msmoll91 , our floors are made to order here in the United States. We have lots of great reviews on Houzz and can always send samples. www.oakandbroad.com

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If you are not a budget, I would highly recommend Carlisle wide plank flooring. We installed about 2,000 sf of their engineered European oak, I think with some type of oil or wax finish, but it supposedly does not require re-oiling every year like Duchateau. We were shocked at how strong and stain resistant the floors are! We tested a sample before we bought with red wine, jelly, crushed blueberries/blackberries, etc.... Even after hours, it all wiped right off with no stain. We have two kids and two dogs, including one that weighs 80 pounds and that destroyed our previous red oak floors with a polyurethane coating in a condo. After four years, these floors look brand new. There are maybe at most a handful of light scratches/dents (main one from our new fridge install. But these are barely visible and we never felt like we had to touch up anything! Never had any other kind of problems. Only complaint is that maybe 5% of the boards some markings/colorations issues, but I understand that is to be expected from all companies, which is why you order a little extra (although at the price Carlisle charges, they should just inspect and pull those bad planks off the production line). Unfortunately, most of their floors cost upward of $14/sf uninstalled with some quite higher, which is prohibitive for many. We are now looking to maybe using Carlisle again in a new house (although reconsidering because of the price), but when I read all the complaints about other brands (like dents from dropping a spoon), it makes me feel like the extra cost is worth it in the long run! Sure, we could get floors for well under $10 that might have a similar look and save $20K+, but what's the point if they will look awful in a few years? If you have the budget, I highly recommend Carlisle.

There's a veritable HERD of people out there who claim they can provide top notch choices.

Having been in this business (hardwood flooring) for decades, I've seen & heard it all, and can attest to the reality that, if due diligence is practiced, there are a few of us out there that CAN actually provide top shelf options, and do so at reasonable price points. I sympathize with the present day shopper who has adapted to a climate of "online shopping", and be disappointed because of the fact that anyone with a pulse can claim to be "experienced" and post photos that look great.

As they say... "Caveat Emptor".

And keep in mind that the "best price" doesn't ensure the "best deal"...

Best price is often not the best deal if that makes sense. Select Hardwood Floor Co. good to see you!

To the OP: warranties are overrated. Read the language carefully. My old home's construction didn't meet the warranty requirements of any single one manufacturer. Not.a.single.one. Once I figured that out, the decision was much easier for me. I chose a thickness and finish that the floor must have. The service I received from the local independent retailer was also a factor. Good luck with your decision. It's tough with all the choices out there.

If you are concerned about CHEMICAL profiles, then you have to search for the companies that ADVERTISE their certifications. Anyone who pays TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars (or Euros) to have their products tested will ADVERTISE these things.

That means you are looking for ECOInstitut or CARB II compliance, etc. You are looking for technical data sheets that specifically mention their VOC content, etc. If you cannot find these documents EASILY on a company's website, then you can bet they don't have them.

Here's a link to a Swiss company (known mostly for Laminate, cork, marmoleum, etc) who shows the certifications at the bottom of EVERY DATA SHEET:

https://lico.ch/media/tdb_kork.pdf

Scroll down to the bottom of the sheet. You will see 6 different stamps. These are the things you are looking for.

Once you find products that carry these types of certificates you can be certain you are looking in the right place. I would say most people go about this the wrong way. They start looking at 'pretty' and then start asking if their choice meets their other needs.

I say start with the OTHER needs/worries and then find out if they carry anything you could be live with. It really helps to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Here's another one (for cork):

https://www.corkart.pt/canada/downloads/

Notice they have an entire section devoted to certificates. This is PRECISELY what you want to see.