Flooring Buyer Comparison Guide
Really Cheap Floors vs Floor & Decor have differences that reach beyond the number on a price tag: you are comparing two very different ways to buy hard-surface flooring. Floor & Decor operated 282 warehouse-format stores and five Design Studios across 39 states as of September 24, 2026 (Q3 FY2026 filing), stocked with tile, stone, wood, laminate, and vinyl for local walk-in pickup or online checkout, with online prices and stock varying by your selected local warehouse. At Really Cheap Floors, we are a flooring liquidator specializing in discounted solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank (LVP), and select laminate closeouts. All available hardwood flooring and vinyl lots currently online are ready for users to place an order over the phone at 1-800-253-2728. Our over-the-phone team will confirm live square footage, grading, and pallet freight before you buy.
Key Takeaways
- Start with the material category. Floor & Decor is a major warehouse retailer for ceramic, porcelain, marble, and mosaic tile as well as wood and vinyl. Really Cheap Floors does not sell tile or carpet online. We have a laser focus on prefinished solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank, laminate closeouts, while offering matching trims.
- Compare specifications and grade, not just photos. Line up material type, core or ply construction, wood species, plank width, wear layer or veneer thickness, attached pad, and flooring grade (1st Quality vs. Builder A or Cabin grade) before comparing prices.
- Factor in how each company sells and ships. Floor & Decor offers local store pickup (with up to 7 days of free storage) and online checkout; Really Cheap Floors handles every purchase order by phone (1-800-253-2728) to verify real-time lot availability and quote pallet freight to your ZIP code.
- Price the entire project, not just the plank. Underlayment, concrete vapor barriers, transitions, subfloor prep, full-carton rounding, grade-appropriate waste (7%–10% for 1st Quality vs. 10%–20%+ for off-grade wood), freight, and labor determine your true bottom line.
- Plan your own installation with Really Cheap Floors. We sell flooring materials, not installation labor. Floor & Decor connects shoppers with independent third-party contractors through its Installation Made Easy network.
At a Glance: How the Two Retailers Differ
Before comparing individual products, check which buying and delivery model fits your project size, material, and schedule:
| Comparison Factor | Really Cheap Floors | Floor & Decor |
|---|---|---|
| Business Model | Direct-to-consumer flooring liquidator (mill overruns, discontinued 1st Quality, Builder, Cabin, and closeout lots) | National big-box hard-surface flooring warehouse chain (282 warehouse stores and 5 Design Studios across 39 states as of Sept. 2026; pricing and stock vary by local store) |
| Core Categories | Prefinished solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank (LVP), 1st Quality laminate closeouts, matching trims (no tile or carpet sold online) | Ceramic, porcelain, stone & mosaic tile, LVP, laminate, engineered & solid wood, bamboo, thinset/grouts/tools |
| How You Order | Browse online catalog; all orders placed over the phone (1-800-253-2728) to confirm live stock and freight | In-store register checkout or online checkout (plus free 60-minute in-store or virtual design appointments) |
| Samples | First sample packet free for 500+ sq ft projects (up to 4 solid wood, 5 engineered, or 5 LVP samples; $12.91 USPS shipping on additional packets or orders under 500 sq ft; inventory is not held while samples ship) | Shipped online samples cost $3.00 each for standard flooring and tile ($5.00 for XL slab/countertop samples), shipping included, arriving in 7–14 days, or purchased in local stores |
| Installation | Materials only — buyer hires an independent installer or installs DIY | Does not employ in-house crews; refers vetted independent local contractors via Installation Made Easy (contractor holds labor quote and workmanship warranty) |
| Pro / Volume Pricing | Direct phone negotiation on volume, multi-pallet, and Take All lots (no membership required) | Free PRO Premier program with Pro Desk support, Bid Room quotes ($10,000+ orders), 1x–3x rewards points, and 5%-back credit options |
| Shipping, Pickup & Storage | Ships nationwide across the US on pallets by freight truck (business dock/forklift, nearby carrier terminal pickup, or residential lift-gate delivery), plus Murphy, NC warehouse pickup | Free local store pickup with up to 7 days of free courtesy storage ($10/day starting day 8), flat-rate local curbside delivery (0–60 miles at participating stores), or 7–14 day third-party curbside pallet shipping |
| Returns | Buyer pays return freight; no returns once installed; return eligibility depends on Running Line vs. Closeout/Take All lot status (confirm by phone before ordering) | Unused, undamaged boxed flooring must be in full, unopened original cartons within 90 days with receipt at any warehouse store (no loose planks); no returns once installed |
Compare Like-for-Like Prices and Full Project Math
Is Floor & Decor cheap quality, or is a liquidator always cheaper? A retailer’s name or headline price alone cannot answer that. A meaningful Really Cheap Floors vs Floor & Decor price comparison lines up the same flooring category, core construction, grade, plank width, wear layer or wood veneer thickness, and warranty—and then adds underlayment, trim, waste, freight, and labor.
A wood-look thumbnail never tells you whether two vinyl planks share a 20-mil commercial wear layer and attached pad, whether a laminate includes underlayment, or whether two oak floors share the same grade and veneer thickness. Use listed prices as starting reference points, then confirm live availability and delivered totals before deciding:
| Really Cheap Floors Listed Example* | Verified RCF Product Specifications | Floor & Decor Benchmark to Match** |
|---|---|---|
| Peachtree Trending – Oasis Tan $1.99/sq ft (on sale, reg. $2.69) |
Luxury vinyl plank, 1st Quality, 7.09" wide, 20 mil wear layer, floating installation | Entry 5 mm DuraLux Performance (Farro Oak, SKU 125532735, 7" x 48", 20 mil wear layer, IXPE foam pad, $1.99/sq ft or $47.46 per 23.85 sq ft box) up to 8 mm cork-backed NuCore Whispercore (Tybee Oak, SKU 101329340, 22 mil, $3.79/sq ft) |
| Woodbury Heights – Maverick Discontinued $2.49/sq ft |
Luxury vinyl plank, 1st Quality Discontinued, 7.5" x 48", 20 mil wear layer, 5 mm thick with attached pad, 30-yr residential warranty (29.72 sq ft/box) | 8 mm NuCore Whispercore (Coral Springs, SKU 101329423, 7" x 48", 22 mil wear layer, cork pad, $3.99/sq ft at $75.53 per 18.93 sq ft box; Lifetime Res. warranty) vs. entry 5 mm DuraLux Performance ($1.99/sq ft) |
| Western Plank – Drift $2.39/sq ft (on sale, reg. $2.99) |
Engineered White Oak, Builder A grade, 8.25" wide, wirebrushed finish (ships to carrier terminal or business dock/forklift only) | Shell Beach White Oak (SKU 101233468, 8.5" x 1/2", $4.49/sq ft) and Westridge Marley European White Oak (SKU 100785872, 7.5" x 1/2", $5.99/sq ft) use 2.0 mm veneers rated for zero sandings; a 3 mm+ refinishable face like Woodland Reserve Creekside (SKU 101019479, 9.5" x 5/8", 3.75 mm veneer) reaches $6.99/sq ft |
| Oak Plank – Red Oak Natural $2.49/sq ft |
Engineered Red Oak, Builder A grade, 5" wide, 1/2" thick with a thick 1/8" (~3 mm) USA-made wear layer | Entry 5" LifeScapes Tuscan Red Oak (SKU 101349132, $2.99/sq ft, $63.45 per 21.22 sq ft box) uses a 3/8" HDF core and a 1.2 mm non-refinishable veneer—not a 1/2" plywood core with a 3 mm refinishable wear layer |
| Winchester – Red Oak Natural $3.29/sq ft (4" wide; 5" wide is $3.49) |
Prefinished solid Red Oak, Cabin grade, 3/4" thick x 4" wide | First-quality 3/4" solid Red Oak runs $4.99/sq ft for 3.25" Prime grade (Westridge Marcel, SKU 101141240, 20 sq ft/box) to $6.99/sq ft for 4.25" (Woodland Reserve Winslow, SKU 101443539, 17 sq ft/box)—factoring in Cabin grade’s shorter boards, knots, and higher waste |
| Valley Terrain – Landscape Contours $1.79/sq ft |
1st Quality waterproof laminate, 8.03" x 47.6", 12 mm thick, AC4 wear layer, embossed-in-register, no pad attached (15.94 sq ft/box; Lifetime Residential warranty) | AquaGuard Performance (Cocoa, SKU 100997105, $2.99/sq ft, $60.25 per 20.15 sq ft box) pairs a 12 mm AC5 plank with a pre-attached IXPE foam pad—add roll underlayment when comparing RCF’s pad-free Valley Terrain |
*Note: Really Cheap Floors published prices exclude freight, underlayment, trim, taxes, and installation labor, and do not guarantee current stock. Call 1-800-253-2728 to verify live inventory and pricing. **Floor & Decor product prices verified November 12, 2026, at the Cumming, GA warehouse; retail pricing and stock vary by local store.
Illustrative 500 Sq Ft Cost Math (Why Box Rounding, Extras, and Freight Matter)
Flooring is priced per square foot, sold in full cartons, and shipped on pallets. To compare a local warehouse pickup against a shipped liquidation order, calculate your total footage with waste (measured area × (1 + waste allowance)), round up to whole cartons, and include required accessories and freight:
- Project baseline: 500 sq ft measured room + 10% layout/cutting allowance for 1st Quality LVP = 550 sq ft required.
- Floor & Decor 22 mil cork-backed LVP example (NuCore Whispercore Coral Springs, SKU 101329423, at $3.99/sq ft, 18.93 sq ft/box): 550 ÷ 18.93 = 29.05 → 30 full cartons (567.90 sq ft) × $75.53/box = $2,265.90 material before tax, transitions, and delivery ($0 shipping if picked up locally in a suitable vehicle; shoppers comparing entry 5 mm foam-backed 20 mil planks can also check Floor & Decor’s $1.99/sq ft DuraLux Performance Farro Oak tier at 24 cartons = $1,139.04).
- Really Cheap Floors 20 mil LVP example (Woodbury Heights at $2.49/sq ft, 29.72 sq ft/box): 550 ÷ 29.72 = 18.51 → 19 full cartons (564.68 sq ft) × $2.49 = $1,406.05 material (or $1,101.03 on a $1.99/sq ft 20-mil LVP sale item), before pallet freight, transitions, and applicable taxes.
Against a $3.99/sq ft warehouse-retail plank, saving $859.85 to $1,164+ per 500 sq ft on the material alone typically leaves substantial room for pallet freight on a 500 to 1,500+ sq ft project and still comes out hundreds of dollars ahead. Conversely, on a 90 sq ft powder room or laundry repair, base pallet freight would outweigh per-square-foot savings—making a local Floor & Decor store pickup more practical. Likewise, notice how Valley Terrain laminate ($1.79/sq ft) has no attached pad: always add roll underlayment to your estimate before comparing it against a pad-attached plank.
Judge Hardwood Flooring Quality by Specifications, Grade, and Sample Condition
Is lower-priced flooring automatically poor quality? No. At a liquidator, low prices come from buying manufacturer closeouts, discontinued colors, mill overruns, and graded production runs rather than maintaining hundreds of retail showrooms. When you see real oak or hickory between $2.29 and $3.89 per square foot at Really Cheap Floors, checking the grade tells you exactly what trade-off—if any—you are making.
Retail Price Context
Engineered wood flooring tested products cost $4 to $9 per square foot.
Retail Price Context
Solid wood flooring tested products cost $5 to $11 per square foot.
How Really Cheap Floors Hardwood Grades Compare to First-Quality Retail Boxes
While most main-aisle inventory at Floor & Decor is standardized first-quality retail stock, Really Cheap Floors sells both 1st Quality Discontinued lots and clearly labeled off-grade hardwood lots. Review our flooring grade guide before calculating how much extra material to order:
| Flooring Grade | What to Expect in the Box | Recommended Waste | Manufacturer Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quality / 1st Quality Discontinued | Top-tier manufacturer runs discontinued only for color or line changes (e.g., Woodbury Heights, Peachtree Trending, Valley Terrain). Full board lengths and consistent milling. | 7%–10% (standard layout; add more for diagonal/complex rooms) | Yes — Covered by the manufacturer’s residential warranty when installed per instructions |
| Engineered Builder Grade (Builder A) | USA-made 1/2" thick boards with a thick 1/8" (~3 mm) real-wood veneer (Oak Plank, Western Plank). Expect 90%–95% usable yield, natural mineral/sapwood color variation, and minor planer, milling, or pinhole blemishes on 5%–10% of boards. | 10%–15% (lets installer cull or trim blemishes) | No — Sold without a manufacturer warranty; inspect before installing |
| Cabin & Rustic Grade (Solid or Engineered) | Real USA-made wood (Winchester Cabin grade) with the same tough aluminum oxide finish as 1st Quality, but more knots, wormholes, wider color variation, and more boards under 18" (~90% usable yield). | 10%–15%+ | No — Sold as-is without a manufacturer warranty; no returns once installed |
| Utility Grade | Lowest-cost prefinished solid wood; accepts splits, large knots, sander burns, boards under 16", and lots with up to 50% cut ends. Requires an installer briefed to use cut-end pieces as starters/enders. | 20%+ (higher if installer discards cut-end boards) | No — Sold strictly as-is without warranty |
Compare the Ranges by Material and Room Conditions
Match the flooring category to your subfloor, moisture risk, and traffic first. Then compare what each company actually stocks:
- Ceramic, Porcelain, and Stone Tile: Need bathroom wall tile, porcelain floor tile, marble, or setting materials? Go straight to Floor & Decor. Really Cheap Floors does not sell tile or carpet online.
- Prefinished Solid Hardwood: Milled from a single 3/4"-thick piece of Red Oak, White Oak, Hickory, or Maple for nail- or staple-down installation over approved above-grade wood subfloors (never directly over concrete or in damp basements). Nearly all of our solid hardwood is made within 200 miles of our Murphy, North Carolina warehouse.
- Engineered Hardwood: Pairs a real wood wear layer over cross-grain plies so planks stay flatter across seasonal humidity shifts and can be glued, floated, or stapled—including over concrete slabs and approved radiant heat. Always compare veneer thickness and core type: a 3 mm (1/8") veneer on an 8-ply core can be sanded and refinished years later, unlike 1.2 mm HDF-core planks or 2.0 mm veneers rated for zero sandings.
- Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP): Waterproof rigid-core planks suit kitchens, basements, laundry rooms, and pet households. Compare wear-layer thickness in mils (such as 20 mil on Woodbury Heights and Peachtree Trending—do not confuse wear-layer mils with overall plank thickness in millimeters), total plank thickness, locking system, and attached underlayment.
- Laminate Flooring: Modern waterproof 12 mm AC4 and AC5 laminates (like Valley Terrain – Landscape Contours or Floor & Decor’s AquaGuard Performance) deliver strong scratch and dent resistance for active homes. Compare thickness, AC wear rating, water-resistance terms, and whether underlayment is attached or purchased separately.
Read Warranty, Return, and Lot-Matching Terms Before Ordering
Retail store policies and liquidation terms differ in ways that directly affect your project planning:
- Return Windows, Full-Carton Rules, and Lot Restrictions: Floor & Decor’s 90-day return policy accepts unused, undamaged boxed wood, laminate, and LVP in full, unopened original cartons with a valid receipt at any warehouse store. Single-piece returns apply only to receipted samples or unopened, shrink-wrapped decorative mosaics—never loose leftover planks. Custom orders are non-refundable, Design Studios cannot take physical returns, and late or no-receipt returns receive discretionary store credit at the lowest historical price with photo ID. At Really Cheap Floors, return freight is paid by the customer, and Closeout or Take All lots generally cannot be partially returned the way Running Line products may. Always ask your sales representative to confirm the exact return and restocking terms for your specific SKU before placing your phone order.
- Inspect Before Installing (Zero Post-Install Appearance Returns): At both retailers, installing a board means accepting its visible appearance and milling. Floor & Decor accepts zero returns or labor claims once flooring is installed. Likewise, Really Cheap Floors only processes post-installation defect claims on 1st Quality flooring covered by a manufacturer’s warranty—never on Cabin, Builder, Seconds, or Utility lots. Open several cartons to verify color, sheen, and grade before installation begins.
- Save Extra Cartons from Your Production Lot: Closeout colors and dye lots cannot be matched later if a pipe leaks or you remodel an adjacent closet. Keep an extra carton and save your invoice and SKU label for future repairs.
Compare Installation Help and Contractor Buying Programs
We sell flooring, not installation. Floor & Decor offers free 60-minute design consultations in-store or online, and its Installation Made Easy program refers vetted independent local contractors who issue the labor quote and hold the workmanship warranty—Floor & Decor’s Installed Merchandise Policy states the store itself is not liable for installation errors. Compare the written scope of any contractor quote—including old-floor tear-out, subfloor flattening, moisture testing, transitions, and cleanup—before assuming a package deal costs less than hiring a trusted local installer directly.
For contractors, builders, and remodelers, compare how each retailer prices volume:
- Floor & Decor PRO Premier is free to join and built around frequent local store runs, offering dedicated Pro Desk support, Bid Room pricing on $10,000+ orders, tax-exempt checkout, 1x rewards points per dollar up to $3,000/month (3x above $3,000/month), and a 5%-back credit card.
- Really Cheap Floors direct volume pricing works through a straightforward phone call (1-800-253-2728) for project-based volume pricing, multi-pallet discounts, and Take All lot negotiations that have no membership program required. If bidding a job with Cabin, Builder, or Utility grade wood flooring, review the grade expectations with your installer upfront so labor time and waste allowances are priced accurately. Getting a good deal on hardwood flooring is the main claim for Really Cheap Floors and their lower material price goals over having trending flooring brands fill up a showroom.
Check Showrooms, Pallet Freight, and Delivery Timing
If touching full-size store displays and loading boxes into your pickup truck today is your top priority, a nearby Floor & Decor warehouse has the clear edge. Floor & Decor usually beats chains like LL Flooring (Lumber Liquidators) on in-store luxury vinyl flooring and tile flooring selections. Online store pickup at Floor & Decor requires your receipt, photo ID, and the purchasing credit card, and accrues a $10/day fee after 7 free storage days; standard Floor & Decor delivery is curbside only (driveway or curb, not inside the garage unless upgraded to White Glove), and shipping damage must be reported within 24 hours. At Really Cheap Floors, you can visit our Murphy, North Carolina location (including monthly warehouse sales), request shipped samples to test under your own home lighting, or have pallets shipped nationwide.
Flooring product selection changes how fast and expensive shipment travels nationwide across the United States on pallets by freight truck. At Really Cheap Floors, your freight cost is quoted when you place your order and depends on your ZIP code, how many pallets you need, and where it is delivered. You have three delivery options:
- A business with a loading dock or forklift (usually the lowest cost),
- A carrier terminal near you where you pick it up, or
- A residential delivery with a lift gate to your door (note: certain oversized wide-plank engineered lots, such as 8.25" Western Plank, ship to a carrier terminal or commercial dock/forklift only).
Once your order ships, we email you tracking and a bill of lading. Delivery dates are estimates, and freight does not move on weekends or holidays, so—just as Floor & Decor advises on its own shipments—please don’t schedule your installer until the flooring arrives. Read our full freight guide.
What to Have Ready When You Call for a Quote
Because all orders at Really Cheap Floors are placed by phone with a flooring specialist, and never through a blind online checkout, having a few project details handy when you shop then call 1-800-253-2728 to get an accurate material-and-freight quote in minutes:
- Approximate project square footage (and whether your room layout is simple or angled).
- Delivery ZIP code and preferred delivery option (commercial dock/forklift, nearby carrier terminal, residential lift-gate, or Murphy, NC warehouse pickup).
- Subfloor type and room level (concrete slab vs. wood subfloor; basement, main floor, or upper level).
- Preferred flooring type, grade, or collection (e.g., 1st Quality 20-mil LVP vs. Cabin or Builder A hardwood).
- Target budget and timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Really Cheap Floors sell ceramic or porcelain tile like Floor & Decor?
Content Writer for Really Cheap Floors
Patrick is the marketing director and product researcher for Really Cheap Floors.
