We are replacing a newly installed floor due to water damage (I will spare you the details) The floor will be installed in the living room dining room area which also serves as the family room. This is a small high traffic area. We have kids and animals, therefore we need an extremly durable wood floor that that will not suck up water if there is an accident waiting to happen. The floor we are replacing is a pecan robbins engeneered floor with lots of charater ( which I love and hate to replace).

Also wondering what is meant by " Demensional Stability". Doing some research and don't understand the definition as it relates to wood floor.

Would appreciate your comments.

Deminsional stability is a rating on the amount of movement contraction/expansion that is expected with that specie when subjected to diffrent moisture contents throughout the year. A eng. rustic hickory floor like the exsisting would be a very good choice for an active household such as yours. A spilled cup should be nothing much to worry about it takes a good amount of standing water on the floor to do some permanant damage on an eng .floor if the right adhesive is used.

Kevin made an excellant suggestion, I would add that you look at a distressed version of the same floor, makes those inevitable dents and dings less painful to look at when they occur; you're just adding to the patina, that makes this floor viable choice.

Look into Mesquite!! A little pricey, but it is like steel, compared to other species. It also has incredible stability.

It also looks very rustic.

Thanks so much for your response. You guys are very helpful. As it turns out I'm being told that the pecan flooring has an inherent defect due to it's grain. (it seems to suck up water and raise the grain very quickly). I think that maybe something else is going on, but I'm not the floor expert. Since I have the opportunity to replace, my floor guy (who is a really nice person) is suggesting an ash wood with a lots of character. I loved my 5 inch pecan floor. Apparently the ash is not avialable in a 5inch and I'm being told that the more narrow the plank the better it's stability. Any comments? I would love to go with another pecan but afraid that the "grain" theory maybe correct and hate to take the chance with the investment. My research indicate that pecan is a better choice but I can not obtain information on the pores standings per species of wood. I hear you regarding the adhensive comment, but I've been told that the installer is a professional and knows what his doing, so I'm assuming his doing right by us and that the pores theory is what it is. Have you heard of a pecan floor soaking up water in a matter of minutes? Can you tell me whether an ash or oak may be a better choice? Also looking at some maple.

NWFA list Pecan as having an "open" grain, Hickory has a "closed" grain and Ash as having a" moderately open" grain with pores similar to that of Oak.

On a solid plank floor 3" would be more stable than the 5".... I don't believe that would be an issue with an engineered floor.

Mesquite doesen't look particularly rustic to me. The samples I have are hard to tell from teak.

I've never seen an engineered mesquite- custom milled yes.

Here's a wide plank engineered Ash with some character. It won't however, have the character of the Robbins Urban Exotics Pecan.


http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... -wheat.htm


If you're really concerned about water again Hartco Pattern Plus would be an option.

http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... us-ash.htm

Personally, I'd forget about the water issue like Kevin mentions. If it's going to happen it will.

Dont let anyone talk you into a bamboo floor for durability, it will ding and gouge if you drop your keys on it. Just my 2 cents from the jobs I have seen. Not good around dogs or children.