do you have to use the Harmonics underflooring kit ? I was going to install hardybacker board and then the laminate right over that. Any Ideas would be helpful...

"Could Quick-Step actually be selling the CLIC White Box brand as Harmonics 25-yr wear/water warranty?. . . .  Could it all be a marketing scheme to sell the same product to builders cheaply and simply not give a 25 year warranty?  Or is White Box truly inferior and being passed off as Harmonics 25 year wear/water anyway (as Liz suggested).  Given that it's hard to talk to anyone in customer service, it's something I have to wonder.

I'm now rethinking my decision about Harmonics.  I wish someone could simply give us a straight answer about all this."[/quote]



Interesting opinions you all have here.

I am a professional installer w/ almost 10 years experience installing laminate floors.  In the last 90 days I have installed, amongst many other brands, ~3000 square feet of Costo's Harmonics flooring & at least 5000 square feet of various lines of Quick Step.  I can't tell you if Harmonics is manufactured by Quick Step, but I will add to the list here My Opinion, and a couple of facts as well:

Fact --Quick Step is owned by a parent company named "Unilin".
Fact --Unilin owns the patent on the "Uniclic" locking joint.
Fact --Unilin sells the right to use Uniclic to other manufacturers.
Fact --Besides Quick Step, Unilin markets laminate floor under at least 3 other names including - Steps - LOC - CLIC.

Opinion --You will have a hard time finding a better performing laminate floor than any of the products manufactured by Unilin in their respective qualities.
Opinion --There is no better locking joint than Uniclic (in plastic laminate flooring; engineered hardwood is a different catergory and Kahrs brand manufacturs an excellent lock joint as well).
Opinion --Harmonics flooring products are an excellent value IF, and read closely here, IF you thoroughly research laminate flooring and know exactly what you are buying.
Opinion --If harmonics *is* manufactored by Unilin, there is not even a slight possibility that it is Quick Step's 800 series.  It is more along the quality of LOC, or CLIC.

One last thing to keep in mind here.  A cheap floor installed incorectly will last just as long as a quality floor installed incorectly!

I have just installed almost 1000 sq ft of the Harmonics product. After leaving a message I did a reverse lookup of the phone number privided by "Harmonics" it is definately Unilin. Second if anyone has actually ordered the transition and finishing items from Harmonics they would already know that the pieces shipped have Quickstep stickers on them including quickstep part numbers. I asked the person who I finally got to talk to (that is a whole other crappy story) and about what I had found out and all she would say is that I cheated. I found no unusual chipping problems as some have listed, it seems like they have not actually worked with this product or just was too rough with it. I did as a side note come up with some hopefully original ideas. The crowbar that is included worked great to remove the cheap baseboard in my house. After using a razor knife to score the wall where the baseboard meets it (don't skip this step or the wallboard will tear) I used the end meant to pull the boards together on top of the baseboardwhere it meets the wall, I hit the top with a hammer which broke the board away from the wall. then using the other end which is used for striking the hammer on, I used that end to pry away the board. Worked great!
Basically, great product, water spills are no problem, I sealed any area that could come in contact with water ie exterior doorways, under windows, everywhere in the kitchen and other such areas. It took a little longer but I don't have to worry about water problems. A great installation equals a great experience.

Hi Movino4me,

What product did you use to seal your laminate floor?  We are putting in a Harmonics laminate flooring upstairs, and we have two small dogs.  So, I think some kind of sealant would be worth the effort, especially at the seams and around the edges, eventhough they say that laminate floors don't need any sealant.

Thank you for your reply.
Thuy

I have used Costco flooring in several homes over four years and have used both the white foam and the best I could find underlayment from Home Depot, I would use the best underlayment if you plan on standing on it all day and get just inside shoes because after all day your feet may kill you. You can't pound this flooring into place with out it buckling or cracking so be gentle and firm. While I had the carpet up (I wouldn't install carpet ever again seeing what stains and dirt stays hidden) I drove screws into the sub-floor and took out all the squeaks. I love the fast cleaning ability, bought one of those Robovacs and I let it go, keeps the kid entertained also. Got a pdf file from Customer Service and ordered the transitions a lot less hassle and less expensive than matching at Home Depot, didn't see much difference between the Pergo my Mother-in-Law had me install and this. When it comes to moving furniture you have to be careful any sand/dirt under the legs can leave marks lift as much as you can, scratches usually not noticeable till you get down and look for it but I don't live in a Showroom house either. Grew up on real hardwood floors and my mother always seemed preoccupied with not scratching the floors I don't want to live like that. I have two good friends who are Buyers at Costco and let me tell you they are a little fanatic on quality and price of products a body part you sit on comes to mind, so I don't believe for a second Costco would carry something questionable.

Jimboc--

Yes, we installed it and we're very happy.  Already there's been several accidents (pets, water spillage) with absolutely no problems.  In fact, we went back and bought more to do our dining room (without the $5 coupon).  I'm a little upset to hear that they're offering it again.  Are you sure about this?  We only had to buy 3 more boxes though (we still haven't installed it yet though)

At this point, I'm about 99.9% convinced it is the Classic 800 line.  I've done everything but walk into a Unilin floor dealer.  Others who have done this say it looks identical.  I read other postings where people said the trim product #'s for Harmonics are identical to the trim #'s for Classic 800.  I don't think for a second that Harmonics is defective or second-rate quality, nor do I think it's White Box now.  And I don't think Unilin is building a product just for Costco.  Plus, the photos for Classic 800 on Unilin's website are still IDENTICAL to the photos on the Harmonics box.  So I've come to only one conclusion.



I'm not sure where you're getting your numbers, but this site shows that Classic 800 is 17.18 sq. ft. (exactly as Harmonics).

http://www.floorshop.com/QuickStep-UNICLIC-Planks-8mm/Store/Subcategory.cfm?subcat_id=401

Also, Costco sells in massive volume out of a warehouse showroom.  It's what they do.  Small floor dealers have to pay for small retail store space, informed salespeople on commission, advertising, higher shipping fees, etc.-- none of these things Costco has to pay for.   That's why you pay more for the Unilin named products at the mom-and-pop shops.  And don't forget, you also have to pay a $50 annual membership just to walk in the door of Costco.

The "only" thing I'm not happy about is the fact that Costco is already going to offer the coupon again...and I bought 3 boxes without it that I haven't even yet installed!!  

Jimboc-- The price for the underfloor/install kit cannot be beat.  I did a compare with similar padding at Home Depot and Lowes they wanted $25 just for the padding.  It was a smaller sq. ft. (I believe 100 sq. ft. vs. Costco's 150), and you have to buy the tapping block, spacers, etc. separately.  Also, the Harmonics unfloor has 2 sides of vinyl, sandwiching the foam layer, where all the other brands I saw only have vinyl on 1 side.   I'm sure the Harmonics underfloor kit is made by Unilin as well (why wouldn't it be?)

There is one complaint people have voiced, and it's true about all standard underflooring.  It has sort of a hollow sound when you walk on it (especially noticeable when you walk on it barefoot), so it doesn't sound solid like a hardwood floor.  I knew about this in advance since I'd walked barefoot on a laminate floor before and I decided it wasn't that big of deal.  The only way around it is to purchase a much more expensive underflooring that's made of a much-denser neoprene-like foam.  If you want to spend around 50 cents/sq. ft. (I think that's the cost) to get a more solid sound, you might want to look into it.

Also, there's a much bigger thread on the Harmonics topic than this one.  If you haven't already, go to http://torque.oncloud8.com/archives/000379.html to read a ton of info.

And I did take some boxes back to Costco so I can buy more with the upcoming discount