold up to hard light you can see where the grain is not filled all the way. Its a prefrence kinda thing, some people like texture some dont. after looking its the versnin that has moreofa smooth look and the lm has a every so slight texture.

Thanks agin, Kevin, for explaining the difference in finishes. There's a lot of "heart" in Heartland!

Kevin, I noticed that the LM hickory's grain was not coated all the way into the grain but that was natural

yea its a little more pronounced in open grained boards most guys even flooring pros cant tell the diffrence untill you point it out to them. Ive looked at more floors and more samples than I could ever or care to remember. After selling and hearing all the moning and groining from anal customers looking for the perfect floor right out of the box you start to get a knack for seeing the suttle diffrences.

Floomeintucson, Its the way its filled before finishing, someone along the line when designing the line chose for the line to be partially grain filled not full . its why you get those pits in the soft grain. There is finish there it just down in the pores instead of on top.

Kevin, I ain't no finish guy but wouldn't it be impossible to fill hickory due to all the color variation in it?

If you're considering LM flooring, read my blog post and think again:
http://renonightmares.blogspot.com/2013 ... oring.html

I suggest you stay away from this brand.

Sorry to hear of the difficulties Dan, but unfortunately you're not likely to get far because the floor has been installed. Most if not all manufacturers state this in their specs. Who's at fault? Possibly the installer but only if he was aware the color should have been much lighter.

Check their other samples and see if they have one that matches your floor. I installed a floor maybe 10 years ago for a store in a customers summer home. I don't remember the brand or color. but when the customers finally saw the floor after installation (glue down). It was the wrong color. It turned out the mill miss labeled the boxes. The manufacturer ended up paying for a total replacement.