Each brand has different production lines. Each line has it's manufacturing specs. Each level of spec has a price point. Without knowing the NAMES of the LINES you are looking at it is impossible to tell you what you are comparing.

It is entirely possible the Mirage product is several steps BETTER (manufacturing/product wise) than the other two. Hence the price difference.

If you can list the lines you viewed under each manufacturer we can dig out the specifications for each one and compare apples to apples.

The three areas we look at:

1. Overall thickness of the plank (is it 3/8" or is it 3/4"??)

2. Thickness of the wear layer (the expensive stuff on top...is it 1.2mm or is it 6mm?)

3. The finish (UV cured oil finishes are more expensive but are more delicate than polyurethane)

Our secondary level of 'pricing' looks at plank width, maximum lengths, minimum lengths, average lengths as well as number of layers and wood species found inside those layers.

To give an example:

A product that is 3/4" thick (this is the 'gold standard' for hardwood...the closer you get to 3/4" the closer you get to excellent quality) that has 6mm wear layer sitting on 5 plied layers (total of 6 layers) with a 7" wide plank with average lengths of 4ft (max = 6ft) with three distinct widths (random widths) and a UV Cured Oil finish is going to have a MASSIVE price tag. As in several $$ more per square foot than solid hardwood ($15 - $25/sf).

A product that 'looks' the same (colour is the same) with a 3/8" thickness and a 1.2mm wear layer with polyurethane in a plank width of 3.5" = very close to the same price as vinyl plank = $4.99/sf.

We don't know which one's you were looking at so it is impossible to tell you which ones are worth it and which ones should be sent straight to the landfill.

So...go ahead and dig up your photos/spec sheets for each and send them along to us and we will offer our advice as to which SPECIFICATION list is BETTER than the other.

@SJ Macarthy:
********(1) Mirage: Sweet Memories Collection, White Oak. 1/2”-3/4” thick, depending on the plank size (5” to 7-3/4”) it says DuraMatt finish, 4mm sawn hardwood layer. We were also looking at the 4-1/4” solid pre-finished hardwood that has the DuraMatt finish as well, it priced about $12-13 sq ft.
********** (2) Preverco Red Oak, we were looking at the “Flex Max 19” engineered (it’s supposed to flex?) 6” board 3/4” thick with 4mm wear layer. Just under $8/sq ft
*********** (3) Somerset “Wide plank collection” “SolidPlus Engineered” Maple 6” board, 1/2” thick, 3mm wear layer, 8 ply random lengths up to 6-1/2’ quoted just under $8/sq ft

@Danielle Holmes - which flooring did you select and have you been happy with your decision?

@Danielle Holmes -yes would love to know which you choose & the results -I am wrestling with similar questions

Mirage is the way to go if budget allows and you could find the design you like. It is made in Canada by a world class manufacturer.

Thank you for this input-good to know Mirage is a quality product

…hard choice as the 5” wide natural line in white oak line Preverco & Mirage are v similar in appearance but Mirage is much more $$

I am still waiting to hear on finish type of Preverco. mirage is polyurethane w al oxide & UV absorbers additives

Beautiful!

Sounds like you order a box first to see if u like it…is that right?

@HU-682303040, I wouldn't worry about finish too much. Both manufacturers should do a really good job. As for the price difference between 2 brands, Preverco sells through dealers direct while Mirage is through distribution, then dealers. On top of that, you will pay more for Mirage brand.

Our dealer (in Maryland) has been amazing. They’ve ordered us a box of four different floors we’ve considered, which has greatly assisted our decision making process. I don’t think this is “the norm”, but I’d highly recommend it if possible. The first floor we considered looked very nice based on the showroom sample, but the box we received had multiple boards with defects (PanTim Palladio). Even if it extends the process a bit, I’d try to get a box of the flooring before making a final decision - you get a much more representative view from 20 SF vs the small showroom sample.

@chris27632 Are you happy with the Preverco / White Oak / Nuance / Raw flooring? I'm considering this flooring company but have read a few bad reviews about the floor scratching and the wood splitting.

I'm in the same boat right now. Did you go with Preverco? How was it? I'm doing a whole house in the floors and want to make the right decision.

We had all good experience with Proverco brand so far since we started selling it a couple of years ago. I had concerns about those a few reviews too, about not after we started with them. I guess only people with not so good experiences tend to write reviews online. So, educate yourself well before you purchase by talking to a wood floor professional. Setting expectation is the key in buying a natural product. Here is a white oak raw picture in character grade, V+.