I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own. The 2 bedrooms had old wall-to-wall carpet in them and I took that up.
The living room had a Pergo laminate floor in very good condition, but I had
to take that up because the remodeling changes resulted in the Pergo no
longer covering the full size of the room.

What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled in
with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then sand
and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring throughout,
on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply finish coats
of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, and then maybe add a
coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

The 2 bedrooms, living room, closets, and small hallway area add up to about
440 square feet. If I do add a whole new hardwood floor on top of the
existing one, that added 3/4-inch plus underlayment in floor height will not
present a problem. I have a person who can do the work regardless of which
option I end up choosing. I have been reading, researching, watching
YouTube videos, etc. to learn as much as I can before going ahead.

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead of
pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need to be
done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. Is that
correct?

On Jun 16, 11:38*am, "BetaB4" wrote:
I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own. *The 2 bedrooms had old wall-to-wall carpet in them and I took that up.
The living room had a Pergo laminate floor in very good condition, but I had
to take that up because the remodeling changes resulted in the Pergo no
longer covering the full size of the room.

What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled in
with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then sand
and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring throughout,
on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply finish coats
of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing *hardwood flooring, and then maybe add a
coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

The 2 bedrooms, living room, closets, and small hallway area add up to about
440 square feet. *If I do add a whole new hardwood floor on top of the
existing one, that added 3/4-inch plus underlayment in floor height will not
present a problem. *I have a person who can do the work regardless of which
option I end up choosing. *I have been reading, researching, watching
YouTube videos, etc. to learn as much as I can before going ahead.

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead of
pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need to be
done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. *Is that
correct?

Go with tile or vinyl in high traffic areas. Go with good quality
carpet in the hallway and living room. Go with matching (but lighter
quality) carpet in the bedrooms.

BetaB4 wrote:

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

Having lived with both wall-to-wall carpeting and hardwood, I'll take the
hardwood anytime. IMO It's easier to maintain and in today's market it adds
to a home's value. Have you priced-out your various options? I'd lean
towards repairing and refinishing the existing floor unless putting new
hardwood or laminate over the existing floor would be significantly cheaper.

BetaB4 wrote:
I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building
that I own. The 2 bedrooms had old wall-to-wall carpet in them and I
took that up. The living room had a Pergo laminate floor in very good
condition, but I had to take that up because the remodeling changes
resulted in the Pergo no longer covering the full size of the room.

What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red
oak hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or
filled in with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are
some gaps between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor,
then sand and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and
apply finish coats of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, and then maybe
add a coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

The 2 bedrooms, living room, closets, and small hallway area add up
to about 440 square feet. If I do add a whole new hardwood floor on
top of the existing one, that added 3/4-inch plus underlayment in
floor height will not present a problem. I have a person who can do
the work regardless of which option I end up choosing. I have been
reading, researching, watching YouTube videos, etc. to learn as much
as I can before going ahead.
Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead
of pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need
to be done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. Is
that correct?

I'd vote for the laminate. Perfectly adequate laminate from Lumber
Liquidators can be had for 75¢/sq ft, about the same price as medium carpet.
But when the tenants move out, you probably won't have to replace it.

If you do decide on laminate, check back here for installation tips.

HeyBub wrote:

I'd vote for the laminate. Perfectly adequate laminate from Lumber
Liquidators can be had for 75¢/sq ft, about the same price as medium
carpet. But when the tenants move out, you probably won't have to
replace it.

Interesting. Thanks. I didn't realize that laminate could be purchased at
anywhere near that price range. I've mostly been checking places like Home
Depot and Lowes, but I have a Lumber Liquidators store right near me.

The laminate that I took up really did look good, and it apparently held up
like iron because it looked brand new -- not a mark on it. Here's a link to
a Lumber Liquidators page that I just checked out:

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/cat...ubCategoryId=0

I'll go in person to the store and see what they have, and what the variuos
grades and thickneeses mean, etc.

If you do decide on laminate, check back here for installation tips.

I'll definitely do that if I end up deciding on laminate.

DGDevin wrote:
BetaB4 wrote:

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be
appreciated.

Having lived with both wall-to-wall carpeting and hardwood, I'll take
the hardwood anytime. IMO It's easier to maintain and in today's
market it adds to a home's value. Have you priced-out your various
options?

I have been trying to price out the various options, but there are so many
options that my head is spinning (maybe I need an exorcist).

I'd lean towards repairing and refinishing the existing
floor unless putting new hardwood or laminate over the existing floor
would be significantly cheaper.

I'm thinking of taking a shot a refinishing the existing floor -- or at
least starting the process, and see what happens and how it all goes.

"BetaB4" wrote in message
...
I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own. The 2 bedrooms had old wall-to-wall carpet in them and I took that
up. The living room had a Pergo laminate floor in very good condition, but
I had to take that up because the remodeling changes resulted in the Pergo
no longer covering the full size of the room.

What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled
in with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then
sand and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply
finish coats of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, and then maybe add
a coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

The 2 bedrooms, living room, closets, and small hallway area add up to
about 440 square feet. If I do add a whole new hardwood floor on top of
the existing one, that added 3/4-inch plus underlayment in floor height
will not present a problem. I have a person who can do the work
regardless of which option I end up choosing. I have been reading,
researching, watching YouTube videos, etc. to learn as much as I can
before going ahead.

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead of
pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need to be
done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. Is that
correct?



Since it is for an apartment I would recomend this...I have seen it and it
looks great and is REAL easy to install...Also have the same stuff that
looks like tile...Available at Homedepot and other places I'm sure...Good
luck...


Trafficmaster Allure, Oak 6 In. x 36 In. Resilient Vinyl Plank Flooring (24
Sq. Ft. Per Case)

Easy GripStripT installation - Lays directly over your old floor; no floor
prep or messy glue needed! Looks and feels like real wood. feel the knots!
Completely waterproof. Perfect in high moisture areas. basements, kitchens,
and bathrooms. Warm comfort and quiet under foot. Install an entire floor
cleanly, easily in just a few hours. 25 year residential warranty.

a.. Oak Finish
b.. Super durable and completely waterproof
c.. Unique interlocking-edge design for simple installation
d.. Simply lay overlapping GripStripT of one plank on adjacent plank and
press together. No other adhesive required. Minimal trimming involved. Just
score and snap!
e.. Sold by the box, each covers 24 Sq. Ft.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...9 0112+500335

On Jun 16, 11:38*am, "BetaB4" wrote:
I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own.
[snip]
What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled in
with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then sand
and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring throughout,
on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply finish coats
of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing *hardwood flooring, and then maybe add a
coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.


As someone who is a landlord and deals with tenants, let me share
thoughts on your options. My wife and I pulled up the carpet in the
house we rent out because it was 30 years old; we elected not to
replace it but leave the hardwood floors because we knew they would be
more durable than carpet. What we didn't realize at the time is that
prospective tenants see hardwood floors as a luxury addition to a
rental, and are willing to pay a bit more in rent as a result.

Carpet may be the most cost-effective option up front because you
don't have to worry about matching or replacing the oak flooring, but
you'll end up paying more over the long-term (10 years or more) as you
replace worn carpeting. And it could end up costing you depending on
your tenants: if they have lots of parties and alcohol is repeatedly
spilled, or maybe a tenant leaves their wet SCUBA gear (had a roommate
like that and the hall stank for a year after he moved out) or oily,
greasy parts from their car's engine on the carpet, or if you allow
people to have pets you have no guarantee the pet(s) won't pee on the
carpet.

STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or vinyl image of
wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT handle being
scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light traffic areas
like in your own home where you can care for them, but you have no
control over how your tenant(s) take care of the floors. The same can
be said for some engineered flooring, which is a thin-thin-thin layer
of the real wood over particle or fiber board and any damage cannot
simply be filled in or buffed out.

"Hardwood" flooring is your best option because it will withstand
abuse better and light wear or damages can be dealt with easier. I put
hardwood in quotes because, in my experience, dollar-for-dollar bamboo
is a better investment than oak flooring, simply because it is harder
(20-100% harder than red oak on the Janka scale - http://www.buildinggreentv.com/4861)
and therefore wear better.

On Jun 16, 9:45�pm, Kyle wrote:
On Jun 16, 11:38�am, "BetaB4" wrote:





I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own.
[snip]
What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled in
with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then sand
and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring throughout,
on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply finish coats
of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing �hardwood flooring, and then maybe add a
coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

As someone who is a landlord and deals with tenants, let me share
thoughts on your options. My wife and I pulled up the carpet in the
house we rent out because it was 30 years old; we elected not to
replace it but leave the hardwood floors because we knew they would be
more durable than carpet. What we didn't realize at the time is that
prospective tenants see hardwood floors as a luxury addition to a
rental, and are willing to pay a bit more in rent as a result.

Carpet may be the most cost-effective option up front because you
don't have to worry about matching or replacing the oak flooring, but
you'll end up paying more over the long-term (10 years or more) as you
replace worn carpeting. And it could end up costing you depending on
your tenants: if they have lots of parties and alcohol is repeatedly
spilled, or maybe a tenant leaves their wet SCUBA gear (had a roommate
like that and the hall stank for a year after he moved out) or oily,
greasy parts from their car's engine on the carpet, or if you allow
people to have pets you have no guarantee the pet(s) won't pee on the
carpet.

STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or vinyl image of
wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT handle being
scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light traffic areas
like in your own home where you can care for them, but you have no
control over how your tenant(s) take care of the floors. The same can
be said for some engineered flooring, which is a thin-thin-thin layer
of the real wood over particle or fiber board and any damage cannot
simply be filled in or buffed out.

"Hardwood" flooring is your best option because it will withstand
abuse better and light wear or damages can be dealt with easier. I put
hardwood in quotes because, in my experience, dollar-for-dollar bamboo
is a better investment than oak flooring, simply because it is harder
(20-100% harder than red oak on the Janka scale -http://www.buildinggreentv.com/4861)
and therefore wear better.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hardwood can be noisey, if the apartment your reding nhas tenants
below stick with carpet to minimize noise.

my wife wanted hardwood, so we pulled up the carpet its very noisey, i
want to go back to carpet

Kyle wrote:

STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or vinyl image of
wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT handle being
scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light traffic areas
like in your own home where you can care for them, but you have no
control over how your tenant(s) take care of the floors. The same can
be said for some engineered flooring, which is a thin-thin-thin layer
of the real wood over particle or fiber board and any damage cannot
simply be filled in or buffed out.

You're correct about laminate being essentially wallpaper over a backing
stock. But it's then covered with - I don't know - ballistic polycarbonate,
Lexan on steroids, or somesuch.

And it will hold up. We've experimented.

We attacked CHEAP laminate with a pointy-nail, a wood rasp, a hammer, an
orbital sander, and other violations. I asked my local femme-fatal to prance
around on it with spiked heels. Dog-claws don't scratch it. I put strips of
it in a glass of water for a MONTH with no detectable distortion or
swelling. It does, however, burn.

That stuff is almost impregnable! You could make bullet-proof vests out of
it. It doesn't rot and termites won't eat it. It'll be around long after
cockroaches are extinct.

I evem took what I had left over from doing two rooms and covered the
60's-era Formica on the kitchen counters. Looks double-swell (like
butcher-block) and is holding up as well as the Formica (of course I don't
have 40 years of use on it yet...)

"BetaB4" wrote:

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then sand
and refinish it;

This would be my favorite. Hardwood is impressively durable and, if you keep
some of the finish, easily repaired when needed (not often).

4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring throughout,
on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply finish coats
of polyurethane, etc.;

I don't see the advantage of this.


If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead of
pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need to be
done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. Is that
correct?

No, it takes some pretty heavy duty sanding to even the floor out.

-- Doug

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
Kyle wrote:

STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or vinyl image of
wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT handle being
scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light traffic areas
like in your own home where you can care for them, but you have no
control over how your tenant(s) take care of the floors. The same can
be said for some engineered flooring, which is a thin-thin-thin layer
of the real wood over particle or fiber board and any damage cannot
simply be filled in or buffed out.



You obviously don't know what you are talking about...The flooring I talked
about is VINYL..It is NOT paper over wood , partical board or plastic....It
is VERY durable and flexable , almost rubbery ,with adhesive edges that when
put together form a WATERPROOF floor..It can even be used in GARAGES.....It
is nearly indestructable which makes it perfect for an APARTMENT , in case
you've forgotten what this thread is about...GESH , atleast TRY to find out
about what you're talking about BEFORE you spout off at the mouth , lest you
make as ass of yourself as you just did.......

Trafficmaster Allure Commercial Diamond Plate Graphite Vinyl Flooring (24
Sq. Ft. Per Case)

Model 840224

$3.09/Sq. Ft. Price includes shipping

$74.06/CA Case Covers 24 Sq. Ft.

a.. Diamond Plate Graphite Pattern
a.. Super durable and completely waterproof
a.. Unique interlocking-edge design for simple installation
a.. Ice, heat, and road salt resistant
a.. Sold by the box, each covers 24 Sq. Ft.
a..
This is a little more and is FOR GARAGES....LOL...IDIOT....

On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:45:59 -0700 (PDT), Kyle wrote:
....
STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or vinyl image of
wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT handle being
scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light traffic areas
like in your own home where you can care for them, but you have no


Bull****. The stuff is incredibly tough, tougher than hardwood.

benick wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
Kyle wrote:

STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the
Trafficmaster Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or
vinyl image of wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT
handle being scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light
traffic areas like in your own home where you can care for them,
but you have no control over how your tenant(s) take care of the
floors. The same can be said for some engineered flooring, which is
a thin-thin-thin layer of the real wood over particle or fiber
board and any damage cannot simply be filled in or buffed out.



You obviously don't know what you are talking about...The flooring I
talked about is VINYL..It is NOT paper over wood , partical board or
plastic....It is VERY durable and flexable , almost rubbery ,with
adhesive edges that when put together form a WATERPROOF floor..It can
even be used in GARAGES.....It is nearly indestructable which makes
it perfect for an APARTMENT , in case you've forgotten what this
thread is about...GESH , atleast TRY to find out about what you're
talking about BEFORE you spout off at the mouth , lest you make as
ass of yourself as you just did.......
Trafficmaster Allure Commercial Diamond Plate Graphite Vinyl Flooring
(24 Sq. Ft. Per Case)
[...]
This is a little more and is FOR GARAGES....LOL...IDIOT....

Good comment, but poor aim.

I, for one, not only know what I'm talking about, but know to whom I'm
responding.

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:45:59 -0700 (PDT), Kyle wrote:
...
STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or vinyl image of
wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT handle being
scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light traffic areas
like in your own home where you can care for them, but you have no


Bull****. The stuff is incredibly tough, tougher than hardwood.

Unless it gets standing water on it, true. But personally, I can't get
past how damn ugly it is. Like walking around on kitchen counter. The
only kind of snap-together floor I would even consider is the type with
real wood on the top.

--
aem sends...

Kyle wrote:

: STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the Trafficmaster
: Allure recommended by /benick/,
Traffimaster Allure is a peel-and-stick vinyl strip flooring, not a laminate.


are simply a paper or vinyl image of
: wood over particle board or some such

True.


, and will NOT handle being
: scuffed, scratched or dinged.

Absolutely false. Laminate flooring is harder and GREATLY more
scratch- and dent-resistant than hardwood is.

: "Hardwood" flooring is your best option because it will withstand
: abuse better and light wear or damages can be dealt with easier. I put
: hardwood in quotes because, in my experience, dollar-for-dollar bamboo
: is a better investment than oak flooring, simply because it is harder
: (20-100% harder than red oak on the Janka scale - http://www.buildinggreentv.com/4861)
: and therefore wear better.

You're wrong on that. Try a simple experiment: take a car key and try
scratching a sample of bamboo; hardwood; engineered hardwood; and laminate.

They'll all suffer visible damage except the laminate.


-- Andy Barss

"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
benick wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
Kyle wrote:

STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the
Trafficmaster Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or
vinyl image of wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT
handle being scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light
traffic areas like in your own home where you can care for them,
but you have no control over how your tenant(s) take care of the
floors. The same can be said for some engineered flooring, which is
a thin-thin-thin layer of the real wood over particle or fiber
board and any damage cannot simply be filled in or buffed out.



You obviously don't know what you are talking about...The flooring I
talked about is VINYL..It is NOT paper over wood , partical board or
plastic....It is VERY durable and flexable , almost rubbery ,with
adhesive edges that when put together form a WATERPROOF floor..It can
even be used in GARAGES.....It is nearly indestructable which makes
it perfect for an APARTMENT , in case you've forgotten what this
thread is about...GESH , atleast TRY to find out about what you're
talking about BEFORE you spout off at the mouth , lest you make as
ass of yourself as you just did.......
Trafficmaster Allure Commercial Diamond Plate Graphite Vinyl Flooring
(24 Sq. Ft. Per Case)
[...]
This is a little more and is FOR GARAGES....LOL...IDIOT....

Good comment, but poor aim.

I, for one, not only know what I'm talking about, but know to whom I'm
responding.

The original post I was quoting did NOT appear on my news reader for some
reason (WLM) and only showed up in your response so I used that one after
removing your comments...Sorry about that...Next time I'll cut and
paste....I seem to lose a few posts...Sometimes the OP starts out with just
the responses and I have to read the OP in one of the responses...Why I
don't know...

aemeijers wrote:
AZ Nomad wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:45:59 -0700 (PDT), Kyle
wrote: ...
STAY AWAY FROM LAMINATE! Laminate floors, including the
Trafficmaster Allure recommended by /benick/, are simply a paper or
vinyl image of wood over particle board or some such, and will NOT
handle being scuffed, scratched or dinged. They're fine for light
traffic areas like in your own home where you can care for them,
but you have no


Bull****. The stuff is incredibly tough, tougher than hardwood.

Unless it gets standing water on it, true. But personally, I can't get
past how damn ugly it is. Like walking around on kitchen counter. The
only kind of snap-together floor I would even consider is the type
with real wood on the top.

Almost any flooring with standing water will suffer. Some will even moan.

As for looks, well, beauty is what it is.

You evidently haven't seen the new "cloud design." Makes you feel like an
angel!

Or the tableaus that looks like you're standing atop the Washington Monument
or floating above the Grand Canyon.

Thanks to everyone for all of the feedback and suggestions.

Just to follow up, here's where I am with this so far. I checked out Lumber
Liquidators since I didn't realize that I could get laminate for as low as
78-cents a square foot. They have it, and that became one option. I do
like how durable laminate is.

At the same time, I discovered that Lumber Liquidators has prefinished
3/4-inch red oak hardwood for as low as $1.99 a square foot. It's a lower
grade of wood with more defects etc. but it looks like it would be okay for
the type of older style apartment that I am having redone. They also have a
slightly better grade of unfinished 3/4-inch red oak hardwood for $1.59 per
square foot. I started out by buying a small amount of that and am using
that to fill in some pieces in the existing hardwood floor, and then will
probably try having the existing floor sanded and refinished. But, the
unfinished $1.59 red oak hardwood actually looks pretty good now that I see
it in place. So, if refinishing the existing floor looks like it will be
too much trouble or won't come out too well, I may decide to just buy enough
of the $1.59 unfinished red oak to put down a whole new floor over the
existing one and go with that.


"BetaB4" wrote in message
...
I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own. The 2 bedrooms had old wall-to-wall carpet in them and I took that
up. The living room had a Pergo laminate floor in very good condition, but
I had to take that up because the remodeling changes resulted in the Pergo
no longer covering the full size of the room.

What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled
in with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then
sand and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply
finish coats of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, and then maybe add
a coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

The 2 bedrooms, living room, closets, and small hallway area add up to
about 440 square feet. If I do add a whole new hardwood floor on top of
the existing one, that added 3/4-inch plus underlayment in floor height
will not present a problem. I have a person who can do the work
regardless of which option I end up choosing. I have been reading,
researching, watching YouTube videos, etc. to learn as much as I can
before going ahead.

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead of
pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need to be
done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. Is that
correct?

On Jun 20, 10:14�pm, "BetaB4" wrote:
Thanks to everyone for all of the feedback and suggestions.

Just to follow up, here's where I am with this so far. �I checked out Lumber
Liquidators since I didn't realize that I could get laminate for as low as
78-cents a square foot. �They have it, and that became one option.. �I do
like how durable laminate is.

At the same time, I discovered that Lumber Liquidators has prefinished
3/4-inch red oak hardwood for as low as $1.99 a square foot. �It's a lower
grade of wood with more defects etc. but it looks like it would be okay for
the type of older style apartment that I am having redone. �They also have a
slightly better grade of unfinished 3/4-inch red oak hardwood for $1.59 per
square foot. �I started out by buying a small amount of that and am using
that to fill in some pieces in the existing hardwood floor, and then will
probably try having the existing floor sanded and refinished. �But, the
unfinished $1.59 red oak hardwood actually looks pretty good now that I see
it in place. �So, if refinishing the existing floor looks like it will be
too much trouble or won't come out too well, I may decide to just buy enough
of the $1.59 unfinished red oak to put down a whole new floor over the
existing one and go with that.

"BetaB4" wrote in message

...



I am near the end of having a 2 BR apartment remodeled in a building that I
own. �The 2 bedrooms had old wall-to-wall carpet in them and I took that
up. The living room had a Pergo laminate floor in very good condition, but
I had to take that up because the remodeling changes resulted in the Pergo
no longer covering the full size of the room.

What I am now left with is 2 bedrooms and a living room with old red oak
hardwood floors in mediocre shape -- there are paint splatters and
oversprays on the floor, some pieces would have to be replaced or filled
in with hardwood (where closet walls were, etc), and there are some gaps
between some of the existing hardwood boards.

So, I am thinking my choices a

1) wall-to-wall carpeting throughout;
2) new laminate/Pergo-style flooring throughout;
3) replace the missing pieces and fix the existing hardwood floor, then
sand and refinish it;
4) add all new unfinished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing hardwood flooring, then sand and apply
finish coats of polyurethane, etc.;
5) add all new pre-finished red oak (or similar) hardwood flooring
throughout, on top of the existing �hardwood flooring, and then maybe add
a coat of polyurethane to seal the cracks between the pieces.

The 2 bedrooms, living room, closets, and small hallway area add up to
about 440 square feet. �If I do add a whole new hardwood floor on top of
the existing one, that added 3/4-inch plus underlayment in floor height
will not present a problem. �I have a person who can do the work
regardless of which option I end up choosing. �I have been reading,
researching, watching YouTube videos, etc. to learn as much as I can
before going ahead.

Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc. would be appreciated.

If I do decide to go with installing new unfinished hardwood (instead of
pre-finished hardwood), I assume that some quick sanding will need to be
done -- but not a lot -- before adding a polyurethane finish. �Is that
correct?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

adding a floor over a existing floor changes the height of steps and
may put you at risk if someone falls.

check with local code enforcement officer before proceeding

BetaB4 wrote:
Thanks to everyone for all of the feedback and suggestions.

Just to follow up, here's where I am with this so far. I checked out
Lumber Liquidators since I didn't realize that I could get laminate
for as low as 78-cents a square foot. They have it, and that became
one option. I do like how durable laminate is.

Consider this is a seller's market in the rental arena, what with all the
foreclosures going on.

Have you considered straw?

That's not a problem in my sitaution. It's a one-floor apartment with no
steps. It has a living room and 2 bedrooms, plus a kitchen and bath -- all
on one level. The kitchen and bath are being completely redone, including
the floors -- so those floors will be raised to the level of the new
hardwood in the adjacent rooms if I go that route.

"bob haller" wrote in message
...

adding a floor over a existing floor changes the height of steps and
may put you at risk if someone falls.

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...

Consider this is a seller's market in the rental arena, what with all the
foreclosures going on.

Have you considered straw?

With all of the foreclosures going on, one would think that would be the
case -- more and more tenants looking for places to rent. But many
landlords are finding the tenant market a little slow. tenants are
negotiating for lower rents and/or move-in incentives. That may be due to
more proeprties being available for rent since owners are having trouble
selling, plus those foreclosed homes get bought by investors who want to
rent them out. The trend now is to spend a little more to make the rental
places nicer to attract and keep tenants.