Somerset Hardwood Flooring Review: Is It Worth It?

Finding the perfect hardwood floor is a stressful journey, but I am here to tell you that you absolutely should buy Somerset hardwood flooring. You want beautiful, lasting floors in your home without overpaying, and this brand hits the sweet spot. With American-made quality and a focus on Appalachian hardwoods, Somerset brings unmatched warmth to any room. I tested their solid and engineered options to see if they live up to the hype. If you are ready for a serious upgrade, keep reading to see exactly why Somerset deserves a spot in your home.

My Experience With Somerset Hardwood Flooring

When I first started looking into a massive flooring overhaul for my main living space, I felt completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands, finishes, and wood species available on the contemporary market.

You have probably experienced the exact same mental fatigue, walking mindlessly through massive home improvement stores and staring blankly at endless rows of tiny samples that all begin to blur together after the first hour.

I ultimately decided to try Somerset hardwood flooring after a highly experienced contractor friend enthusiastically recommended their Appalachian-sourced products for their unparalleled consistency and overall structural integrity.

I eagerly ordered several large samples from their famous SolidPlus engineered line, as well as their traditional solid oak collections, and right out of the cardboard box, the premium quality was incredibly striking.

The very first thing I noticed was the sheer weight and impressive density of the wood, a true and undeniable testament to the strict domestic sourcing they constantly brag about in their marketing materials.

You immediately feel like you are holding a top-tier, premium product in your hands, not a flimsy, paper-thin veneer haphazardly glued to a cheap, disintegrating particleboard core.

I confidently opted for the SolidPlus engineered flooring in a gorgeous, natural White Oak finish for my sprawling, open-concept living and dining area.

Before the actual installation could even begin, my professional installers insisted on acclimating the wood in my living room for a full, uninterrupted week.

You must understand that real hardwood is a living, breathing material, and allowing it to thoroughly adjust to the specific ambient temperature and indoor humidity of your home is absolutely crucial for preventing future warping.

We specifically chose the engineered route because my home sits entirely on a concrete subfloor, and the sophisticated seven-ply hardwood core provided exceptional structural stability without sacrificing the authentic hardwood aesthetic.

Somerset’s brilliant sawn face production method makes their engineered planks virtually indistinguishable from their solid wood counterparts, flawlessly mimicking the exact cut and authentic grain pattern you would expect from traditional lumber.

Every single plank unboxed had completely unique, beautiful grain patterns, featuring gorgeous mineral streaks and tight, natural knots that added immense character to my previously sterile space.

Over the past several grueling months, the newly installed floor has successfully endured high daily foot traffic, yet the factory-applied aluminum oxide urethane finish has held up remarkably well.

I honestly believe the transition completely transformed the entire visual aesthetic of my home, giving it an upscale, highly customized look that generic builder-grade materials simply cannot ever achieve.

My personal experience has been nothing short of completely fantastic, thoroughly validating my difficult decision to invest heavily in a reputable brand that prioritizes meticulous craftsmanship.

Sustainably Sourced Premium Appalachian Hardwood: The brand relies heavily on raw timber harvested directly from the beautiful Appalachian region, globally famous for producing some of the finest, most durable wood in the country. You are actively investing in sustainable forestry practices while receiving a superior, dense product that naturally resists heavy daily wear. Trees grown here have tighter growth rings for extreme stability.
Incredible SolidPlus Engineered Core Construction: Their engineered flooring utilizes a remarkably robust seven-ply hardwood core beneath a premium top veneer layer. This sophisticated construction method means you get a highly stable floor that aggressively resists warping, which is crucial if you live in a volatile climate with fluctuating humidity or are installing over a basement concrete slab.
Authentic Sawn Face Veneer Technology: Instead of aggressively using cheaper rotary peeling methods that create a repetitive, artificial grain pattern, Somerset uses premium face sawn veneers for all engineered products. This brilliant choice ensures your new floor looks perfectly identical to traditional solid hardwood, providing an authentic, high-end visual experience without the plywood look.
Tough Factory Applied Aluminum Oxide Finish: Every wooden plank comes completely coated with an advanced aluminum oxide urethane finish, standing as the industry gold standard for maximum surface scratch and scuff resistance. You will not have to constantly worry about the protective finish wearing off prematurely under normal household conditions with active pets and running children.
Seamless Matching Solid And Engineered Options: If you strongly desire to carry the exact same gorgeous color throughout your house but have vastly different subfloor requirements in different rooms, you are in immense luck. The company strategically matches their solid collections perfectly with their engineered lines, allowing seamless room transitions from upstairs to downstairs.
Straightforward And Highly Reliable Wood Grading: They are widely known throughout the flooring industry for having incredibly clean, incredibly strict grading standards within their popular oak collections. When you confidently purchase a select grade box, you receive exactly the premium quality you paid for, avoiding jarring knots and minimizing unusable, wasted materials on the job site.

Cons Of Somerset Hardwood Flooring

Extremely Limited Availability Of Exotic Species: If you are actively searching for rare, highly exotic woods like imported Brazilian Cherry or vivid Tigerwood, you will be deeply disappointed. The company focuses almost entirely on classic domestic hardwoods like Oak, Maple, and Hickory, which heavily restricts your stylistic choices if you want a highly unusual, globally imported aesthetic.
Noticeable Lack Of Ultra Trendy Or Modern Finishes: The overarching design portfolio leans incredibly heavily toward classic, timeless aesthetics rather than frantically chasing fleeting interior design fads. If you desperately want hyper-distressed, wildly multi-colored, or extremely avant-garde finishes, you might honestly find their standard selection a bit too traditional and somewhat safe for your artistic vision.
Absolutely No Completely Waterproof Options Available: Unlike modern luxury vinyl plank flooring or specialized waterproof composites, this flooring is crafted from real wood and is highly susceptible to devastating moisture damage. You cannot safely install these planks in full bathrooms, and you must remain vigilant about aggressively wiping up accidental kitchen spills immediately to prevent severe warping.
Strict Prohibitions On Deep Steam Cleaning Devices: The manufacturer explicitly forbids the use of any residential steam mops on their finished products, which can be frustrating if you rely on hot steam for sanitation. The intensely pressurized water vapor will forcefully drive moisture into the seams, inevitably causing the delicate veneer to violently peel or deeply cup over the years.
Requires Certified Professional Installation For Best Results: While a highly skilled DIY enthusiast might successfully manage the complicated installation process, the manufacturer strongly recommends using certified flooring professionals to maintain the warranty. Hardwood installation inherently requires specialized pneumatic tools and a deep understanding of necessary expansion gaps, making it a highly daunting weekend project to tackle alone.
Noticeably Fewer Proprietary Surface Technologies: Some highly competing premium flooring brands actively offer exclusive, highly marketed titanium finishes or advanced antimicrobial surface coatings that actively kill household bacteria. Somerset stubbornly sticks to the tried-and-true aluminum oxide finish, which performs admirably but completely lacks the flashy, high-tech marketing bullet points that some modern consumers prefer.

Maintenance Tips For Somerset Hardwood Flooring

Utilize Specially Formulated Brand Cleaners Exclusively: You absolutely must avoid purchasing generic grocery store floor cleaners that boldly promise a brilliant shine, as they almost always leave a cloudy, highly sticky residue. Stick strictly to the manufacturer-recommended ultimate hardwood cleaner, perfectly pH-balanced to safely lift deep dirt without prematurely dulling the factory-applied aluminum oxide protective layer.
Ban Hot Steam Mops Completely And Permanently: I cannot possibly stress this specific point enough; you must never, under any circumstances, use a pressurized steam mop on these floors. The intensely pressurized heat and aggressive moisture will quickly penetrate the tight joints, causing the natural wood fibers to rapidly expand, cup upward, and ultimately destroy the structural integrity.
Implement A Strict Dry Cleaning Routine Daily: The vast majority of your routine, weekly floor maintenance should safely involve completely dry cleaning methods, such as gently sweeping with a premium soft-bristle broom or meticulously vacuuming. If you use a mechanical vacuum cleaner, you must ensure the rotating beater bar is physically removed to prevent permanent scratches.
Actively Control Your Indoor Humidity Levels Year Round: Because real hardwood is a highly hygroscopic natural material, it naturally expands and contracts based on the invisible moisture content in the surrounding indoor air. You desperately need to strictly maintain your home’s relative humidity between thirty-five and fifty-five percent all year long, effectively utilizing a whole-home humidifier in the winter.
Deploy Protective Felt Pads Proactively On All Furniture: The absolute easiest way to instantly ruin your beautiful new hardwood floors is by casually dragging a heavy wooden dining chair across the room. You must immediately attach high-quality, ultra-thick felt protector pads to the bottom of all furniture legs, replacing these worn pads periodically as they collect abrasive dirt.
Aggressively Manage Pet Nails And Indoor Animal Activity: If you currently have large, highly active dogs constantly running around the house, their incredibly hard, sharp claws can eventually wear down and deeply scratch the finish. You absolutely need to commit fully to trimming your pets’ nails very frequently and strategically place highly decorative area rugs in high-traffic hallways.

Comparison With Other Brands

Somerset Hardwood Flooring Versus Bruce Hardwood Flooring: Bruce is undeniably one of the most widely recognized names in the American flooring industry, heavily offering a massive catalog that appeals to virtually every budget. However, Somerset significantly outperforms Bruce in the highly competitive premium engineered category. Bruce routinely uses a significant amount of cheaper, rotary-peeled wood veneers in their standard lines, which can look artificial, whereas Somerset exclusively uses premium face sawn veneers. For a truly authentic, luxurious aesthetic that mimics solid wood flawlessly, choose Somerset.
Somerset Hardwood Flooring Versus Mullican Flooring: Both of these reputable companies are highly respected members of the National Wood Flooring Association and consistently produce fantastic, domestically sourced wooden products. Mullican enthusiastically offers a slightly wider overall variety of unique specialty wood textures, including heavy hand-scraped planks. Yet, Somerset consistently pulls ahead regarding their incredibly strict, uncompromising lumber grading standards. When you confidently order a box of select grade oak from Somerset, the internal boards are incredibly clean with virtually zero unusable waste.
Somerset Hardwood Flooring Versus Lauzon Flooring: Lauzon is an incredibly premium Canadian flooring brand famously known for its cutting-edge, proprietary Titanium finish and wildly innovative built-in air-purifying surface technologies. Lauzon definitely wins the modern innovation category, enthusiastically offering smart finishes that technically resist deep scuffs marginally better. However, this highly advanced technology comes with a significantly higher retail price tag. Somerset proudly offers incredible, lasting durability and classic, timeless beauty for a mere fraction of the astronomical Lauzon cost.
Somerset Hardwood Flooring Versus Shaw Floors: Shaw is a massive global behemoth that systematically produces every single type of residential flooring imaginable. Because Shaw strategically caters heavily to the mass consumer market, a massive portion of their hardwood inventory is unfortunately outsourced and globally imported, leading to inconsistencies. Somerset, by stark contrast, is a fiercely dedicated hardwood manufacturer that expertly mills all premium products locally in the fertile Appalachian region. You consistently get a much denser, significantly higher-quality wooden core with Somerset.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Do I Maintain My Somerset Hardwood Floor?

You should maintain your Somerset hardwood floor by strictly using their specially formulated ultimate hardwood cleaner, completely avoiding generic chemical cleaners, never utilizing damaging pressurized steam mops, and ensuring you regularly sweep or carefully vacuum with the beater bar completely disabled to prevent deep surface scratches.

Why Choose Hardwood Flooring Versus Other Types Of Floor Covering?

You should enthusiastically choose hardwood flooring because it can easily last the entire lifetime of your home, can be sanded and completely refinished multiple times, significantly boosts your overall property resale value, and provides a much more hypoallergenic, dust-free environment compared to deeply soiled, allergen-trapping residential carpets.

Should You Choose Pre-Finished Or Site-Finished Somerset Hardwood Flooring?

You should highly consider choosing the pre-finished option because it offers a virtually flawless, significantly harder factory-applied aluminum oxide finish, allows for a dramatically faster installation time, completely eliminates the highly toxic fumes of on-site staining, and provides a much cleaner overall installation process for your busy household.

Are Steam Mops Safe To Use On Somerset Floors?

No, steam mops are absolutely never safe to use on any Somerset floors because they forcefully inject highly pressurized, boiling water vapor directly into the vulnerable wooden seams, which inevitably causes the natural wood fibers to aggressively swell, severely cup, and permanently ruin the expensive surface finish over time.

Conclusion

Ultimately, investing in Somerset hardwood flooring is a phenomenal decision that perfectly balances uncompromising quality with reasonable affordability. Their incredible dedication to utilizing sustainably sourced Appalachian timber, combined with their superior SolidPlus engineered construction, ensures your home will feature breathtaking aesthetics for decades. While they may lack ultra-trendy finishes or waterproof capabilities, their timeless designs and rugged durability speak for themselves. I highly recommend making the purchase; it is a genuine, lasting upgrade that will dramatically elevate the elegance and overall value of your home.