Most flooring stores have samples that you can borrow to match up the red oak. That being said, it won't match exactly anyhow due to difference in age and materials. I would suggest you have a look at the pergo type floors, because they are good looking and do not off-gas like prefinished wood will.

Thank you and I will check out the pergo.

Look at Lumber liquidators, (if in your area) you can order a sample online and get a close if not perfect match. Avoid changing flooring as the eye will be drawn to that.

In the flooring biz we usually suggest not to "match" a floor...because it will never look right (only if you bring in flooring experts, sand down the old floor, match the grain and wood with new floor and then stain/refinish for a match = TREMENDOUS EXPENSE).

When it comes to allergies and respiratory ailments, cork is one of the best flooring choices out there. A floating cork floor can be installed in the same time as any laminate floor. Cork does not attract dust nor allergens. It does not off-gass. It can be sealed against accidental water damage and can look like wood without feeling like a hard laminate. It is easy on the joints and is exceptionally quiet.

If you look into cork, www.icorkfloor.com has a beautiful colour called "Brown Birch" that works beautifully with Red Oak or Cedar flooring. "Autumn Birch" has more of a darker Maple stain where as the "Mahogany Salami" is an amazing looking Mahogany Burl.

I always suggest a complimentary colour and spend a chunk of cash on the transition between the floors. Like a decorative wood trim or panel of flooring that is roughly 1ft wide with some wood inlay...or something along those lines.

I've seen the technical specifications on Pergo flooring (both the chemical make up, off gassing AND sound ratings) and I must admit, I was not very fond of what I was seeing. The Pergo floors will make sounds LOUDER! Which means you would need to go HIGH END with the underlayment to achieve a decent sound rating (ie. to stop the hollow sound under foot).

I was wondering how the cork floors wear.... Do they show dents if something is dropped on them? I have a very open floor plan and kitchen must be the same as the living room.

Hi arc888,

Cork floors will "dimple" (non-permanent dents that puff back to original shape) when things are dropped on them. I've had an interesting tete-a-tete with another poster on this issue. Cork is the softest soft wood on the market. It dimples because it can be compressed to 50% its original height and STILL COME BACK to 95%. This takes A) time, or B) hot, wet towels over a few minutes to remove these dimples. Have I seen it? Yes. I work on a cork floor every day. I wear 3" heels to work. I drag heavy items across that floor, etc. Have I gouged the floor? Yes. Over 4 years in a commercial/light industrial floor we've had 2 gouges. I've patched both with an Exact-O knife, cork from the same colour and wood glue. It took me 30 minutes each time. I would say that ony 5% of our clients see this - and only because I point it out to them. The rest of my clients are unable to spot a "patch" in our flooring (I have it in two different floors...and still no one can see it).

In a kitchen, a cork floating floor can be sealed with 2 coats of water based polyurethane. This prevents the HDF core from getting wet. If you are very anxious about a floating floor, a glue down cork floor is always possible.

I am so impressed - Cancork Floor inc obviously knows what they are talking about! GREAT advice and I've used cork flooring in clients homes many times and they LOVE it! We've put it in the kitchen, powder room and living room spaces. I HATE Pergo - it's a waste of money (sorry Pergo) it was designed for use in Europe where they remove they're flooring and cabinets each time they move! Not the same in the US - I hope you take this advice seriously as I think it will be the best possible solution for you. Now, I think I'll go google Cancork Floor Inc.!

I would not go from red oak flooring to pergo, stay with wood flooring. And it will be difficult to match perfectly. You could do an inlay border around the outer edge of the living room in a darker stain or pattern to break up the two rooms. Another possibly would be to install the wood in living room on the diagonal.