<p>gouf, are you considering prefinished wood the engineered stuff?</p>
<p>Basically, when I was researching these things, it all seemed to fall into how much of the actual wood that’s going to be visible on the surface do you want to be using. Solid wood is all the exact kind of wood you want. It can either come unfinished or prefinished. Engineered wood is a substantial layer of whatever will be visible on top of a cheaper sort of wood. It can be installed in a manner somewhat similar to the click-lock systems, and I *think *is usually prefinished. Pergo is where you have a thin veneer of the visible wood. After looking at a lot of houses it seemed to have more the durability of carpeting, and not something you’d last to expect closer to the house’s lifetime. It starts to show its age after some time. </p>
<p>Naturally the thicker the layer of “real” wood on top, the more times it can be refinished.</p>
<p>Lots of formaldehyde in bamboo finishes, and not all bamboo is equally hard. Have heard of lots of warping and off-gassing with the bamboo. We went with a. mom and pop store and a armstrong laminate floor upstairs. Has a lot of variety in grain and pattern and looks great. It is fine with water leaks because it is locked tight.</p>
<p>I have pre-finished oak flooring and love it (12 years so far). Supposedly can be refinished 3 times. It is in my kitchen and bathroom as well as a couple other rooms and hallways. At the time we got it (ordered it on internet) it was cheaper than tile so I figured what the heck, replace it when the time comes. Love it in the kitchen but would go tile in bath if do-over (but it is pretty). We put it in the kitchen to keep the flooring flow from being too broken up and I think that was a good decision.
My friend had Pergo in her condo and the condensation from just cold things in a trash can ruined it from the swelling that occurred (but the trash can still is atop it so you don’t see it). She also had real wood at her house but was able to have it refinished when her hot water heater leak did a major number on it.</p>
<p>Anyone out there who LOVES their carpeting? I need new living room and bedroom carpet and dread the process. Keep toying with more wood but like the feel and coziness of carpet. I read all those great stain guarantees but the fine print boils down to don’t spill anything.</p>