Ratings of Best Flooring
Source:
Consumer Reports – August 2009
Highlights from
Consumer Reports Article:
The
6 Top Selling Varieties of Flooring:
Type: Advantages:
Disadvantages $ sq ft
|
1. Solid
Wood/Bamboo Warmth,
Install Difficulty, $7 to $12
Can
be refinished Can dent
Poor choice in wet areas
|
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2. Engineered
Wood Easy installation Poor in wet areas $5 to $10
Veneer over substrate Wears and
dents easily
Most can be nailed Spills
can damage
Or floated
May be refinished
|
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3. Plastic
Laminate Tough Poor in wet areas $4 to $8
Easy
installation Spills can damage
Can be
floated Not able
to be refinished
Good wear
resistance
|
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4. Vinyl Excellent in wet areas “Vinyl” look $3 to $7
Easy installation
Good wear resistance
Good
resistance to fading
Can offer a
stone look
|
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5. Linoleum
Resists moisture Wear
& scratch $4 to $9
Resists dents resistance varied;
Good
resistance to fading Not as
many choices
As Vinyl
|
|
6. Ceramic
Tile Excellent in wet
areas Items can $8 to $15 break when dropped;
Excellent wear resistance Difficult to install
Tiles can
crack
Grout can stain
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Test Results were rated on:
1) Wear Resistance
- Surface wear resulting from abrasion machine
testing
2) Scratch Resistance – Dragged object simulations
tested resistance to surface scratching
3) Dents – Blunt and pointed weights dropped at varying
distances to test resistance to denting
4) Stains
– Stain resistance of
flooring was tested
5) Sunlight/UV –
Flooring was tested with high levels of ultraviolet lighting to evaluate
fading, discoloration, etc.
PREFINISHED SOLID WOOD
FLOORING - Consumer Reports
|
Product $ Sq/Ft Overall Score
|
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1 . EcoTimber Woven Honey –
$5.50 69
CR BEST BUY!
|
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2. Teragren Synergy Wheat
TPF-SWN-WHT $8.50 64
|
|
CR Recommended!
|
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3. Bruce
Dundee Plank
Natural CB1210 $5.70 58
CR Recommended!
|
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4. EcoTimber Solid Bamboo
Horizontal Amber $5.50 55
BSPHAF6
|
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5. Lumber
Liquidators
Bellawood Red Oak
HUSR03N38V $4.70 54
|
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6. Mirage
Classic Brazilian
Cherry (Jatoba) 12264 $8.00 52
|
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7. Lauzon Classics Northern
Red Oak R0030225 $9.00 51
|
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8. Teragren Signature Flat
Naturals PF-FGN-MPL $9.00 51
|
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9. Lumber
Liquidators
Morning Star PRBAMSTN $4.00 47
|
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10. Anderson
Pacific Cumberland
Oak PACCW0314
$8.00 42
|
ENGINEERED
WOOD FLOORING - Consumer Reports
Product $
Sq/Ft Overall Score
|
1 .
Armstrong Locking
Hardwood Bamboo $7.50 59
|
|
Carbonized Natural EL5BBCCNLG
|
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CR Recommended!
|
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2 .
Shaw Epic Hardwood
Symphonic $5.00 56
|
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SW119-774 Red
Oak Natural
|
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CR Recommended!
|
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3 .
Mannington American
Classics Collection $7.25 54
|
|
Oak Plank
|
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CR Recommended!
|
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4 .
Mohawk Artiquity Santa Barbara
Plank $9.00 51
|
|
WSK1[-03]Harvest
Oak
|
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5 .
BR-111 Brazilian Cherry
PFENGBC3 $5.70 49
|
|
CR Recommended!
|
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6 .
Bruce Turlington
Lock-n-Fold 3” $4.40 48
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Maple Natural EMA00LG
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7 .
Mannington Exotics
Collection $7.00 48
|
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Horizontal
Bamboo BH03NA1 Natural
|
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8.
Harris Wood Traditions
Solid Red Oak $4.50 48
|
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Natural HS70200K33
|
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9.
Lauzon NextStep
Northern Red Oak $8.50 45
|
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Natural
R003B225
|
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10.
Bruce Turlington 3” Oak
Plank $3.50 44
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Butterscotch E536
|
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11 .
Armstrong Beckford 3” Oak
Plank $3.50 44
|
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Harvest
Oak BP421HOLG
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VINYL FLOORING - Consumer Reports
Product $ Sq/Ft Overall
Score
|
1.
Congoleum DuraCeramic Sierra Slate $4.00 89
|
|
SI-74
Golden Greige
|
|
CR BEST BUY!
|
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2.
Congoleum DuraStone HPF
Hearthstone $5.20 85
|
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HT-43
Sandy Clay
|
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CR Recommended!
|
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3.
Mannington Adura
Vintage Oak Plank $4.80 80
|
|
CR BEST BUY!
|
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4.
Nafco Better
Living Collection Perma-Stone $5.00 78
|
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Natural
Slate NS-660 Sand Stone
|
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CR Recommended!
|
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5.
Armstrong Destinations
Padua Fieldstone 95017 $3.50 69
|
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6.
Armstrong Natural Fusion
Mediterranean $4.50 67
|
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Walnut
X3002 Honey
|
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7.
Congoleum Ultima 5 Star
Natural Plank UL011 $2.70 67
|
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8.
Nafco Best
Living Collection Crestview
|
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Plank
CP-37 Medium Oak $7.00 60
|
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9.
Mannington Naturals Grand
Canyon $3.60 52
|
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10.
Armstrong Memories Oak
River 62861 $2.25 51
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Natural Oak
|
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11.
Congoleum
Pacesetter $2.00 49
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LINOLEUM FLOORING
Consumer Reports
Product $ Sq/Ft Overall Score
1
Armstrong Marimorette Oak Brown 19066 $4.00 66
2
Marmoleum Click
Sahara 53174 $6.00 66
3
Nova Linoleum Klick 6615 $7.00 54
PLASTIC LAMINATE FLOORING
Product $ Sq/Ft Overall
Score
|
1
Armstrong Nature’s
Gallery American $3.50 74
Duet
L6522-N81 Natural Oak (narrow)
CR BEST BUY!
|
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2
Wilsonart Estate
Plus Havest Oak W3000113 $5.50 72
CR Recommended!
|
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3
Montado Cork
RK49001 Jisbula
Cinnamon $9.50 67
|
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4
Pergo Accolade Rustic Oak
PJ2627 $3.25 65
|
|
5
Pergo American Cottage Natural
Oak $3.40 65
80094
(Lowe’s)
|
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6
Mannington Revolutions
Plank Ontario $5.40 65
Oak 26300
Natural
|
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7
Wicanders Corkcomfort Floating HPS $7.00 65
|
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8
Kronotex SwiftLock
Dynamic Clic $2.60 64
Brazillian Cherry D439 (Lowes)
|
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9
Kronotex Swiftlock
Dynamic Merbau
Brazil
D1460 (Lowes) $2.40 62
|
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10
Pergo Presto Red Oak
Blocked PH4577 $3.00 61
(Home
Depot)
|
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11
Quick-Step Uniclic Plank
8mm (Classic 800) $2.50 61
U893U
Natural Red Oak
|
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12
DuPont Real Touch Elite Merbau FG8010 $4.00 60
(Home
Depot)
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