Update and FAQ on My Sams Club Floors

Some of the most frequently asked questions here at The Yellow Cape Cod have to do with my Sams Club floors.  Three years ago, we installed Select Surfaces Canyon Oak laminate flooring from Sams Club in the lower level of our home (you can read about it here).  



(Before)                                                (After)





Just a few months ago, we went back to Sams for more Select Surfaces laminate (this time in Cocoa Walnut) and had it installed throughout the upstairs (you can read about that here).  



(Before)                                                (After)




Since posting about these transformations, I've received hundreds of questions from readers.  Instead of continuing to respond individually, I thought it would be more helpful to do a blog post to answer the most frequently asked questions.   Please keep in mind, the following answers are 100% honest, based my own humble opinion and experiences. 


How do I clean them?
For daily cleaning, I use a broom or a dry Swiffer.  For deeper cleanings, we use a damp cloth with a hot water/vinegar solution.  We've also used laminate flooring cleaner which works nicely as well. 







Do they have a hollow sound?
In comparison to real, solid, hardwood, floors they do have a different sound.  However, when compared to other laminate products I've experienced, they have much less of a hollow or clicking sound.  We have not had an issue with them being noticeably noisy, even after having them installed upstairs.


(Before)                                                (After)





How have they held up, am I still happy with them?
They have held up wonderfully.  After three years of use, I'm very happy with the quality.  I feel they've been a durable option for our active family.  They also have a timeless, authentic hard wood look that compliments the design style of our home. 








Which color do I like better, Canyon Oak or Cocoa Walnut?
This is a tough one to answer.  I like them both equally, though there are differences.  Canyon Oak is not as dark as Cocoa Walnut, so it shows less dirt/dust.  However, the dark rich color of Cocoa Walnut is absolutely gorgeous.  Canyon Oak has a red undertone while Cocoa Walnut is more of a true dark brown with a slight ash undertone.  In regard to the style, the Canyon Oak planks lay flush against each other while the Cocoa Walnut planks have a beveled edge that creates a slight groove between the planks.  Canyon Oak is slightly shinier has more wood grain embossing than the Cocoa Walnut which has a smoother, more matte finish.

 Cocoa Walnut


Canyon Oak





Did I have laminate installed on our stairs?
I did not use laminate on the stairs, however I did install it on the landing.  Here is a blog post all about the stairs, please click here. 







Was the product difficult to install?  
I had our floors professionally installed by our local flooring installation expert, Gordie Cook from Design Floor Covering.  Gordie followed the manufacturers instructions provided in the box.  It went quickly and Gordie and his team had no issues during the process.  







Was this project a sponsored advertising opportunity or an organic experience?
When I originally installed the Canyon Oak flooring, it was NOT a sponsored project.   After sharing my experience with you here on The Yellow Cape Cod I was amazed by the response from readers telling me they had them installed based on my review.  It didn't take long for the folks at Select Surfaces to notice either, which is how I was given the opportunity to do a sponsored review of the Cocoa Walnut product.  Although I received free product for the Cocoa Walnut post, my positive review and satisfaction with the product is the same as my original, completely organic Canyon Oak post.   







All things considered; looks, durability and price; these floors are wonderful for our lifestyle.  We love how they have transformed our home and I would install them all over again in a heartbeat.



                         (Before)                                                                   (After)




I hope this additional information is helpful!  Thanks for stopping by.
Here is a link to Sams Club Select Surfaces Canyon Oak and here is a link to Cocoa Walnut.

  

For information on my affordable online design service please click here. 

11 comments:

  1. Very imformative post! Thanks for breaking it down for us! Your floors and home are gorgeous! I love the Canyon Oak color the best with it's rich color! Thanks for sharing!
    Hug~
    Kathy@The Daily Nest

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  2. Thank you!
    ...footprints and no problems in the kitchen with water?

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  3. Hi Anonymous, you're welcome! I have not experienced problems with excessive footprints. Maybe a few here and there that wipe off easily. In regard to the kitchen...water and flooring of any type usually don't play well together. If we spill, we clean it up right away to help avoid any issues.

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  4. Sarah, I just wanted to let you know that after reading your post when you installed your Cocoa Walnut flooring it gave me confidence to buy it and install in my home. We installed it in our whole down stairs including our kitchen. We too are loving it and the look that it gives our house. We have been doing a lot of swiftering but that comes with any hardwood or laminate flooring. So I want to thank you for your posts and the information you share with us. Vicki

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    Replies
    1. Hi Vicki! I'm glad to hear you love them as much as I do. Best, Sarah

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  5. Great write-up! We've had wood laminate floors in our entire house for the past ten years, and for the most part, I have loved them. Ours are Pergo from Lowe's. I can definitely tell a difference between the higher and lower quality versions. One thing I don't love about ours is that my feet feel tired walking or standing on them, and I find that I wear shoes inside almost all the time. A friend just installed real solid plank wood floors in her house, and they are a dream to walk on, even barefoot. Real wood feels softer and more shock absorbent. That said, my friend requires everyone to remove their shoes when entering her house so as not to scratch up her beautiful floors. I never worry about that. You can do almost anything to my laminate floors, and they are just fine. Also, rearranging furniture is a breeze. Everything just slides across it. I definitely wouldn't go back to carpet, but I think if we ever build a house (and can afford it), we'll go for real wood. As far as water damage goes, as long as we wipe it up in a reasonable amount of time, it's fine. We do have tile in all of the wet areas of our home (entryways, kitchen, baths, and laundry). We did have to replace an entire room of laminate when our hot water heater leaked under the wall shared with the garage. We didn't know where the water was coming from for quite a while, so there was a lot of damage. If we had figured it out quickly, we might not have had to replace the floors. The bad thing about that was Pergo had changed the designs, so we weren't able to purchase an exact match. Also, it's very difficult to replace just a board or two. Once you start popping them out, all the tongue and groove connectors on adjacent boards get damaged. You really have to rip out everything between the T-molding pieces (spacers that go in doorways). A good tip for the future would be to put a drain pan under any appliances that may leak (like a washer or hot water heater) and check them occasionally for water. Anyway... Just FYI. :)

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  6. We installed these and have mixed feelings. First, we had planned to do them on our stairs, but the stair nosing was only available online and shipping was as expensive as the material. We were also told that laminate nosing does not hold up well on stairs. These were a little difficult to install, as others mention I. The Sams Club reviews, we had to cut the edge of the tongue with a razor blade. They have also scratched much easier than we thought they would (think dropped keys). We did have a small water leak and the floor was swollen for a bit, but luckily they went back down. As far as looks go, these are great, and they are a good price.h

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    1. Hi Christa, thanks for sharing. Which product did you install? I'm curious because we have had no scratching issues with ours. Before we installed them, we bought a box and brought it home and conducted a scratch-test. We laid the planks out of the floor and attempted to scratch them with keys and other objects. They passed our scratch test and after having them installed for three years, we have still not experienced any scratches.

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  7. We had the Cocoa Walnut installed one year ago, based on your review. We love it. We have had zero scratches. We have a very active 30 pound dog that is flying around on it all the time, no scratches. We have had a few 'dings' though. My husband dragged a table across it and there is a quarter inch ding; a heavy wrench was dropped on it and there was a ding. We used Olde English on the dings and it is impossible to find where they are. I did not have this put on our steps as the stair nosing was too small of an edge (as of yet they are still unpainted). I have since read a review where they suggest choosing your flooring to match your animals and I wish I had done that. Our dog is a fluffy tan dog....on dark floors...we have constant 'tumble weeds' unless I do the floors every day. Based on your pictures and review we were going to get the Canyon Oak but when we saw it in person it was definitely way too red for our liking. Overall, I am thrilled with the flooring and have purchased more to do the bedrooms as well.

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