This forum is so much help! I've read a lot of what you guys have to say but I still have some main issues that I would like to share with you and hopefuly get some input.

1. We are looking at Santos Mahogany and Brazilian Cherry for our house. After reading the post on this forum and discourage from the BC and more into Santos. We want to do the entire house including the kitchen. I have to say that those woods are a little too dark and red for my taste but I still like them. I found a Colombian wood that I like called Jebe but I can’t find it in the US. Do you guys have any suggestions for caramel/cinnamon color natural woods? Woods that are a little lighter in color that SM and BC.
2. I live in South Florida and I only have mangroves between my house and the ocean. I live right on the water. I have heard that I should go with engineered considering the humidity here. On top of being humid we sometimes go for long periods of time without AC after a hurricane. What would it be best in my situation? Engineered or hardwood.
3. We met an installer that is Russian and has an amazing portfolio with incredible pictures and we have seen his work here in Florida. He speaks no English and we need a friend of him to translate for us when we speak to him. We has no insurance. He wants to do our house but is discouraging us for doing engineered by asking the same price for the installation of the hardwood. Bottom-line he is more than exited to work with us if we want hardwood floors and not interested at all if we do engineered. I must add he is not a young guy… he is a very meticulous artistic and old fashioned kind of guy. I wish I could post pictures of the medallions this guy does.
4. I’ve also talked to installer that was recomended by a friend of mine who will charge me $1.90/sqft, but he works for a company who sells mostly laminate. Is $1.90/sqft too good to be true? Should I be wary of this? Is there much difference between installing glue-down laminate and glue-down engineered?


Love and light to you all and thanks in advance.
Vero

I fotgot to mentioned that this installation will be over concrete and that is new construction. We are closing on this house on Monday and we plan to live the for the next 20 years or so.

Happy Thanksgiving and I wish you love, health and abundance for you and your familes.

Vero

Vero:



If you're in South Florida you could always stop in our showroom in Bonita Springs(Naples/Ft.Myers area) It may be tiny but it's here:) We've had people from Miami and Sarasota make the trip. Of all the products listed on our site we have full displays except for Harris Tarkett and Hartco. Robbins has some pretty interesting colors that may interest you.

I've seen both solid and engineered installed in areas you speak of. On the gulf, backwaters, along the river and so on. For solids it's important to have a climate controlled first floor if you happen to live in a stilt home, otherwise you will get cupping from what I've experienced.

$1.90 sounds low for our area but if it's east coast south Florida it doesn't suprise me. No insurance? Ut-oh.

Oh, okay now I remember!

$ 1.90 for installation is low for the west coast, but the east coast of Florida sounds average to me. We have another engineered Santos Mahogany that one of our suppliers just introduced. It's a mirror image of the Hartco Valenza Our price will be $ 4.89. Same thick wear layer, can be refinsihed twice-perhaps three times. We'll be open Friday, but it's best to call ahead of time.

Ut-oh= Can't explain, but if he has insurance, no worry.

If he mostly does laminate and the rate is $1.90 sq ft. chances are that he is quoting a floating installation which sounds about right to me, a little cheap, but close to what I see. If it is glue that is way to low.

It is glue.

V.

I have heard from people who only sell solid wood, that the reason engineered wood is popular in South Florida is that it’s more forgiving in terms of the installation, yet a solid wood floor will perform just as well or better than engineered IF installed correctly. Who’s telling the truth?!?!

What ever you decide on, I would use the Bostics MVP and adhesive. Check them out, you can't do better then that. There is now one hardwood company that will warrant the installation of SOLID wood floors glued down on grade, using the Bostics system. It isn't the wood that makes that possible, it is the glue.

Vero:

Many feel more comfortable with enginnered installations over concrete. It's more forgiving and flexible opposed to a solid 3/4" hardwood. As far as who is telling the truth it's probably more of what each prefers or is accustomed to. Some of the more experienced guys will not touch a solid 3/4" gluedown on concrete with the exception of "shorts" and large parquet patterrns.

Yes, it's true Bostik will warrant a solid gluedown, but it seems only the "newbies" in this business will consider this type of installation, while the hardened professionals will request a plywood subfloor first if you're using a solid 3/4" product.

Glueing solid hardwoods with longer lengths takes more time if your desire a tight fitting floor. Longer solid 3/4" boards aren't as straight as shorter boards. Sometimes you can only do so much in one day because the adhesive won't hold them together tight enough unless they're wedged or clamped together for 24 hours.

After reading a lot about the topic on this forum we decided to go for engineered floors the reason being the chance that we have here in Florida to go for longs periods of time (sometimes more than a one month) without power after a hurricane. We know a situation like that could hurt both engineered and solid floors but even more so the solids right?

We know that whatever we pick we need to use Bostiks MVP and adhesive and Bostiks Best Glue.

The engineered floor we pick should be a veneer for at least 2 or 3 sanding, the wood should be sawn cut. We want a wide plank 5” or so. To be within our budged the price needs to be less than $5.48 which is the price we have for the Swedeco.

Kev: What brand is the $ 4.89 Santos you have? I’m interested in searching for details with regards to the brand.

We also know we prefer Santos over Brazilian Cherry but we are still on the search for the possibly of finding something a little lighter and less red in a natural wood… and if I don’t find anything I’ll be happy with the Santos.

Have any of you done glue-down laminate? Is there much difference between installing glue-down laminate and glue-down engineered over concrete? Is it the same work installation wise?

Thanks to all, peace to all,
Vero

It's their own private label brand called Woods of Distinction, sold up and down the east coast. Not 5" width but 3 1/2"