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michigammemom Choosing your flooring is a big decision to make in a day. You don't specify your taste or house style. The polished concrete suggests a more contemporary look and unless you have in floor heat, it would be chilly to walk on. I think you should browse flooring options on houzz to get a feel for what would suit your house. Search "polished concrete", "bamboo floor" and "hardwood floor" to see the best variety of options.

runnergir2 wood wins out in my mind, much warmer looking and nicer feel. Bamboo is highly toxic when sanded down, in fact our flooring guy told us he turns down at least a job a week to re-sand floors because it is such a messy job. hope that helps

designideas4me Just spoke to a bamboo dealer who said if I buy extra and do engineered click lock I can replace damage to planks if needed so no sanding would be required.

Eutree Wide Plank Flooring Solid wood that is site finished will always be your best bet with highest return both visually and economically if you decide to sell the home. Yes bamboo flooring is toxic and comes from China. One of the "better" brands now advertises that it is "not toxic" ... I really think its weird they have to mention that.

designideas4me Trust me I have spent a year or more deciding which way to go. My style is very modern. I just have to decide with concrete contractor today. Having serious second thoughts. I love the concrete but my son wont like it.

designideas4me What I need is a floor under 10k so that 5 bux a sq foot installed. My option has to be engineered click lock because glue down is too much. The wood grain I want to be subtle and simply create color no pattern of a wood. I think click lock is the best option for me. Why is tons of bamboo sold if its toxic?

Eutree Wide Plank Flooring Many different toxic consumer products have been produced and sold throughout the years. Asbestos is one that many people know about. Sheetrock from China in the late 90's was actually causing homes to be condemned. Here is a link http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500690_162-5752469.html . Bamboo flooring uses massive amounts of toxic chemicals to produce and can never be resurfaced. Use Google to find out more if you have time.

MODE CONCRETE Do your research and see lots of sample before deciding!

Concrete is a great material for flooring - we embrace and look forward to variations, irregularities, and the patina that develops with wear over time so the cracks and chips (if repaired and filled) can add to the 'beauty marks' on your floor. Concrete gives you great longevity, wear, ages beautifully, and is the same temperature as tile or natural stone.

http://www.modeconcrete.com/

orangecamera Laminate needs to be inside the house (not garage) for about 7 days to acclimate to temperature before it can be put down. You also need underlayment AND padding (unless the floor you pick already has padding on it). Also, unless you choose one that's in stock, you'll have to wait for it to be delivered.

Do you have to do the entire house with the same floor? Can you at least put wood on your son's floor?

Okay, I just realized this question was from 30 hours ago....what did you decide to do?

alwaysdesigning I really like the wood look tile planks. They come in several very different colors (I like the grey driftwood) and my husband the architect is very impressed with them. Look at several different types as they differ in quality of "look". They look like wood but are durable as tile is. The color is all the way through the tile so no color scratch off. Concrete stain I am not a fan of personally. It is too splotchy as the cured cement takes the stain differently throughout, unless the concrete people really know what they are doing and you pay the price for that. Good luck

designideas4me I cancelled the concrete install. I cried all day because it was what I wanted but I live with my son and mother and have to do whats best for all of us. I was going to get a concrete overlay and stain by a very good company. It would have been beautiful( to me) but not to him. I know it sounds stupid that as the mother and person who makes the decisions and who pays the bills I would be influenced by my child but its always been me and him and I always lived my life to do what was good for both of us and take his feeling into consideration. I guess everyone approaches these decisions differently. I didnt want to spend 10k or more and hear how I made a bad choice and that it doesnt fit the house style or what his friends houses look like. I want him to feel he can be proud of where he lives. He has been ashamed for so long that there is no floor in this house. So I forced myself to make a decision thinking any floor was ok based on what he said but them the stress of packing up and moving out for 5 days became overwhelming along with my talking to people on here and in my own life who said that wood is a better investment etc. So I brought home a few boxes to see how it looked instead of a 2inch sample and he really liked it. Maybe it will be a little easier on my bare feet and my bad back. I am kinda starting not to care anymore. I just want to get this done. Its dragged on too long with my inability to make a decision. Am I the only one who struggles like this? I talked to one designer who was quite nice to speak to me on the phone but she explained that in working with a designer I would need to give up control and let them do the work and make the decisions. I could never do that. Thats not me. I can take advice into consideration but in the end the decision has to be mine as to the final execution . I am a control freak I suppose. I could never just turn over 1000s of dollars to someone and let go.

Marie Hebson's interiorsBYDESIGN Inc. DO NOT DO CLICK FLOORING!
What's wrong with cement throughout?
If you must go to hardwood, then GET hardwood. Click flooring is so cheap looking and sounding...

Overall what is your design aesthetic -concrete tends to lean towards modern/contemporary.

PS: WHO'S PAYING THE MORTGAGE - YOU OR YOUR SON?
Just saying...get what YOU want...

designideas4me Of course I am paying the bills. My design is modern. My house is your basic middle class track house built in 2004.. 2000 sq ft with a nice pool. Single story. From talking to many flooring stores and people putting in wood they say click lock is a great way to go. If the floor is engineered wood or solid bamboo than why not? If it has a good pad. I dont understand why I am told 100 different things about wood floors that all contradict each other. How will I ever decide? I would say ten houses out of 10,000 have concrete in this area. Maybe I am not keeping with the style of the house (like he says) and others have said who are contractors. One kitchen designer seemed to say do the concrete if I am putting in the slab doors and my furniture is very modern. I just in so much conflict . As soon as I make a decision people talk me out of it. Like with the bamboo or the click lock floor or the coldness of the concrete and it not being a good long term investment if I ever sell.

orangecamera I feel your pain about decision making. What is your flooring now? You said you don't have a floor, but there must be something! Are you on a slab? If so, you already have concrete floors.

How old is your son? It's not child abuse to "make" him live with a design aesthetic he doesn't like, so stop beating yourself up over that aspect of the decision. However, taking his feelings into consideration is appropriate. Do his room in wood if you can. But make sure he knows that a person who won't be his friend because of the type of floor in his house isn't worth being friends with!

The fact that few people in your area don't have concrete floors may just mean you're a trend setter! Talk to realtors to find out about resale value. What's in today may be outdated someday when you sell.

Natalie Hi---I totally understand where you're coming from. It is very hard to give up control and allow others to choose for you. I wanted to throw out another choice for you---something people are opting to do, as it's maintenance free (easy repairs) and less costly than wood and concrete: PORCELAIN tile which looks like wood. It comes in numerous colors, styles, patterns, etc. Show your son the pics and tell him instead of keeping up with the Joneses, he should be a trendsetter. :) I hope this helps you out. Try not to stress too much. Good Luck!

[houzz=Wood Look Porcelain Tile][houzz=Monte Napoleone Porcelain floor tile][houzz=Monte Napoleone 6x48, 8x48 1][houzz=Xilema Porcelain Floor Tile - Wood looking][houzz=Monte Napoleone 6x48, 8x48 2][houzz=Strand Porcelain Tile - Linear Stone Look - Moro Black - floor tile][houzz=Strand Porcelain Tile - Linear Stone Look Tile - Beige Tile - Floor tile][[houzz=Vintage Wood Planks- Porcelain Tile 5"x24"]houzz=Provenza Lignes- Wood Look Porcelain TIle]

hechthouse What did you decide? My take on this is a little different: I like the look of concrete, but I also don't mind floating floors, especially in the less central rooms of a house (e.g. guest room), and they are cheaper and easy to change later (it's true that you can change out damaged planks -- it's also easy to remove the whole thing if you want to do something different in a few years).

But the reason I am posting is not to do with the specific design choice. I think that what is driving you crazy may be more the lack of a decision, than the issue at hand. Both of your options are good in their own ways. I think you should force yourself to go with one of them (instead of continuing to go back and forth) and then remind yourself afterward of the reasons for your choice, and you can feel good about whatever decision you have made.

orangecamera I just ran across this article:


#5 made me think of you :)

Elite Patios If you choose hardwood or laminate just keep in mind the darker the floor the more you will see dust & hair on the floor, light wood doesn't show as much, wood/laminate is warmer on the feet & the eyes, but concrete can be quite beautiful the more area you cover with the same flooring the bigger your space will look & you can add area rugs to warm it up & to define spaces

Donald I would guess people keep talking you out of your decisions because you keep asking people what they think.

orangecamera Very well said, Donald.

DIRECTBUY OF FORT WORTH Hi, I have been in the flooring business for 15 plus years now and I would never put a laminate floor in my home ever again. There are pros and cons to everything. The most cost effective,durable and easy to care for product on the market now is luxury vinyl planking. Looks like wood but is amazingly water resistant. This isn't grandma's sheet vinyl anymore. This is technology at its best. I have yet to have a customer complain to me about this floor. I can't say that for anything else. The next option would be a pre finished engineered wood floor. The protective coatings just cannot be duplicated on site as in a factory. There are several options on finish (i.e. handscraped,oil,smooth etc) and wood species. For a great price you can get a 5" handscraped birch (no import tax on birch) relatively inexpensive. I will be happy to answer and product questions you may have. Look for me on facebook DirectBuy of Fort Worth. P (The photos are of luxury vinyl flooring of my members.)

orangecamera DIRECTBUY, can you explain the practical differences between laminate and vinyl planks, please? Ease of installation, durability, etc. Thanks.

designideas4me I read the article thank you. my issue is the floor and kitchen mostly. Its not so much that I cant put together a color scheme or have clutter, I think if the house had a floor I liked then I could do the rest of the small stuff. I can see what couch looks good where and what size or shape this and that. I have a good sence of design. My big problems are 1,,, fear 2,,,money 3,,,fear. lol

lets see. fear of making the wrong decision which costs lots of money and is is irreversable.

I love to shop at costco. I can buy whatever and if I dont like it I can return it. I cant do that with a floor.The floor was carpet and linolium ugly basic builder grade stuff. Its gone now and I have ugly concrete with stuff from where the tile and tack strips were and all the markings that looks like a slab before a house is complete. see pics I posted.


My son is 15. I think its more of him telling me what he likes better and what he feels goes best with our house. As for Tile planks. I am not crazy about them. If I did tile I would do this one abstract metalic tile I love but its too expensive and tile is cold. So if I do wood I have to do tile in the bathrooms but if I am going to walk on that hard surface I prefer concrete since its not as cold and less expensive that really nice tile.

Here are some pics of my very unfinished house. money is a big issue for us otherwise I would have a new kitchen by now as well. I have to make wise decisions in that I dont think I will have money to redo this in the future. I also talked to the realtor who sold us the house. She says wood and tile are what she sees. No one does concrete and while I dont care what others think I also want to increase the value of the house in case who knows what the future holds. If I ever need to rent it or sell it.

designideas4me Yes if I just didnt ask anyone what they think than life would probably be much easier. I will show you some things I did in the house that are unique and yet people always say they like it and never thought of it. I am not a follower and in most respects dont care what people think but this stupid house is driving me crazy. I should have just stayed in an appartment and used the 10o for a face lift at 50 which I considered doing..lol ( of course people say I dont need that either)

designideas4me more pics so you can see what I like and have done so far. One pic is of my table and the art I plan to put up. You see the wood has a redish tone which my son likes. One pic of his room and one of mine which do have warmer tons that would go fine with wood but also concrete as long as its not gray. I put that gazebo over the pool which I love and people always say how did I think of that. They like the cable track lights and say they never saw those. They love the rug and the flat screen ikea shelf idea. Just saying , I like unique creative stuff thats not the norm

Cancork Floor Inc. Right now, Gray is king. This may just be the reason you are happily distracted with cement. That being said, a cork floor - in the right colour - can do everything you are looking for! A glue down cork floor can be done in bathrooms (easy enough to do a simple raise of the subfloor to match the height of the rest of your flooring) and then a floating cork floor throughout the rest of the house. Icork's most "expensive" cork floating floor is $4.09/sf. The rest (40 or more) are around $3.39/sf - $3.89/sf. I personally like Icork's "Taupe Leather". It is gray, contemporary, warm, convenient (to install), keeps the look of concrete, and can be installed for THE SAME PRICE as a laminate...AND NO UNDERLAY needed! www.icorkfloor.com
Cork floating flooring can be installed everywhere BUT a bathroom. That's where the cork glue down tiles come in! Cork is considered a "high end" floor finish because it is normally much more expensive than all the high end laminates. I have NEVER heard of a home buyer saying, "I love the house but the cork flooring HAS to go! Cork often pays you back over time. I've had sellers use cork when their property would not sell. They ripped out the "new laminate" and installed some of my most basic cork (only a little better than a cork-board look) and "Tah-Dah!" house sold in 10 days. I hear it over and over again about cork!

designideas4me I have a neighbor who upgraded his house with the wood look tiles and he has the exact house I do. He purchased it at direct buy ( the place you have to pay and join and then get big discounts). Are you part of that network? I for some reason did not like the way it looked in his house. Maybe the planks were all the same size and staggered and dark but it was too obvious. I mean I dont want to see that variation from one wood pattern to the next all choppy. I was maybe liking the bamboo due to the subtle straight grain. but overall I am not a pattern person. The abstract pattern I love. An acid stain type artistic pattern. But a repetitive pattern kinda bothers me unless it doesnt appear to obvious. I love plants.. I love nature. I love modern..hand made.. unique and I love high end quality . Less is more. I cant shop at ashly or those packaged living room places. I like bo concept...roche bobois..plummers..west elm..etc... I get ideas and try to create it. Here is a smple of the concrete. Here is the color of one couch and some ideas I had for color combinations. And here is my horrible kitchen which has beautiful appliances and no doors or countertop. I want a new kitchen but afraid too spend too much and so I am stuck in limbo.

orangecamera You've done some really nice things! I especially like the outdoor plants and your pool!

To give you a more finished look for very little money have you considered painting your existing floors? Then put on some inexpensive sisal area rugs (even really big ones in some rooms) which can also be painted/stenciled. Once you do that and put up your artwork, you'll feel more like it's "done" and you can relax.

You can always put something over your painted floors in the future...or not.

Enjoy your HOME with your FAMILY :)

designideas4me The floors would need to be grinded and etched first from what I understand in order to accept the paint or stain. I have been told that the behr concrete paint chips in a short time. If you know of the exact process and products to achieve a durable floor please let me know. I have had no luck finding ways to do it other than hiring a pro.

designideas4me cancork... Tell me the pros and cons of cork plz. Can it get wet? Does it break? scratch? stain? I really know nothing about this product.

leannebrum We just (3 weeks ago) replaced our original carpeting in the front entryway, living room and dining room with Wicanders cork flooring (colour is metallic sky) and we absolutely love it! It is beautiful, acoustically lovely and soft to walk or stand on. Have plans to extend this through the kitchen and family room next year. I would highly recommend you consider this option.

Cancork Floor Inc. Leannebrum - BE CAREFUL with Wicanders!!! If you read the warranty closely, you are NOT ALLOWED to run their cork through kitchen/bath - SIGH! Even their GLUE IN PLACE can NOT be put in a bathroom/kitchen/entrance way!!! The question then becomes - "What's the point?" Their WRT surface is NOT "sealable"! You void the warranty when you put it in the Kitchen! Sad, but true. You also have to "wax"(floor polish) their floors every 6-18 months with THEIR wax product to MAINTAIN the warranty. Then, ever 5 (or so) years you have to chemically strip all the polish off (you guessed it, using THEIR product) and you start all over again! That is A LOT OF WORK for a cork floor with that type of price tag! It took me (and I know all the tricks of the trade) over 2 hours to find THAT BIT of information on their website! I hope this helps. Please believe me, it hurts me to see people putting their trust in a product/sales person only to find out neither of them can do what you were hoping for. If you wish to look at cork in the kitchen, please have a look at www.icorkfloor.com (US website) or www.corkfloorsales.com (Canada) for cork floating flooring that is appropriate for kitchens and glue down cork flooring that is appropriate for bathrooms! Sorry to give you the bad news about Wicanders WRT.

DIRECTBUY OF FORT WORTH @ orangecamera
I would be happy to explain the difference. There are some very wrong answers on that on the internet. Laminate is a image of wood or tile laminated to a particle board base. It is NOT wood in any form. It cannot be sanded or filled to repair. It is very suspect when it comes to moisture. It normal install is interlocking or glue together. It has a relatively durable surface but can be scratched. (Had it in my own home and had scratches everywhere). It is loud even with a noise dampening underlayment. It just doesn't absorb any sound. It CANNOT be mopped no wetjet no shark. Dust only and just adab of moisture if something sticky on it. Its very inexpensive and easy to install.

Luxury Vinyl- Is the image of wood or tile made into high composite tile or plank. Its flexible allowing for use on an uneven substrate. It has 3 ways to be installed. Glue,click or gravity. Same requirements needed on the substrate to install it as for laminate. Just no underlayment needed for a moisture barrier. Luxury vinyl is moisture proof. It can be mopped and is extremely resistant to scratching. Most of the click and lock and gravity styles now come with lifetime warranties. Its also very quiet to walk on and looks fantastic down. I have it in my showroom's playroom for the kiddos. Its been down 3 years now and they have to leave a mark one on it and not a bit of damage for the all the spilled drinks.

When installing either laminate or luxury vinyl the same basic floor preps are needed. Vinyl just doesnt have that worry about a "level" as a laminate wood.

Hope this helps.

P

orangecamera Thank you DIRECTBUY, that is very clear and helpful. One more question, can you please address how "bouncy" the two floors are compared with each other? I am very familiar with laminate, which is what I've had for many years without trouble. Will vinyl be easier on my bad knees?

Cancork Floor Inc. Dear Designideas,

Cork floating flooring (click together flooring), especially Forna Cork flooring (sold by Icork/Cancork) are long lasting/beautifully finished floors that are easy to install and easy to maintain. Unlike the lady who used Wicanders (I'm very upset with the Wicanders brand...can you tell - they sell their floors at astronomical prices and yet "hide" the fact their "high-end" finishes can not be exposed to water!!!), Forna floors are finished with a commercial grade water based polyurethane. Forna floors are considered "Extremely Low" VOC content. They are 7/16 inch thick. They come with a 25 residential warranty. Most of the planks are 1ft x 3ft and weigh 5 pounds/plank! The Forna wear layer is produced in Germany and used to produce a factory finish that can be used any where in a house (except a bathroom). Cork is soft but tuff. Think of Silk. It is one of the most beautiful products nature has ever produced. Soft yet stronger, pound for pound than steel. Cork is the same way. It bounces back from "injury". This means, if your sofa makes a small dent in the cork (over time), simply move the sofa few inches and allow the cork to "spring back" into place. If you drop a knife, and it sticks into the floor, simply draw the knife out, slowly, and the edges of the cork will seal itself (the mark disappears). If you/son gouges a small piece out of th cork, simply cut out the little bit of damaged cork, harvest a small amount of new cork from one of our "off-cuts" (this is why you keep a few extra planks from any job you do) and "transplant" the cork to your floor. A little wood glue and wax paper and a weight (a book does nicely) and you have created a perfect "patch". If you are worried about moisture/water (kitchen or entrance by the pool), simply seal your floor with the same water based polyurethane used in the factory. The 2 coats will give you a water resistant floor (fine for a gallon of milk being spilled and not cleaned up for 5 hours), but if your dishwasher explodes you may need a new floor. (That's the difference between water resistant and water proof). I can tell, that cork would be an amazing addition to your design dilemna! I know where you - and your son - are coming from! You want sleek, elegant, fashion forward and he's tired of walking around on a hard, cold floor! Cork will fix BOTH issues. Visit www.icorkfloor.com to see all of the flooring. They ship out of Kent WA. and can have a floor to you inside of 5 days...if you need them to. They ship out free samples. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by their prices and the looks that can be achieved with cork. If you want to speak with me directly, feel free to visit our Houzz page. You will find everything you need to to contact me directly. Stephanie

DIRECTBUY OF FORT WORTH @ orangecamera Luxury vinyl is more forgiving than laminate and easier to walk on. It has a bit of cushion. But you will not feel the movement like you do in a laminate. Happy Holidays!

DIRECTBUY OF FORT WORTH Here are pic of 2 luxury vinyl floors in my office.

A Kitchen That Works LLC Reconsider your decision time frame. Making decisions, of this sort, under duress can have unintended consequences.

designideas4me Thank you for the info. I dont have much time to write til later but your description of harvesting the cork and doing a transplant made me think you must have been a surgeon in another life or past career...lol...... ok thx again I will go look at some cork today.

orangecamera This is where I get confused. "But you will not feel the movement like you do in a laminate." I've had it for 7 years and never felt movement. It makes me wonder if apples are being compared to oranges. Anything installed correctly will be better than any incorrectly installed floor, regardless of type. I'm going over a nice flat concrete subfloor, so I guess for me there's really nothing to push me one way or the other...except look and price. I'll take a look at some cork before I make my decision. DIRECTBUY, thank you again for all the info!

designideas4me can you tell me how to determine if my concrete is level without hiring someone to look at it?

Cancork Floor Inc. Orangecamera, I think the "won't move..." comment is directed at those people who have complained of the "clicking" and the planks moving under peoples' feet. This is the biggest complaint for laminate flooring. Sadly, the USA has been bombarded with bad laminate - which creates all these complaints. A luxury vinyl plank is a plank (1/2" thickness is common) that is very heavy and very stable. There is very little "movement" or clicking sounds with this type of plank. The vinyl (hard vinyl, like records used to be made of) is the glued to the top of this plank. It is still a hard surface but a surface that is mechanically more stable than the flimsy laminate planks that most people associate with "laminate" flooring.

For bad knees, I (of course) would recommend cork flooring. You can look at a floating cork floor (same concept as a laminate floor except it is made with cork - 1/2" thick planks are the norm). Products sold by the "big" names in cork will start at $8/sf (depending on where you live). Icork flooring starts at $2.28/sf for the entry level floor (looks like groung up cork....but it is still several dollars cheaper than Wic......'s flooring!). Icork's floors are produced to European standards, which will still beat the CARB ruless right into the next decade (possibly 2 decades). Europeans are not allowed to use ANY form of solvents in the manufacturing process (that includes use of Urethane). Many North American floors are produced with solvent based products because they are still allowed in the USA. Some cork producers manufacture two different standards = High End cork for Europe and lower quality (cheap to produce) cork for the USA. Sad but true. Icork and Cancork do not make the distinction between the two markets. The same floor that is produced for Austria is sold in Kent WA. Be aware of the finish of cork...urethanes and water based urethanes do not wear very well on cork - it's too brittle and requires FREQUENT refinishing. Water based polyurethane has a much better profile with cork and only needs refreshing every 5-7 years.

Cancork Floor Inc. Hi Designideas, a "basic" measurement requires a 4ft level. A 4ft level is just the beginning of how to determine, flatness, evenness and level. Many hard flooring requires a basic measurement of a level floor with nothing more than 3mm of height difference over 3ft of flooring (in any direction) or 1/8 inch over 4ft. Some very ridged floors (long lengths of hardwood or engineered hardwood) require a much flatter floor than that. It is even better to use a 10ft level but those are VERY hard to come by...usually only found in the hands of concrete/flooring experts. If I may make a suggestion, money is never wasted when consulting a concrete SPECIALIST! Usually they will make a consultation for free. If you know the type of floor (and the brand) that you are going to purchase, you can then bring in an expert for their opinion about your concrete. You've stated that there are some places where tile was down and now there is some residue. That residue "counts" as to floor height variances. Happily, that type of stuff is easy to grind down. My advice: choose the type of floor covering (like Forna's floating flooring planks) THEN bring your concrete up to "snuff". I know budgets are tight but a consultation with a concrete expert will pay off in the long run.

vicky feldman It all depends on your personal choice or what types you love, everyone of us will have his own opinion. As far as my taste is concerned I would prefer the wood flooring as it is visually more appealing and quite economical as well.

Sunday Hello, I am a single mom of a 9 y/o and it matters to me that my daughter like and does have input into our design. I am building a house right now and I am putting Karndean's Van Gogh line "Classic Oak" vinyl plank in my entire house. It is a very high quality product. I am very pleased with this product. Please go to Karndean.com and look at their product. They have some very modern lines.

designideas4me momoffiddlegirl... Thank you and its nice to have someone who understands. Not all of us our rich or have rich husbands or careers that bring in tons of money. I live now just trying to manage my back pain and give my son the best I can afford and am able to as shown to him in many ways. I too have the concern of my mother who I care for and is 83 who now uses a walker. I would hope that the flooring i choose will not be scratched by the wheels. I am not too fond of vinyl in that I like a more natural product but it does sound like a very practical choice. Thats great you were able to buy a house on your own. good luck with that and plz post some pics when possible.

michigammemom designideas, I also encourage you to see the Karndean luxury vinyl plank flooring in person. My son has it in a commercial building and it is beautiful, durable and easy to clean. I think you would be pleasantly surprised at the look you can achieve.

Sunday designideas, you can go to their website and request free samples, my floors are from their mid priced line of Van Gogh, but you can get any of their floors as free samples. That is how I decided to go with classic oak.