Replies

1. 
   Bill_Hartmann | Dec 17, 2001 09:34pm | #1

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   I can't answer your question, but Uniclic is not an engineer wood floor. It is an laminate floor.

1. 
   Boss_Hog | Dec 17, 2001 10:13pm | #2

   *Try searching the archives.This subject comes up often.

1. 
   Rich_Watkins | Dec 17, 2001 11:50pm | #3

   *Are these products superior to the standard t&g wood.....? Personally I don't care for either engineered or laminate flooring. Laminate flooring can very seldom be refinished, is prone to dents and just does not in my opinion "look" like a real wood floor, it looks too perfect and grain patterns repeat themselves. Properly kilned. acclimated, and installed t&g wood floors will last a lifetime and show very little movement. The best advantage to real wood floors is that during the finishing process they can be sanded 'flat'. This means that small humps and ridges that are telegraphed from imperfections in the subfloor can be removed. That's not to say that miracles can be performed with the drum sander, but those imperfections with the kinds of floors your talking about have to be lived with. Manufacturers have developed micro bevels or eased edges to help deal with this but over time these bevels collect dust and dirt and are very diffucult to keep clean. I know I will catch flak for this but I won't even install anything but 'real' t&g wood floors. Just my opinion.

1. 
   George_Roberts | Dec 18, 2001 01:32am | #4

   *I installed Bruce 3/8" wood laminate in my daughter's house.I stapled it down. It looks nice.

1. 
   Mongo_ | Dec 18, 2001 04:38am | #5

   *Plastic laminates? I still think they look horrible.Engineered wood (ply) strip flooring? Some look nice, some look not to nice. Go with the thicker top laminate. Remember, you can't sand it, only screen it when refinishing. And I'd NEVER advise a DIYer to try screening/refinishing an engineered wood ply product with an industrial screener.If you want pre-finished, it's an advantage.If you want the stability of a ply product installed over radiant floor heat, it's a huge advantage.Price-wise, a good ply product will be more expensive than a solid hardwood on a sq ft basis....but don't forget to add in the cost of sanding and finishing the solid hardwood.I've not used H-T but have heard both good and bad regarding their product, and the feedback is directly related to the price.Bruce doesn't seem to be worth the effort.Yes, ply products are more stable and have less shrinkage, but water resistance? It depends. Some will delaminate. Some have excellent adhesives and don't use junk for the filler plies. Depends on the quality of product. So, water resistance varies.Fastening. Nails or staples, will often split the tongue on thin plies. Glue or floating works well. Both can be used over RFH, but often floating is better over RFH due to the possibility of too high water temps. If the temp is too high, and I mean TOO high, the glue may crystallize, become brittle, and fail after a few years. Define "few year": 3-10 years.Re: vapor barier products...No matter what flooring you buy, install it in accordance with the manufacturer's spec sheet.

2. 
   piffin_ | Dec 18, 2001 06:27am | #6

   *Latest issue (sorry Andy) of JLC has an article on these.

3. 
   Michael_J_Lonigro | Dec 19, 2001 01:07am | #7

   *I remodeled a house had a slab on grade and a 7'-6" ceiling height. Owners wanted hardwood floors. Got a great deal on a closeout of Bruce flooring. Glued the whole floor down. The glue is a @#$@#$% mess. It gets trapped in the V grooves never to be removed. What grooves weren't filled with glue were filled dust and debris constantly. The floor had too much spring in it. The backs are grooved to allow for uneveness. Well any void in the concrete was felt when you walked over it. Turns out the owner was allergic to the phenolic resins in the boards and had to tear the whole floor out.Go with tried and true...3/4" T&G. It looks a hell of alot better! And any good installer can put in hundreds of different patterns or borders that you can't with the other stuff.Laminate flooring is just a picture of wood. You scratch it, you're done.We call the laminate and engineered floors "HD Specials"

2. 
   T.Thompson | Dec 19, 2001 01:07am | #8

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   I'd like to know if anybody has had experience with "engineered wood" flooring products produced by Uniclic, "ClicWood," Harris Tarkett " "Multi-Plank"," or Bruce's wood products.
   The "engineered wood" products are hardwood veneers placed on ply backings ranging in thickness from 1/4 to 9/16 inch. The veneers range from 1/16 to 1/8 inch in thickness, and may be refinished.
   Are these products superior to the standard T&G wood flooring as far as stability, shrinkage, and water resistance?
   Which is better installation practice, glued, tounge nailed, or free floating?
   There is also a product called "Quiet Floor," which is an underlayment with a vapor barrier for laminate and engineered wood floors. Any comments on this product?
   Sorry about all the questions, but I'm trying to cut through all the BS from these different manufacturers about their products.
   Thanks
   Tom