What wood floor? Parawood Ok?

da_murphster

Exchanged on a new flat today (I am the only person the country buying and single-handedly keeping the economy going!)

I'm, after a wood (specifically oak) floor.

Got very excited in Homebase (rare thing) when I found what I thought was solid oak floor on clearance....if it sounds too good to be true probably is....and it was.

Its Parawood.....rustic oak 'effect'. Looks really good but its not 'click and fit' and I'm concerned that it will crack, dent etc.

Bearing in mind its £11.98m2 and the cheapest I have seen engineered oak is £17.99......is this parawood false economy? Should I pay more for engineered oak? I need 50m2 so a few pounds per metre soon adds up!

http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/Clearance_%252526_Sale_Items/Engineered_Flooring_Sale/Florence_Engineered_Hardwood_Oak_3_Strip_Lacquered_Click.html

Struggling to find any positive or negative reviews on internet of parawood. Most wood floors have 25yr guarentee, hard to tell with Homebase but I think its just 1 yr.

Advice appreciated.

Doozergirl

I've just bought this from Floors2Go.
http://www.floors2go.co.uk/buy-online/engineered-wood/581/1815/?&search_term=&type_id=&suitability=

Advertised at 34.99, they have 20% off at the moment, but I said I simply couldn't afford it. I haggled the down (well, I kept saying the same price actually) and eventually got it for what works out at £19.43 a metre and I only bought 18 metres of it. So if I can do it, you can.

It's wide with longer boards so looks more expensive.

Be careful what you buy - I think that laminate often looks better than stuff like you posted up - it's multi coloured, poor grade, with tiny little strips of wood. It might be real wood but it looks a bit cheap IMO which is the argument I had with my H last week who was looking at all sorts of tat until I decided that haggling on something half decent looking was the only option if he was refusing a decent laminate floor because it's 'fake'.

ajtrader100

Parawood is............ from the rubber tree!!

So nothing to do with oak. It is a soft wood that will mark very easily, and also lose its colour quickly.

What does this guarantee cover? Its all well and good putting a "guarantee" on a product, but what does it actually cover? The joints? It cant cover wear, or scratching, or fading as all woods will do this!

Parawood is extremely cheap to make, so be careful of inflated prices.

helping_hubby

Doozergirl wrote: »

I've just bought this from Floors2Go.
http://www.floors2go.co.uk/buy-online/engineered-wood/581/1815/?&search_term=&type_id=&suitability=

Advertised at 34.99, they have 20% off at the moment, but I said I simply couldn't afford it. I haggled the down (well, I kept saying the same price actually) and eventually got it for what works out at £19.43 a metre and I only bought 18 metres of it. So if I can do it, you can.

It's wide with longer boards so looks more expensive.

Be careful what you buy - I think that laminate often looks better than stuff like you posted up - it's multi coloured, poor grade, with tiny little strips of wood. It might be real wood but it looks a bit cheap IMO which is the argument I had with my H last week who was looking at all sorts of tat until I decided that haggling on something half decent looking was the only option if he was refusing a decent laminate floor because it's 'fake'.

OMG that is just the thing I'm looking for my living room/dining room. Hubby really wants laminate, but I wanted carpet. I've given in but only if I can get quality flooring. I've been looking at engineered wood for a long time, but it seems just as expensive as real wood, but less because you can fit it yourself.

How on earth did you get the discount? Do you literally just ask? I really need to brush up on my bargaining skills.

ajtrader100

Floors 2 Go are currently in administration so you can really grab a bargain! Just ask, they can massively reduce the price of the products.

Trust me ;-)

oilit

also take a look at www.carpentersofyork.com - they often have oak on special offer - I did the whole first floor of a house last year with some of their products - solid oak for GBP14 per sqm!

Doozergirl

helping_hubby wrote: »

OMG that is just the thing I'm looking for my living room/dining room. Hubby really wants laminate, but I wanted carpet. I've given in but only if I can get quality flooring. I've been looking at engineered wood for a long time, but it seems just as expensive as real wood, but less because you can fit it yourself.

How on earth did you get the discount? Do you literally just ask? I really need to brush up on my bargaining skills.

I just asked. It was coming up at £607 without discount and £500 and something with it. I said I wanted it for £350. He came back with £435 and I said it was still too expesive. H said if he did do it for £350 for it there and then. So that's what happened. When H picked it up they said we could have as much as we liked at the same price.

It's going down on the floor right now (I'm skiving) and it looks absoutely brilliant and it's really quite easy to lay!

We laid solid oak last year in another house, nailed down properly and I think this looks absolutely equal if not better because of the length and width of the boards!

da_murphster

Homebase stuff taken back!

Been to floors2go - some really good prices but limited choice.

Now looking for engineered oak with click fit...bit nervous of doing solid wood for a 'floating floor'

Hope to order on Monday!

helping_hubby

That sounds great Doozergirl.

I've just been speaking to a colleague about the fact that floors2go are in administration. He says to steer well clear.

How long did it take for you to receive the flooring, or do they have it in stock at the shops. I have Reading and Slough stores not too far away. But can't go until Sunday.

Doozergirl

helping_hubby wrote: »

That sounds great Doozergirl.

I've just been speaking to a colleague about the fact that floors2go are in administration. He says to steer well clear.

How long did it take for you to receive the flooring, or do they have it in stock at the shops. I have Reading and Slough stores not too far away. But can't go until Sunday.

They had stocks of almost everything but someone had bought most of our stuff so we had to wait for the Tuesday delivery which was fine. He just ordered ours in for us.

I'm not entirely sure of details but administration is different to liquidation because it means that the company is viable and has the potential to operate with a profit. Paying with a credit card obviously helps you if anything bad does happen.

Doozergirl

da_murphster wrote: »

Homebase stuff taken back!

Been to floors2go - some really good prices but limited choice.

Now looking for engineered oak with click fit...bit nervous of doing solid wood for a 'floating floor'

Hope to order on Monday!

Talking last night, H has done click fit lots of times but found this much much easier and had a lot less wastage (none!) because in his experience the click fit often gets damaged as you're clicking. It's also more awkward to fit together and he reckons this took a lot less time as a result.

They are both 'floating floors' and engineered isn't exactly solid. It was really easy to cut.

There's nothing to be nervous about - I was doing it as well, you just squeeze PVA into the grooves and push it together. You use a cut off piece, slot that on and knock that gently with a hammer rather than the actual floor to get a tight fit. It couldn't be easier!