Hi,

I was all set to buy and install (myself) a 3 1/4" prefinished red-oak.

I have a low-cost option, around $4/sq-ft for the manufacturer's "mid-grade" product. Manufacturer is a company called Satin-Finish, made in the Toronto, Canada, area.

I then got another quote for wood from a different manufacturer, alleged to be higher quality, called Superior Hardwood also made in southern ontario, Canada.

This will also be red-oak, but they sell their 4 1/4" wide planks for LESS than the 3 1/4" ones (they say because demand is lower). Their Select grade 4 1/4" is about $4.50/sq-ft. The 3 1/4" is >$5/sq-ft.

I've been warned/scared about using "wide" planks. Is 4 1/4" wide enough for me to worry about? Anyone have any experience with these specific manufacturers?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

I carry both the products you mention and should clarify a couple of points for you. The Satin Finish product does not have a "mid" grade offering. What they do have is an off shoot product sold exclusively at one outlet for about the cost you mention. (not us). I will not comment on this nor identify the outlet.
I don't know where you got the price for the Superior product, but can tell you that between our own use, and resale product (total weekly use is about 15-20 thousand ft per week)there is very little difference in cost of either the 3 1/4 and 4 1/4. Not sure the Administrator would want me to actually quote the material to you in this forum but can tell you that we charge 15 cents more for the 4 1/4, if all else is the same, i.e. grade, species, colour, etc.

More importantly, if you control your interior conditions properly, 4 1/4 wont cause you any headaches that you wouldnt get with 3 1/4.

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your reply. I thought the price thing was odd too.

Would you be willing to offer a recommendation between the two products I'm considering?

Thanks again!

It is all about supply and demand. Usually, the wider, the more expensive, but not always. Distributors and re-sellers are always looking for deals offered by manufacturers on slow moving inventory.

Its a tough thing to do, Andy. Since we carry both products, as well as several others; it would not behoove me (lol) to speak badly of one over the other. We spend a lot of time with our clients helping them choose their new floor based on personal aesthetics rather than the name on the box.
Go to a reliable dealer, sit dowm at the table with a rep, and discuss what you envision your new floor to look like, i.e. species, colour, width, price, etc., without dwelling on the price TOO much. The reason I say this is if the floor you love costs 50 cents more than the one you can afford, you would be well advised to change your budget rather than save the additional cost, since you will be living with this floor for a long long time. Mathematically, assume you need 1000 ft. of floor, and expect to live in the house for twenty years. The annual additional cost to have the floor you want is therefore $25.00 a year (or 7 cents a day).

Or maybe a independant contractor

Absolutely, Tucson, didnt mean to slight you, as an independent. Just answering the O.P. from my perspective.

If I wanted the inside scoop, honesty, and true product knowledge, I would definetely seek out a reputable licensed independant hardwood flooring contractor . Not to slight the dealer, but more times than not in this day and age, your stuck with an uninformed "salesman". Again, not to slight the dealer . And ofcoarse there are exceptions

No Howard, we like salesmen and dealers. They keep the price structure high..er.

Hey hows about that Olympic gold medal tally!

Excellent point. Ya know I often wonder about those huge dealers beautiful showrooms, with those huge overheads. They usually boast lower prices as the result of buying power...I wonder if that's all smoke screens .

Well in some cases it may BE "smoke-screen" .In my particular case, on any given day I have about 1/2 million square feet of floor in stock, and this does indeed give me a price edge. But we resell to a LOT of independent contractors who appreciate that we do the inventorying for them yet still sell to them less that they would be able to get from a mill. But our primary work is in new housing and that eats up a lot of material on a daily basis, so our stock doesn't get "stale"

I can only go by what goes on out here...IMO it's very unusual for an independant "Hardwood Flooring Contractor" to purchase from their competition. There's only a couple of places out here that do your type of volume,( I should say, used to do that type of volume) and yes they get better pricing,and they do stock. Even dealers with descent volume get better pricing . But an independant , ( licensed in the trade ), has no reason , and wont purchase from them. We will purchase from a Distributor that stocks, ( wholesale ,only to the trade ). Our pricing may be a tad more, but not significant enough in the bidding process, when looking at overhead comparrisons. But infact, a Licensed Independant Contractor has an edge.
Most people out here would say it's a conflict of interest to purchase from competition, and can't justify a reason to do so. If by chance a Distributor happen to get caught selling retail, they would lose Dealers & Independants to a Distributor loyal to them. Note: A true"Reputable Distributor" out here does not sell to GC's or Designers.

Ya Floorologist, the whole system of doing business in Toronto is different than anywhere else, and I have no way of explaining it, lol. Suffice to say, the relationship between the "Independents" and the "Big Guys" (and there are a few in our area); is symbiotic in nature. The conflicts arise between the Independents among themselves, and the Big guys, among themselves.
It mostly a matter of financial backing. Could the average flooring contractor carry a builder that puts up 400 - 600 units a year, and expects 90 days? Not likely. Thats where the primary focus is for the big few. The smaller builder who does 6 or 10 houses a year usually pays faster are are easily managed by the smaller independents.
But what you are saying kind of eludes me. I think you have our company pegged as a Distributor, when in reality we are just a large version of a "mom and pop" shop, that not only makes butter tarts for personal use, but sells em to the public too. The "Distributors" up here wouldnt last a day if they sold to the public OR the Independent.
You would have to do an in-depth observation of the way things work here. There really is no back biting between different levels of our industry, as long as everyone plays the game. Of course, that never happens, lol.
I think Walkonus may be able to shine a light on our system since he is in my basic neighbourhood, and I believe is what you would refer to as an Independent. (not sure though, we havent met)

By the way, I totally respect your company from what Iv'e heard, long time professionals, that's few and far between in Las Vegas
I guess what I dont understand , and tell me if I'm misinterperating...I see your company as a very large Ma & Pa operation "Dealer", not Distributor. I can only imagine that some how with years of relationships thecompany has been able to somehow slide into a partial distributorship to a degree. Brought up in Los Angeles, our family company since 1957 and many larger, old companies in L.A., not one company was or is a "partial distributor". It would be a complete conflict.
Something interesting... In Las Vegas a 50 year Distributor will sell wood "wholesale" to a licensed "wood floor" independant contractor, without having their own showroom, ( you can bring a client to the distributor showroom). The same distributor in L.A. will not sell to a licensed independant, you must have a showroom.
Because I've been friends, since high school,with the head honcho of a large distributor, I can purchase wood at the same cost as a large displaying showroom . Living proof that stuff goes on

Who's doing 600 to 800 units a year in this economy?