US flooring is sold on a few clear attributes. Retail category pages filter by species, colour and shade, price per square foot and construction; specialist wide-plank brands sell on species, width, grade and character. A Vietnamese mill that writes its spec sheet in the same language gets faster answers and fewer misunderstandings.
The specification, line by line
| Attribute | What US buyers expect to see |
|---|---|
| Construction | 2-layer or 3-layer engineered; core type (plywood, hardwood lamella, HDF) |
| Thickness / wear layer | In inches and mm — e.g. 5/8" (15 mm) with a 3 mm sawn face, or 3/4" (20 mm) with a 6 mm face; sawn vs sliced/rotary veneer stated |
| Species | White oak dominates; also red oak, hickory, maple, walnut, acacia |
| Grade | Select / Natural / Character or Rustic — with knot and filler rules defined |
| Dimensions | Width (5"–9"+ for wide plank), random or fixed lengths, both in inches and mm |
| Profile and format | Tongue-and-groove or click; plank, herringbone, chevron |
| Finish | Prefinished (UV oil, lacquer, hardwax oil) or unfinished; colour, sheen, texture (brushed, hand-scraped) |
| Installation | Nail-down, glue-down or floating; radiant heat suitability |
| Packaging | Sq ft per carton, cartons per pallet, lot control |
Samples and approvals
- Send samples in the final construction and finish, labelled with the spec — not a generic colour board.
- Keep a numbered counter-sample at the mill and agree the tolerance for colour variation between lots.
- Provide finish technical data sheets and the TSCA Title VI certification with the sample pack — see compliance.
Pricing the way US buyers compare
Retail engineered hardwood is advertised per square foot, from entry-level ranges to premium wide-plank white oak and walnut. A US distributor will compare your offer on landed cost per sq ft — so a DDP quote that already includes ocean freight, duty, fees and delivery to their warehouse is far easier to accept than an FOB price per m². Our duty guide and container planning guide show how to build that number.
Where Vietnamese mills win
- Wide-plank and herringbone formats with sawn faces and custom finishes, at volumes small enough for regional brands.
- Consistent lots and reliable packing for e-commerce and showroom brands.
- Combined programmes — flooring plus stair parts or matching furniture — consolidated in one DDP shipment, see furniture DDP.
Duties, Section 232 scope and formaldehyde and Lacey Act rules change, and they depend on the exact product. This article is general guidance, not legal advice — confirm the treatment of your HTS code, species and origin before quoting.
Balance Trans ships engineered flooring from Vietnam and Cambodia to US and Canadian distributors, retailers and projects on DDP terms — container booking, Lacey Act and customs entry, duties and delivery to the warehouse. See DDP to the USA & Canada or send your spec sheet and volumes for a quote.