How many bottles of wine will that take?

I totally agree with Snowgirl. I definitely regret making the laminate decision. The laminate warped really badly where there was a very minor leak. Also, when our air conditioning was out for a couple of weeks, the humidity level in the house rose so high that several of the laminate boards "popped" up and the floor became wavy. If I had the decision to make over again, I would definitely invest the money in hardwood. And once I've saved up the money, I am going to enjoy the day I rip out the laminate and put in real hardwood.

My brother had a big dog and the dog never did any serious damage to their real hardwood. They have refinished it once in 5 years and their flooring looks fantastic. My other brother has 4 cats and usually a dog or two around and their real hardwood looks pretty darn good, and they have never refinished it in 10 years of living in that house.

OMG!

Re: Cork: Will it stain if you spill stuff on it?

Don't worry. Tanq is clear, so you shouldn't have any problems with staining.

We have laminate and don't regret it because of the cost. Most people that come to our house think they are hardwood. We have 4 huge dogs and and a small one and that flooring can take it. I do agree with Pale's comments on the noise level. Many times have I tipped-toed out in the mornings so my high heels don't make so much noice when others are still sleeping.

Our Aussie won't walk on the wood or tile floors so now my house is covered in area rugs in paths that will allow her to have the run of half the house and ingress/egress to the front and back doors. We look like dorks for that dog.

My mother in law moved back into the family farm and ripped up the carpeting and refinished the floors. Those 1930s refinished oak hardwood floors would give anyone floor envy.

http://www.nfpimports.com/faq.html

next question

Is cork flammable?
cork is fire retardant

Burnt - if you think laminate warped when it got wet, wait until you see what hardwood does when it gets wet...in the scenario you mention, you would have had much more damage.

simple solutions - but cheap cowboy boots (not like your from Texas anyway) and stop wearing your high heels inside...

Buy some boots for the dog, and let it be the dork.

We put this in our kitchen a while back and I really like it. It has held up well.

My BIL used the vinyl planks in their Master Bathroom. It looks really good, it water proof, and was easy to do.

We did the laminate in the kitchen, dining, hallway areas. It looks great, but I am fearfull of water.

BIL did a test, bought individual planks of wood, laminate and the vinyl and put it thru all kinds of test. The only one to come out unharmed was the vinyl.

DD - is your BIL an engineer?

How to fix dings in bamboo floors!
If you have dings in bamboo, it's REALLY easy to fix them

I have hardwood and laminate in different parts of the house.
Negatives to each are minimal
1. Yes, laminate is loud
2. The hardwood is affected by the sun (fading)

Positive to both is that they look good with little effort and the dogs (I have 7 and some are huge) have not been able to damage either one. Neither have the herd of teenage boys that live at my house.

As far as warping I would never pu either one in a kitchen or bath.

Or just place a door mat over the dent/ding.

Yes, Yes he is, for Honda America.

Besides Backstreets, has anyone else installed or had bamboo floors?

Regardless of their hardiness, I am not sure I like the look so much.

That vinyl flooring looks interesting. I would love to have hardwood or laminate in the kitchen and in the bathroom in the basement, but I would never use either because of the fear of water damage. The vinyl looks incredibly easy to install as well. I may have to look into that.....

We put the laminate in the kitchen. After having it in the break room at work for 5 years, it hasn't hurt it a bit.

The previous owner also had it in the kitchen, just a light color than what we wanted.

So, I said, what the heck, trying it out. It looks great right now. It wasn't hard to do, so, if I have to replace I will.

Hardwood doesn't warp and lift up due to humidity. And mild water damage on hardwood flooring can be refinished/sanded out. With laminate, it pretty much has to be replaced. Every home I've lived in before this one had hardwood floors, so I have lots of experience with hardwood floors and I really regret cheaping out and going with the laminate this time around. I personally would never ever choose laminate again.

I was told at my local building center that they try and steer customers away from bamboo because it is a softer wood and easily scratched and dented (even from just walking on it). They have had more people dissatisfied with it than satisfied. It's expensive and if I'm doing to ding it up by just walking on the floor in my heels? No thanks.

Besides, I read somewhere that it is as eco-friendly as it appears because some countries are now clearing natural forests to plant bamboo.

figured as much...only an engineer would buy samples and test...

tell him i love my CR-V and MsGilmore loves her Accord

Good info!

No biggie really... I just never liked the look enough. I always say that wood matches wood, but somehow I never think bamboo seems to really match other woods all that well, now traditional decor. Possibly, because it is really a grass and not a wood!

well, with 48% of Americans projected to be obese by 2020, I guess it does dent just from walking on it

Well thank you, Bill Nye!