Interesting points, but I'll push back a bit on the reclaimed hardwood. I've done a couple beachside renovations, and while reclaimed wood does age beautifully, it can be hit-or-miss depending on the original wood species and finish. Had one client insist on reclaimed oak—looked fantastic initially, but after a year of humidity swings, we saw some minor warping and cupping. Still charming, sure, but definitely not maintenance-free...
"Maybe it's more about installation quality or specific brands than material alone?"
Agreed—installation quality is huge, especially moisture barriers underneath. Also, regular sealing or finishing makes a big difference over time.
Good points on installation quality, but I'm still wondering about cost-effectiveness here. Reclaimed wood looks great, but if it needs regular sealing and moisture barriers, doesn't that bump up the overall budget quite a bit? Curious if anyone's compared long-term costs between reclaimed hardwood and something like engineered flooring...might be worth considering if you're watching expenses closely.
Totally agree about reclaimed wood—looks amazing but can get pricey fast. Have you thought about how humidity at the beach might affect engineered flooring, though? I've heard some types handle moisture better than others, so you'd wanna check that carefully. When we redid our place, we found engineered hardwood was cheaper upfront and easier maintenance-wise, but quality really varied between brands. Might be worth getting samples and testing them out a bit before committing...
Good point about humidity—beach air can be brutal on floors. We went engineered hardwood at our rental near the coast, and honestly, it's held up pretty well. But you're right, brand matters big-time. One of our friends went cheapo and ended up with warped boards after just one summer (ouch). Definitely second the idea of testing samples first...better to sacrifice a few small pieces now than your sanity later when you're staring at a wavy floor wondering where it all went wrong.
"better to sacrifice a few small pieces now than your sanity later when you're staring at a wavy floor wondering where it all went wrong."
Haha, been there—nothing like a warped floor to make you question your life choices. I'd also say budget extra for waterproofing and sealing...humidity sneaks in everywhere. Learned that the hard way!
