[lawgolfer]

Stockton and Merced! You skipped right over Modesto and Its arch.

[Kathryn Putt]

We love our LVP and it is so much better for our aging bodies because it's softer when walking or standing. Good Luck

[34gunner]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

Thx so far all. Is there a better place to buy other than Lowe’s, we live close to it. As mentioned I plan to install so just need to buy products.

Stick and Stone in Wildwood. Have used them in 3 homes. Great people to work with.

[richinfl]

Vinyl plank is much more durable, will outlast and is no more expensive than laminate. First, do not put cheap vinyl plank in. There are all grades, so stick with a reputable manufacturer and have it installed by quality installers. You can install yourself, it is easy to work with, but for the best finished look, go with a quality installer. Most companies you talk with have them on staff or on speed dial. You will love the ease of care, and with kids or animals, nothing is more durable! BTW, when properly installed, there is no "click" when you walk on it.

[DiandJay]

We have tile in the wet areas (kitchen, baths and laundry) which we wanted to keep but didn’t want the openness of the rooms to be compromised by a drastic color change from tile to laminate. Found a beautiful light color flooring that paired well with the tile while not looking like we tried to match but missed the mark. Gets lots of compliments. Good luck in your search. Bottom line I would say is to at least talk to Roberto’s and other flooring companies so you are well informed prior to choosing.[/QUOTE]

This was so helpful as we don’t want to remove the existing tile in our kitchen, bathrooms and Laundry room, but want to replace the carpet in the adjoining LR/DR. We’ve considered using a flooring that is a similar color so it doesn’t have that jarring affect. So happy to hear this idea has been successful. Love to see this in person!

[MSGirl]

Originally Posted by Cupcake57

Vinyl plank all the way. More durable, easier to install and easy to fix on the rare occasion it gets damaged. Does not feel cold underfoot even tho it is installed onto the slab-I think over a vapor barrier where they took the carpet out of the bedrooms but I'm not sure. They laid it right over the sheet vinyl installed by the builder in the rest of the house. I slide furniture over it all the time and no marks so far. They told me the only thing that would damage the surface is if a knife was dropped point down and that would be hard to see due to the busy woodgrain pattern. There are different wear levels to be purchased and I got the most durable one.(Floor masters on 301) I think it was around $7/sq ft installed, 2 years ago. Laminate is like a photograph glued to particle board. And sounds clicky.

My daughter has vinyl plank and although she loves it, she can see tiny scratches in it. The movers also tore a bit of it when they installed her refrigerator in the kitchen. She has a Coretec product.. Laminate is a photograph incorporated in the design…but what is the design on vinyl plank? I find my waterproof Mohawk laminate very durable. The new laminate is waterproof and feels just like wood. However, my laminate is not in any wet areas of my house. I would choose vinyl plank if I was needing it in wet areas.

[moerman]

i would like the installer name & number, please

[coleprice]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

I installed Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank from Lowe's, in 2 bedrooms, 3 closets, and short hallway myself. This is a 100% vinyl product, it is very flexible, installs like rigid plank flooring BUT it is much quieter almost as quiet as carpet. We have had this for over 3 years with no were marks. NOTE: this installs DIRECTLY over the concrete floor with NO underlayment (do NOT listen to the salesman) read the manufacturers instructions. I was able to install this without removing the existing molding with all of the flooring on alls sides going under the existing molding. Send me PM if you need details.
Also a BIG advantage of the DIY approach I did not have to empty any of the rooms, I was able to move furniture, remove the carpet and padding, glue, etc, and completely clean the floor and then install. I cut this material with abox cutter, but I understand they have a heavy duty cutter for it.
I highly recommend this product.

Everything stated in Villagtinker's reply is accurate, but, I'd like to add that the Vinyl Plank is more comfortable to walk on too.

[Michread]

Originally Posted by moerman

i would like the installer name & number, please

Call Jason at Village Home Solutions
774-276-2930

He does an excellent job at a reasonable price.

[PaulUnderwood]

We put ALLURE vinyl in our daughter’s house and our kitchen sold at Home Depot not the stick together kind but the click together version

[Hholowich]

Originally Posted by mellotts

1. Looks great!
2. Easy to install!
3. Get it from Pats Sales in Leesburg. Half the price.
4. Tough stuff! Wheels on office chairs dont leave marks. Sliding furniture wont either.
I can recommend a very good installer if you’re interested. You just pick it out and pay. He’ll do all the rest. Very meticulous and trustworthy!!

Who did your installation? TIA

[HJBeck]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

I am planning to remove carpeting in one bedroom due to allergies etc. And planning to either install myself vinyl plank or laminate flooring.

Would appreciate some input and recommendations before we shop at Lowe’s this weekend. I have installed laminate flooring before, never vinyl plank. I assume that it’s much easier.

Priority for us is-

1 Appearance
2 Ease of install.
3 Cost.
4 Durability.

TIA

My wife and I have installed flooring in 4 rooms (1000 plus sq. ft.) and have only used laminate. When we did this vinyl was not available so my comments are limited to this option. Laminate (good quality) is very real wood looking. It needs to be installed on a very flat surface or you will get clicking when walking on it. We would never install laminate in an area subject to water spray or spills because it can warp if not cleaned soon after a spill. They were easy to install. Hope this helps.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by lawgolfer

In a wall to wall remodel last year, we had laminate installed, primarily because it looked more natural. In that respect, we are pleased.

What we are not pleased with are the sounds. If you drop anything except a pillow on the floor, it sounds "hollow" and drum-like. There are several spots, such as the transitions to the tile in the wet areas mentioned by another respondent, where it "pops" or "cracks" when stepped on.

These result from three things:

1. The planks are laid over a 1/8" foam pad and "float". At the edges, a slight gap with the wall will be left and covered over with baseboard or quarter round. This is so the flooring can actually shift ever so slightly.

2. Concrete slabs are never perfectly flat or level. There will be both low and high spots in all slabs (think of puddles of water on the floor when you hose-out your garage. When you step on a low spot, the flooring will flex and there will be a crack or pop. The only way to eliminate these areas is to "float" the slab with "Quickset", a lightweight cement product, before laying the flooring.

3. The thin foam pad lends a drum-like quality to the floor.

I don't know why a vinyl floor would be any different. The only differences I know between laminate and vinyl are that vinyl doesn't look as natural and that you can pour water on vinyl. One poster said you can't "wet mop" laminate. If by that he means you can't flood the laminate and then mop up the water, he is correct. However, we regularly clean our laminate with a damp mop and have found the "Swifter" pads to be superior to a regular mop or sponge.

If I ever replace our laminate or remodel another house, I would, first, have the slab "floated" with Quickset and have the flooring material we chose glued solidly to the surface. Personally, I prefer "manufactured wood", which is laminate but with a top surface of real wood. Admittedly, this flooring can be damaged. If it is, it is fairly simple to repair by cutting out and replacing the damaged plank. It can be cleaned with a damp mop (again, Swifter works best). Plus, nothing but real wood looks as good.

Agree on the sound problem. A lot of floors in TV are not level. Carpet is like popcorn ceilings. Both of them hide poor workmanship. Vinyl is quieter than laminate.

[OrangeCrush]

Do look at Home Depot for choice selections to be sure you get what you want. Floor & Decor is another option; however, they don't offer Veteran discounts, but you cannot beat their selections and pricing. Best wishes!

[ithos]

An expert is probably the best source to listen to.

Mil layer thickness is always the number one factor to look at when assessing the wearability of a vinyl plank floor. A secondary objective factor to consider when judging the quality of the product is the composition of that wear layer. Many companies have their own unique formulas for their wear layers. Acrylic layers for example, tend to be a little softer, making them potentially wear a little faster than others. However, when they do eventually scratch, the scratch line won’t be as clear and bright as it would with other formulas. Ceramic Bead finishes are much harder, making them wear off slower, but scratches on these types of surfaces tend to “shine” a bit more. Ultimately, it’s impossible to tell exactly how long a wear layer will hold up, but the industry general standard is a year per mil.

Let’s Talk Luxury Vinyl Planks: The Wear Layer