When it comes to hardwood flooring, Mullican and Bruce are two of the biggest names in the industry. Both companies offer a wide selection of solid and engineered hardwood floors made from various domestic and exotic wood species.
But when it comes down to it, which brand offers the better quality and value for your home?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare the pros and cons of Mullican vs Bruce hardwood flooring to help you decide which is the better option for your needs and budget.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Aspects | Mullican | Bruce |
| Wood Species Selection | Over 50 species including domestic and exotic | Mostly oak and hickory |
| Construction | Engineered plywood core extremely stable | Good plywood core, less stability |
| Durability | Industry leading, lasts decades | Good for the price, but lower than Mullican |
| Warranties | Lifetime structural, 7-year commercial | Lifetime structural, residential only |
| Installation | Prefinished, engineered installs easily | Prefinished, more nailing/gluing |
| Cost | $5-12 per square foot | $3-7 per square foot |
| Aesthetics | Very attractive, handscraped visuals | Decent traditional oak looks |
Overview of Mullican Flooring
Founded in 1985, Mullican Flooring is based in Johnson City, Tennessee and manufactures 100% made in the USA solid and engineered hardwood floors. The company uses domestic Appalachian oak and hickory as well as exotic Brazilian cherry, African mahogany, and Asian tigerwood for their flooring.
Some key facts about Mullican Flooring:
- Specializes in solid and engineered prefinished hardwood flooring
- Offers over 50 domestic and exotic wood species
- All products made at their Tennessee facility
- Known for exceptional durability and stability
- Leading provider to builders and architects
- Offers custom staining, finishes, and installation options
Mullican uses a multi-layer plywood core in their engineered floors to minimize expansion and contraction. Their proprietary manufacturing process and adhesives result in extremely stable flooring that can handle humidity changes.
Many of Mullican’s floors feature textured finishes like handscraping, wirebrushing, and distressed effects. This gives the wood visual character and helps hide minor scuffs and scratches. Popular collections include the solid Eastchester Oak, engineered Ponte Vedra Hickory, and exotic Madera Ebony.
Overview of Bruce Hardwood Flooring
The largest brand of Armstrong Flooring, Bruce has been manufacturing hardwood floors for over 100 years. They offer a range of solid and engineered prefinished flooring featuring domestic wood species like oak, maple, and hickory.
Here are some key facts about Bruce hardwood flooring:
- Part of Armstrong Flooring, a major flooring manufacturer
- Offers both solid and engineered construction
- Domestic oak, maple, hickory, ash, birch options
- Prefinished planks for easy installation
- Known for durability and affordable pricing
- Proprietary technologies like Home Shield wood protection
- Wide range of plank widths and thicknesses
Bruce uses several technologies to improve the hardness and durability of their flooring:
- V-Groove edges which tightly lock planks together
- Advanced acrylic infused finishes
- Home Shield wood protection to reduce moisture damage
Popular Bruce collections include the solid Dundee Hickory, engineered French Oak, and Dura Beauty White Oak lines. This brand is widely available through major retailers like Home Depot and Lowes.
Comparing the Pros and Cons of Mullican And Bruce Hardwood Flooring
So when it comes down to Mullican vs Bruce, how do they compare in terms of quality, construction, cost, and overall value? Here is a detailed overview of the pros and cons of each brand.
- Hardwood Types
Mullican Pros: Vast selection of over 50 domestic and exotic wood species in a range of plank sizes and visual styles. Options not offered by Bruce.
Bruce Pros: Good variety of popular domestic wood species like oak and hickory. Easy to find standard oak or maple floors.
Mullican Cons: Limited mostly to privately-owned showrooms, not as widely available.
Bruce Cons: Less variety in wood types and visual styles. Mostly just standard oak and hickory.
- Construction Quality
Mullican Pros: Very high quality multi-layer plywood core gives engineered floors superior stability. Floors resist expansion/contraction and last longer.
Bruce Pros: Good overall construction quality with standard plywood cores on engineered flooring. Decent stability.
Mullican Cons: Higher priced than Bruce, but customers report excellent value for the money.
Bruce Cons: Durability not quite as high as Mullican over decades, especially in humidity. More gaps can develop.
- Installation Process
Mullican Pros: Engineered flooring installs easily over most substrates. Prefinished boards go down fast. Built-in FAST-6G click system on some planks for DIY install.
Bruce Pros: Wide variety of locking systems like V-Groove and Hi-Lock joints for simple DIY installation. Most boards are prefinished.
Mullican Cons: Professional installation recommended for exotic species to limit boards warping. Adds to cost.
Bruce Cons: Standard glue-down or nail-down installation. Prefinished planks help.
For DIY homeowners, Bruce provides an advantage with the ProXTP system of fold-down locking planks. This floating click-lock system installs without glue or nails. Just interlock the boards and you can cover flooring quickly.
Some downsides are that floating floors feel less stable underfoot, and the joints can separate over time. Glue-down engineered floors provide better performance long-term.
Mullican’s products require more labor-intensive nail-down or glue-down installation. This costs more if you hire a pro. But the floors feel very solid underfoot and last longer without movement.
Engineered planks are still easier overall than traditional solid 3/4″ thick hardwood installation.
- Warranties
Mullican Pros: Outstanding lifetime structural warranty on engineered floors plus industry-leading 7-year light commercial wear warranty. Shows their confidence.
Bruce Pros: Solid lifetime structural warranty for residential installs for peace of mind. Industry standard.
Mullican Cons: Light commercial warranty adds cost for business/rental property installs.
Bruce Cons: No commercial warranties offered. Residential use only.
- Cost/Value
Mullican Pros: Exceptional quality and construction in both solid and engineered floors. Made in the USA. Smart investment that adds resale value.
Bruce Pros: Good quality and durability at a budget-friendly price point. Value oriented brand.
Mullican Cons: Prices start around $5/sq ft, so among the more expensive hardwood flooring options.
Bruce Cons: You get what you pay for. Corners cut on raw materials and construction to offer lower prices.
- Aesthetics
Mullican Pros: Gorgeous exotic and domestic wood species in unique grades and visual styles. Handscraped and wirebrushed finishes. Very on-trend natural appearance.
Bruce Pros: Attractive finishes and stains on oak and hickory floors. Traditional and rustic aesthetics at an affordable price.
Mullican Cons: Limited gloss options. Mostly low-sheen finishes.
Bruce Cons: Less variation in visual style than other brands. Fewer species options.
- Resale Value
In general, professionally installed Mullican exotic floors will add more dollar value to a home’s listing price due to their premium quality and luxury brand recognition. Bruce is seen as just standard hardwood flooring.
Homeowners report an excellent return on investment from the higher Mullican pricing.
Bruce floors installed by homeowners often have gaps, creaks, and other issues that buyers notice. This can negatively impact resale value and appreciation.
So the do-it-yourself savings of Bruce disappears after selling. Paying more for quality installation of Mullican floors almost always pays off long-term.
- Maintenance And Repairs
One maintenance advantage of Bruce is that minor scratches and dents can be sanded out since the finishes are relatively soft.
This allows refinishing and refreshing the floors multiple times.
Mullican’s extremely hard aluminum oxide finishes protect better but don’t allow sanding.
For repairs, Bruce’s products are straightforward to spot repair by pulling planks and replacing damaged sections. Matching domestic oak is easy. Exotic species like Mullican’s Brazilian cherry require custom ordering replacement boards since the grain and colors vary widely.
Which Brand Is Better Overall?
Based on comparing the various factors above, Mullican hardwood flooring comes out as the better choice overall for most homeowners. While Bruce offers great value oak and hickory floors, Mullican beats them in wood selection, construction quality, durability, warranties, ease of installation, and aesthetics.
Mullican’s engineered floors made with multi-layer plywood cores resist expansion and contraction far better than Bruce. This results in exceptional stability and performance over decades of use.
The vast array of domestic and exotic wood species and unique handscraped finishes gives Mullican an advantage in looks as well.
While Bruce costs less upfront, savvy homeowners report Mullican’s floors add greater value and enjoyment long-term. And with advanced structural warranties and light commercial coverage, you can install Mullican just about anywhere with confidence.
Unless you are on a very tight budget, Mullican is the winner when it comes to exotic and durable hardwood flooring.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, Bruce is one of the better known and affordable hardwood flooring brands. They offer decent quality oak, maple, and hickory floors at budget-friendly prices for residential use.
Just don’t expect exotic species or the highest construction quality at Bruce’s low price points.
According to most homeowners and experts, exotic species from Brazilian cherry to African mahogany produced by American companies like Mullican are considered the highest quality and best performing hardwood floors overall.
All Mullican solid and engineered hardwood floors are manufactured at their facility in Johnson City, Tennessee. Mullican handles the entire production process for exceptional quality control.
Engineered exotic species floors made with multi-layer plywood cores like Mullican’s tend to offer the most durability and longevity. Domestic oak floors are less durable in comparison over decades of use.
Final Recommendation
In summary, while Bruce offers affordable and attractive oak and hickory floors, Mullican is the clear winner if you want exotic wood species, exceptional durability, and advanced construction quality in engineered flooring.
The warmth and visual character of Brazilian cherry or African mahogany floors from Mullican adds timeless value and beauty to any home. Just be prepared to pay a bit more for that premium quality.
