Same. We got some fantastic European made laminate that's certified not to off gas and affect indoor air quality (huge factor since we were replacing old carpet out of air quality/allergy concern). My sister in law in England did the eco research for her London apartment, then I found it's available here in Canada!
@@annetteanderson3375 I’ll chime in. We did our second floor with golden select laminate from Costco. $2sq ft in Toronto. This thing is amazing, easy to instal. I left a couple left over cut off hoard and they have had rain and snow pour on them for over a month in my backyard and no sign of damage yet. The box says it’s made in Germany.
I love that you don't just give your opinion about what's the "best" choice, but talk abut why each option may be attractive for different people and different life styles. We're going with engineered vinyl for our remodel. We have pets and kids, and way too many spills for anything "real".
I always try to do that so people get a real idea of what works for them. My mum and dad are about to remodel with vinyl and I think it's the best fit for them. They have 3 dogs and they plan on being there for years - so resale isn't an issue. Enjoy your new floors!
I have real hardwoods downstairs and the pets and kids have never damaged them, but a dishwasher leak ruined them around the dishwasher. All of the little spills and knocks in the wood have always wiped up nicely and the wood is pretty forgiving about dropped stuff because it pretty much blends right in if your not too picky like me, it’s not a problem. They were already 20 years old when we got them and now 30 and never been refinished and it’s always the 1 thing people compliment about my house.
Awesome channel! I now now how to direct my vendors using contemporary terms . Your videos save us both SO much time. Hey - any chance you are in Northern California?
I have lived with hardwood, engineered hardwood and LVP. I never hear reviewers talk about what it is like to walk on these surfaces. The feel and sound of hardwood floors is very distinct, in my opinion. Engineered wood is not as dense so it feels light weight, if that makes sense. And LVP, even with decent padding is, well, its own animal. Other than that, you did a very good job describing the flooring options.
Hey Nick, I wanted to point out something about vinyl flooring based on my experience, which I hope will help your viewers if they are considering it. We live on the bottom level of our condo community. After we were flooded before moving into our unit in 2017, we replaced the laminate flooring with Lifeproof vinyl flooring (from Home Depot) because it is "waterproof." Three years later, in 2020, we were flooded again, and ended up having to replace the flooring because it buckled the same way as the laminate had! The Lifeproof vinyl "waterproof" flooring is a snap and click install, and it is a floating floor. If you get water underneath it from anything more major than a spill on top, you are screwed. Sure, it did look like a rustic hardwood; we loved the look of it. But it's not totally "waterproof," except on the top. It's great for pets or spills in the kitchen. However, both of our floods were caused by plumbing issues, which can happen to anyone. Our first flood was caused because our water pressure valve blew and our second flood happened because of a clog and backup in the main sewer line. This time we spent the money to UPGRADE TO PORCELAIN TILE, and it was one of the best decisions we ever made! It looks gorgeous and we know if we are flooded again it has a much better chance of not having to be replaced again. To that end, why don't you do a video about the types of and pros and cons of tile?
This is really great info. Thanks for sharing! Did you go back to HD for the warranty? I’ve heard of people doing that within the 10 year period (or whatever it is) and they will replace no questions asked. What type of tile did you go with?
@@charlymcallister4682 We have also been looking at porcelain tile, particularly the wood look. Luxury vinyl is causing us pause because of reports of stuff still seeping through the cracks, like from little boys around the toilet, ha.... It's humid here as well, so engineered is maybe a bet bet for us over hardwood..
@@nauticalnel I’ve had Engineered Hardwood in my home (including the kitchen) for almost 6yrs now, as soon as there was a small leak from the dishwasher the flooring started to show signs of damage (cupping). I would be cautious about installing any real wood flooring where plumbing is involved for this reason. Tile is the way to go, lesson learned! Which, my mother advised me to do from day 1 when choosing flooring during my remodel. A costly mistake. - I’m also in a humid climate and wouldn’t choose hardwood again knowing how it swells and contracts with the humidity & temp change. Just my opinion, however, so many people absolutely love it and nothing can replicate its beauty. It has pros & cons like everything else.
I love the fact that you don’t focus only on aesthetics but you also know details about the materials. My bf places floor. A lot of times the interior decorators would chose something that looks good but totally impractical. My bf (who worked over 20 years in this industry) would sometimes give them advice but a lot of times they wouldn’t listen and my bf would end up redoing it anyway. I think last year we threw over 20k worth of floors because of this.
Nick, I just want to say how thankful I am for your channel. I am currently remodeling a super old house on a very tight budget and have been watching all kinds of different UA-cam designers. Most come off very snobby, but not you. I love how even if it's not your style or something you'd do, you don't just throw shade at it. I am looking at hard wood flooring currently and while I can not afford real hardwood, and I know I want something better than laminate, I am glad you recognized people of all budgets and didn't just brush over cheaper options like they didn't matter because they don't cost as much. You're a genuine human being, and I truly appreciate you. ❤
I have hardwood, engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl plank flooring in my home. It works really well for the different spaces with different uses. The room we spend the most time in is a gorgeous wide plank hickory hardwood. I love it!
Our home is in Hawaii, the foundation is slab concrete and we have pets. The home we selected has wide plank vinyl flooring that looks like hickory. There is a subtle scraped surface, nothing overt, and a matt finish. It is hard to tell it from real wood. They have really improved in appearance from the original Pergo years. We think it is the ideal flooring, considering the high humidity, the slab, and the pets. In addition, the color hides the red dirt we have here. I had engineered hardwood before and it raised up with the humidity and got water damage on the ends.
I know Pergo were the original laminate people back in the day, but I just left a comment here singing the praises of the Pergo “premium oak OriginalExcellence” laminate flooring in my flat in London (UK)! Their marketing materials rave about the “genuine wood texture” and “silk-matt finish”, and while I had no input in the choice for my new build property, I’m very happy with the outcome - it really does look and feel great, and is very wood-like (and I think I’d be hard-pressed to tell it apart from engineered hardwood). I previously lived in a Victorian/Edwardian conversion (a flat on the upstairs level within a terrace of houses, with neighbours below me and next door in what would have originally been one single household, with the terrible lack of soundproofing you might imagine), and that had the more standard kind of laminate flooring in a shiny cherry/oak sort of finish... the flooring I have now is so much better than that! I will say that the light colour means it needs to be cleaned more frequently, by far, so I’m very glad I have a Dyson cordless stick vacuum to hand, and while I am often clumsy I don’t have pets or kids, so that helps 😂 London definitely isn’t as humid as Hawaii, but it’s definitely not dry either... both of our flooring options sound like they might be compromise choices at first glance, but it sounds like they both absolutely have the right trade-offs for their use-cases, so that’s a win for me 😊
My home is also on a concrete slab & when it rains very heavily ( down hill) there is a chance for the one portion of our living room carpet to get damp. I do want to replace it. ( Also have some outside wood at the base of the home replaced.) All this info was helpful
For those with pets who want Engineered Wood floors, another consideration is the hardness of the wood and the thickness of the top layer. Some wood species such as Hickory are more scratch-resisant than softer woods like Oak, Walnut, or Maple. But you have to like the colour and pattern of Hickory which is more varied, unless it is also stained... Another advantage to Engineered wood is that is usually has a thinner profile (5/8" or 16mm, for example). When renovating, you have to consider what the finished height of the floor is at the edges where it stops, or you may have little ramps (tripping hazards) to transition up.
I had solid hardwood through most of my last home and it was destroyed within 6 months of installation. Dogs and kids did a number. We are currently building and I was advised to do engineered from the builder and the flooring folks. Ended up with wide plank engineered. I like the look better and won’t have to worry about so much gapping from expansion and contraction. What’s crazy is the cost was within a few hundred dollars of solid hardwood.
I just completed a DIY bathroom remodel and we used vinyl planks. [I think it’s the exact same planks seen at 12:40] It’s great, it’s really waterproof, and it feels nicer and warmer on bare feet than tile. It was super easy to install too. It only took a few hours to do our medium sized bathroom.
Recently, I had LifeProof LVP installed throughout my new house this year. My previous house had engineered hardwood which was ok but it became easily scratched. Just dragging a bookcase or a computer workstation across the floor would leave scratches. Over time, some of the strips spaced slightly. Over 10 years, I don't think it help up very well. I'm happier with the LVP. I went with Trail Oak which has a warm look to it. It's very easy to maintain and keep clean.
Just discovered you channel, nice! One other thought about engineered wood over the real stuff is it is more stable and doesn’t expand and contract as much since it is made like plywood with the long fibers stacked and glued 90 degrees to each other. This is especially good for anyone thinking of using radiant floor heating.
I installed the luxury vinyl plank in my house and I love it. It looks like wood and has realistic texture. My house backs up to a lake and I have a senior cat. Perfect for both of them. I highly recommend it, but it really isn't that cheap to have installed.
I agree...hardwood flooring should last forever in residential uses with just basic mindfulness to treat it nicely and by all means, keep the roof from leaking and never let the house sit abandoned where interior humidity levels can shoot up. I installed a 3/4 inch red oak floor in the winter in Ohio. Humidity level 30%. By spring, humidity was 40-45% and I saw the start of buckling between boards. Rushed to get a dehumidifier and then later AC....took care of problem and never returned. Floors got flat again.
I'm loving this channel! It's great that you get right into it and don't blab off-point for the first 10 minutes of your videos - and you are able to speak to poor trends in a way that is not insulting to people who may have them. Most of us don't have the budget for major furniture/flooring/kitchen re-dos every couple of years, and you are motivating me to step back and see if I can make 2 or 3 small changes to update and add interest to a room. Thank you so much for sharing your personality and your expertise!
We had two 20lb rat terriers when it was installed. Now we have a 55 lb flat coat retriever. Have had this flooring about 7 years now and still looks brand new.
wood is wood whether it is eng or solid...it will scratch. If you want to the best wood to hide scratches, you remember 4 things -- go light finish, low gloss, textured (hardscaped) and avoid soft wood (mostly birch, pine, cherry and walnut). Again, these four things will hide scratched and be way easier to touch up if damaged.
We moved into our house 3 yrs ago, our downstairs is Brazilian teak engineered hardwood. From the listing history photos we found it was put in approx 2014 or 2015....not that long ago really, 5 or 6 years.......it's terribly scratched and looks really bad up close...some really deep scratches in some areas. Anything scratches it. It's got some water damage too under our dog feeding station...guess some water got under the plastic tray. I would not recommend it to anyone, maybe just get solid hardwood if you are going that route... it's even cheaper! A beautiful hickory or red oak solid wood is only $3.88sqft (3.25" wide) at Lumber Liquidators. We have 2 rambunctious huskies and a small Tibetian spaniel...even their toenails scratch the engineered hardwood in some areas.
Thanks for your videos, Nick. Just found you this evening. Another great reason for having luxury plank vinyl, is if you live where there is a lot of moisture, like rain, snow and ice, and it gets tracked into the house on a regular basis. We just moved to Wisconsin and most everyone here does vinyl here for this very reason. Also, vinyl feels soft and warm to your feet when its 20 below.
We're finishing our basement to function as a separate suite, and vinyl planks are our choice for the flooring! Gotta go with something waterproof in the basement. We found some really lovely herringbone options at Home Depot of all places. The rest of our 101 year-old house has beautiful original heart pine floors, so we still get the natural wood everywhere else. Thanks for this video, it really cemented that vinyl is the right choice for our basement!
Just discovered your channel. I installed a really nice laminate floor with a thick underpad, and so far (3 months in) the performance is really great! The finish is textured and matte; the underpad makes it feel solid and absorbs a lot of sound. And it seems to elevate the space as well- all on a tight budget!
I live in a very low humidity environment. In fact, I had chosen bamboo for my flooring when I purchased my new (to me) home. Talking to a flooring guy, however, he reminded me that bamboo is a tropical grass that isn’t necessarily well-suited for a desert environment. It was recommended that I get engineered hardwood, since I don’t like laminate. I am one of those people who can feel that it’s laminate through my feet. I’m weird that way. It cost a lot to purchase the engineered hardwood and have it installed (my home is much older and concrete floors had to be prepared for the glue down) but I don’t regret it a bit. I only had it done in half the house since I couldn’t afford to have it done in the entire house, but it is absolutely lovely and has been able to hold up in this low humidity environment. If you have a sketchy humidity issue, I highly recommend engineered hardwood. (Edit) I forgot to add that it’s been nearly 5 years since I had it installed. And except for someone dropping a hard-edged item onto the floor and leaving a dent, it is still as beautiful as it was when I first had it installed. My only pets are cats.
I agree 100% with your overviews. We have owned several homes and have first hand experience wth all these floors and your assessment is right on target. We just completed a reno on our waterfront home in Florida. We went with glued down engineered wide plank hardwood that looks just like your sample for all the reasons you listed. I'm very happy with it so far. There is one more aspect I want to mention and that is the sound of walking on these floors. Floating floors and especially floating laminate floors have a clicky hollow sound to them. While they LOOK good, they don't SOUND right. BUT I also agree that each kind of floor can be appropriate in different applications.
We have oak in our 1928 home (they used pine upstairs). Our family has used LVP at our lake house and it’s proven to be super durable against all the snow, sand, and water. I love that you discussed the pros and cons of each type.
I have the luxury vinyl flooring from home depot and I love it, it's thick, waterproof and when you walk on it you can feel texture, at a very fair price. Never get the cheapest, and I usually can't afford the most expensive option, wood in this case, so "luxury vinyl" it is and love it.
We have a huge living space in the basement that flooded a few years ago, so we had to replace the flooring (carpet). Went with LVP because if it were to ever flood again, it is more likely to survive. I was worried it was going to look like that horrible printed roll-vinyl they glued onto floors back in the day, but it looks amazing and I'm glad we went with it.
From what I've heard/read about LVP, if you ever have a flooding situation, you'll want to remove the baseboards and pull up some planks to see if water got underneath them. The waterproofing applies to surface spills, but not to moisture that gets between the planks and subfloor. People have reported mold growth in that situation.
Wow! I bought a house and need remodeling, and I watched a bunch of videos about flooring your video is the best! You delivered the information! Thank you so much!
This is a great explanation about different types of flooring. I actually rented a few houses with laminate flooring. People commented that they thought it looked cheap in their homes, but I really liked it because it was easy to clean, looked neat and tidy and was scratch resistant. You are right about it not being waterproof. I plan to install vinyl flooring. I currently have scratched up engineered hard wood that looks terrible from years of my house being a rental. It really should be called "soft" hard wood! I just want a smooth, clean, scratch resistance, waterproof surface that is pet friendly.
Hi Nick, you really helped us decide on our flooring. We were all over the place with LVT, hardwood, engineered, etc and we just got so confused. Your video help us reset and figure out the pros/cons for each. We went with maple hardwood and are awaiting the install. "You hardwood people know who you are." lollll :) Thanks a ton!
This was the best video I've seen for comparing the different 'wood' flooring types. I came from a townhome that had laminate. I HATED it. Any water on a seam for more than a few minutes and it was ruined. Purchased a new home with laminate and hardwood (old & repair cuts poorly done) and carpet. Decisions, decisions. Now I'm torn between engineered hardwood and LVP!
May I add a fifth option? Ceramic floors that look like wood. I know it sounds odd and ugly but hear me out. I noticed these type of floors are getting more trendy in the past few years. In fact, my parents did their living room with it and it looks really good. It even fooled a few of their guests into thinking it was the real deal. It's a good option for when you have pets because it's easy to clean and difficult to damage. From what I've seen it comes in a lot of different colours and sizes and in a wide price range. The downside is if you walk barefoot and you don't have floor heating, then it will feel cold to the touch.
Another problem with hardwood (engineered or otherwise) is that it can create slight echos in large open spaces. (Open concept floor plans, I'm talking to you!) That can make it hard for people on the other end of your phone to understand what you're saying, or even those right next to you. I didn't realize that was a problem for me until I visited my sister who has all hard wood in her open concept condo. I was constantly asking people to repeat themselves because there was so much "feedback" due to the hard floors and lack of fabrics to help buffer the sound. We opted for the luxury vinyl plank for a few reasons. The brand we chose has a cork backing which absorbs sound and is so comfortable to walk on. We needed something waterproof as our older dog has some bladder control issues, and we needed something that wouldn't get ruined and would be easy to clean. It does have a texture to it that simulates wood grain which makes it a bit harder to clean. You have to mop in the direction of that "grain" so it will pick up everything. Another issue (and this might have been because of the ones installing it; I don't have enough experience with it to know) is that if you do one area then want to do an adjoining area later, there isn't a way to connect them other than to put a strip over the joins. We did that, and it became a problem when a friend of ours who is in a wheelchair came over. The wheels hit the strip, which doesn't lie totally flat, and knocked it out. Not cool at all. Now I'm trying to find something that is waterproof, has the sound buffer built in, and can be expanded to other rooms without the use of the strip that sticks up creating a hazard for wheelchairs, walkers, or someone who doesn't pick their feet up when walking and could stumble on it. Any ideas?
Hi Nick, love your videos, always very informative. What is interesting to me coming from Europe (Croatia) is that in USA/Canada you put any kind of wood flooring in kitchen or bathroom. For us the standard is tile floor in both kitchen and bathroom. With that you have no concerns about water damage. Also, the bathroom is usually fully tiled from floor to ceiling.
I chose bamboo because it doesn’t have as much pattern as wood. I wanted a more uniform and clean look. It’s also more sustainable since bamboo grows like weeds.
Growing up in our house in the Philippines back in the 80s and 90s, our living room had a nice marble floor and the wall was bamboo. It looked great and I'm still looking for that same bamboo that we had in our house. It's clean and the color very very light. It matches the marble floor in some way.
Bamboo tends to be softer than hardwoods and will have a slight higher tendency to get dinged. I would use it in environments that will not see as much hard abuse.
In the northwest where it rains all the time hardwood floors are everywhere. You seal the wood and take good care of it you have no problems. Nothing is more natural then a beautiful (real) hardwood floor. Also, bamboo flooring is another great eco friendly option. They last forever can be sanded and refinished to look like new again. In the long run saving money, not having to replace the whole floor with new material.
You are so underrated, very comprehensive vlog! We just bought a house and your videos are helping me a lot decide which colour and design we will go for. 👌🏻
Love your channel! We ordered and had delivered hardwood to our 1968 split level entry. The installers came and said they could not nail into the particle board subfloor. (We did pull up a corner of the carpet to show the measuring “specialist”- apparently there was not a line item for subfloor type) We were not working with a contractor, and putting in a new subfloor was not feasible. After looking at our options for a floating floor, we settled on a Cali solid Bamboo. It is narrow strips, 3.75 inches wide and more than a half inch thick, and a light oak color. It is also super hard, and we have not had any scratches from our large dog or from furniture in the two years we’ve had it. It does not have the wood texture, obviously, but is solid. We are slowly replacing worn carpet down the hall and main bedroom. It is not considered waterproof, and we are very happy with our LUxury Vinyl we put into the kitchen-also a floating application due to previous 1968 asbestos flooring.
Our rental apartment had luxury vinyl and we really loved it. We now bought a house that has real hardwood floors and it really is beautiful. Downside is it really absorbed the smells of the previous owners and it's been really hard to get rid of that.
@@blaster-zy7xx we cleaned walls and ceilings with a special nicotine cleaner (very visible difference!) and used two coats of high-coverage paint, so I really hope that’s not it. We still need to treat the floors though.
@@iwasalllikeomg Wow. After cleaning, maybe a sealer on the wood will do the trick. I'll bet with all your cleaning, painting and sealing then adding your own new stuff, you will be fine. Good luck with your project.
We are going with mohawk solid tech lvt in our new house. I love it and its low voc so no off gassing.. We have kids and will be getting a dog so durability is key. We had real hardwood in our old house and it looks so beautiful but it got dinged and damaged so easily.
I've been trying to decide between wood-look tile and vinyl plank. I had never heard of off gassing until now. Your video caused me to do some research and now my choice is clear (definitely tile). Thank you!
We’re in Florida. Humidity matters. Plus, having a pool home & ease of cleaning determined what’s best for us. Thanks for practical information. Homes here have a lot of tile. I’ll check your videos first, yet if you haven’t already- tile video would be nice. There’s so much to look at & what to choose now. You’re info & opinions are enjoyable to hear. Thanks for all you do!
Just found your channel and have binge watched nearly every one of your videos. Your tips are simple, doable and affordable. Plus your a fast talker which makes your vids very concise. I do enjoy the 2-minute vids as much as the longer ones. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and taking the time to help and educate homeowners and renters.
Great video with so much information. We covered our hardwood with floating vinyl plank strictly for the durability. We have two dogs and three toddler aged grandsons. Then there are two grand dogs one of which is a Great Dane puppy. Help me!! The durability is great but you are so right, that it is not hardwood in any way. Walking on it you can feel the plastic but it works for us. Maybe one day down the road we will lift the vinyl and redo the wooden floors.
I am in the same boat. Considering now whether to refinish the wood floor which is expensive and time consuming versus covering it up with vinyl planks . Our floors look horrible because of one small dog after only 5 years
Laminate, or any of these other options, is a vast improvement over old wall-to-wall carpeting. If you rent, you might be able to make a deal with your landlord to do this. Sometimes a landlord will buy the material if an experienced tenant installs it, or make a similar arrangement, like paying half the cost. Most landlords are pretty flexible and favorable towards any scheme that improves the look of the space. I suggest writing a polite and friendly request letter, with the pricing, a vendor photo and/or sample and some suggested payment/reimbursement options. If’s worth a try.
Thank you so much for this discussion! I love how you address peoples' emotion in the equation. I think we have to do this while at the same time being practical. It's clear that real wood/engineered is beautiful (maybe the most beautiful) but part of me feels like I would want to cry everytime it would get scratched due the cost. So, there ya go- emotions at play!
Thank you so much for this video💙 I am grateful you took the time to explain the different types of people who would enjoy each type of flooring. And the pros and cons. Thank you!
I don’t want to drop an opinion with the off gassing with LVP either. Keep in mind off gassing or VOCs are a concern with paint, beds, the glue when putting down hardwood floors, etc. it’s everywhere.
Many builders (and custom) are putting in the LVP. Update 01/24. Our builder put in LVP in our new home in 2022. It was pretty, easy to mop clean. But it feels like plastic and any bumps in the subfloor (like screws) is felt or push through. My husband hates it. In the previous home we remodeled and put in Pergo Timbercraft Laminate which is waterproof up to 24 hrs. It was gorgeous. Easy to walk on and maintain. Many thought it was hardwood. We are taking out this LVP & going back to a waterproof laminate. This video is 3 yrs ago. Laminate has improved greatly since then. Also we had hardwood before. Not easy to mop and it scratches & chipped easily.
THANK YOU for a quick simple video. I now fully understand everything. If everyone made a clear video like you - there would be less headaches! Love the text on the screen too!
I own a hardwood floor installation and refinishing company (15years). We get 2 or 3 calls a week from clients seeking repairs to existing floors. Sometimes a client is remodeling, sometimes a client is dealing with water or fire damage. Luxury vinyl plank, engineered, and laminate floors are all produced in big batches overseas. 3 years later... when the fridge waterline leaks, replacement material will not be available and entire floor will need to be replaced. It is an expensive nightmare. Nice houses have solid real wood floors that can be refinished multiple times. We routinely patch and repair floors that are 100years old. You cannot do that with the others. Additionally, most wide plank engineered floors need to be trowel glued to the subfloor ( anything wider than 5"). Just wholesale cost on glue is usually $1 /sf and that doesn't include added labor cost ( usually + $1/sf in my market). Once a wood floor is glued down it is nearly impossible to remove. We charge $5/sf to remove glued flooring.... again expensive nightmare if you need repair Nothing beats a solid wood floor long term. It's refinishable and repairable and will add more value and livability to your home than anything else. That driftwood color engineered or LVP ( think Martha Stewart / Oprah's beach house) is gonna be the equivalent of 70's orange shag carpet in 10years. Trendy materials will devalue your home long term. A 3/4" solid natural white oak floor is timeless and never goes out of style. Install LVP in your rental or a starter home flip. Avoid laminates entirely. Save the engineered floors for installation over concrete and be prepared for increased labor and glue costs for installation.
My hardwood floors look horrible. I have a small dog and it’s impossible to keep it looking nice. We refinished it 10 years ago and it started looking horrible after 5 years. To refinish it now again, it’s expensive and a hassle. And am worried that 5 years down the line, am back with the same problem. That’s why am considering luxury vinyl. I don’t want to worry about scratches And refinishing hardwood every 5-8 years.
We had to use engineered wood in a piling house on the water in Florida. Otherwise an expensive subfloor venting system has to be built to keep moisture from buckling and warping hardwood.
A couple of extra things about hardwood: - check your underflooring isolation if you're doing it upstairs. If you don't have a good floor with maybe something against the noise, you're going to hear every step and shuffle somebody takes upstairs and that's just really annoying. - There are companies that sell hardwood planks from all the scraps. When they make the planks, there is a ton of spare wood that can't be used because trees have a natural shape and companies want uniform planks with the exact same length and width. So planks from all the extra bits are going to be significantly less expensive. This is what my parents did back in the day. They are not small planks, it's not like you're left with an ugly floor. The only thing is that the planks are not the same length and width. That actually doesn't look cluttered at all because it's all the same wood, it just saves you a lot of money.
We put in laminate about 10 years ago, I’m not sure the luxury vinyl was around then. Anyway, having 3 small dogs who have had accidents, it was a BAD choice! When it gets wet it lifts and kind of bubbles up. We are now going to have to replace it with the luxury vinyl, since we still have dogs🐶. It was a top of the line laminate and I feel like we just threw the money away, oh well, we live and learn! I love your channel and just watching a few episodes has opened my eyes to some decor ideas I wasn’t even aware that I liked......Thanks!
That's the downside of laminate, spills have to be cleaned up immediately. Mine's held up OK for over 15 years, but here and there you can see where water's been absorbed at the seams and the laminate has swollen.
Good morning from Germany! The wood flooring in my first house soon got ruined by children and dogs. It got black scratches. This just looked cheap and disgusting. So I choose wood-look tiles in my new home. This may sound horrible to puristic souls, but I‘m very happy with them. Good wood-look tiles have a wood-like structure and they look and feel like real wood. They always look clean. The only disadvantage is that your feet get cold. I choose STEULER wood-look tiles - LINCOLN.
I had a Pergo laminate floor installed in my living room and continued into the dining room. Still looks good after 8 years and it's a mid-grade quality, but with just me and my cat living here I think it will last a long time. No dents or scratches yet.
There is both waterproof and water resistant laminate. We are looking into putting vinyl into our house, but looking to put the vinyl in our bathroom and laundry rooms.
I have real hardwood because my house is over 100 years old. The house I just bought has engineered hardwood, and it's nice. But every time I walk on laminate I notice how nice it feels to walk on . . . it feels nicer than real wood. So smooth. No shame in laminate
I live in a warmer, mediterranean climate, and I'd like to put in my 2 cents for LVP here. In places like this, we don't necessarily need "warmth" from our flooring -- quite the opposite, esp. if you lack A./C in the summertime! Plus, the LVP we just installed in our living area is really quite neutral, temperature wise, on the feel of our bare feet. We will see how that goes this winter. But so far, LVP is a perfect option for this climate, IMO.
So happy I found this! Open concept with an entrance from our pool, kids, and pets? Vinyl seems perfect for our needs, but never would have considered it
Thanks for the overview. I want to add that vinyl (anything) planks are not bio-degradable, nor are they made from renewable resources--overall very bad for the environment and the future of people.
Thanks for the video! It would be helpful if you expanded on the subject of flooring, with a video on the different types of tiles, polished concrete, etc.
Our home builder actually offered “Aqua laminate” which was waterproof and still cheaper than vinyl! I can’t wait to see what it looks like! I’m from Australia by the way and love your channel, I have binge watched so many videos in preparation for furnishing the new house😅
I have Pergo “originalExcellence” laminate throughout my flat, with “AquaSafe for superior water resistance”, so it sounds maybe similar to what you’re getting! I hope yours turned out as good as mine 😊
I had Brazilian cherry that had a sapphire coating so it would resist scratching installed in three rooms. The total cost came to $6.67/sq. ft. I got my wood from a supplier that handled smaller amounts of flooring up to 1000 sq. ft. worth. Brazilian cherry is much harder than white or red oak and with the sapphire coating is rated for 100 years of use. My contractor had the wood get conditioned to the ambient humidity for four days before he installed it. In Kentucky the humidity is never low so wood floors do well here. My contractor did complain about how much more difficult it was to install Brazilian cherry over oak. :) My house was demolished by the 12-10-2021 tornado and those floors were the only structural items left intact afterwards besides my basement and a concrete slab which I attribute to the skill of my contractor and the strength of the wood I chose. Those floors felt silky and warm under my bare feet. Strand bamboo engineered flooring when coated with sapphire, comes in different stain colors and is supposed to last for 50 years. For tropical climates I have heard that vinyl planks that are made to look like wood work really well. Synthetic materials can outgas but in my experience it is only noticeable when the ambient temperature climbs into the 90's and there isn't adequate air exchange. Under those conditions paint, carpeting and plastics including synthetic fibers not made from an organic product will outgas and then you have a "sick" building situation.
Thank you Nick! I’m starting a kitchen renovation in a home with original hardwood floors throughout and this video is BY FAR the most helpful, out of the many I’ve watched, for the flooring . New Subscriber ! 😊
Really late finding this video (lol). I had laminate flooring in a lot of my house, and it actually looked really nice! It also wasn't super inexpensive/cheap looking, and the quality was really good considering. I live in a very dry climate (Vegas), so traditional hardwood isn't really a good option for me because of how quickly it will be dried out. I unfortunately did have to have most of my laminate pulled up due to a sink flooding and am going with a vinyl planking to replace it. Which - ironically - the vinyl planking is a bit more expensive (okay, a LOT more expensive) than the laminate was. The bathrooms originally had vinyl roll flooring (that looked like wood, I was NOT going with one that looked like tile), so I opted to just extend the vinyl planking going into my bathrooms into the rest of the spaces.
My parents built a gorgeous home in the mid 60’s and had wide plank wood floors. Sad they don’t make it now. 😞 FYI - every kind of wood floors all over Atlanta, it’s a humid place but there’s usually no trouble. I’ve had hardwood in every house I’ve ever had and there have been 10. ❤️ wood floors! Might be good to add the often dogs have real trouble with most of these floors, they can cause and/worsen ortho problems with canines - the down side.
Luxury vinyl plank is going in my entire house. It’s in my kitchen entryway and bathrooms so far but I’m pulling up the carpet in my living room hallway and bedrooms I can’t wait I’m super excited
Hey nick, I love your videos. I am painting my home and would love if you can maybe make a follow up video to this on how to choose the best walls and furniture colors to not clash with the flooring?
Hardwood is actually softer than laminate or vinyl planks, therefore it is more comfortable to walk on hardwood. Also Hardwood provides a good room climate due to the ability to absorb and release humidity. Furthermore, you can get hardwood floors in different price categories. I have seen more expensive laminate than hardwood floors.
How about Bamboo hardwood strand? Advantages we found: Warm, each plank unique (looks a lot like hard wood; comes in wide range of wood colors). Disadvantages: Lack of texture on top; not waterproof! Had to replace rooms of it 3 times due to pipe leak, 2 AC leaks. Might go with vinyl plank in the future. :) Love your videos, Nick!
Hey... Just something I thought would add... In India we also have the option of tiles... That look like hardwood... No texture of course but alot of the other disadvantages with non wood would not apply to it
I love hardwood but, coming from a tropical island and now living in the Northeast (USA), I'm having a hard time adapting to how delicate hardwood is. I miss my tiles badly. Plus, they come in really beautiful sizes, materials and patterns Specially in the kitchen and powder room. I am not used to be overly careful with spills and muddy/wet shoes,etc. Plus I have 2 large dogs that love to play outside. The convenience of mopping tile and not worry about it is priceless to me. Do you have a video comparing hardwood vs. tile (ceramic, porcelain, marble, etc.) floors? I would really love to see it.
I have lived in homes with both. Ironically, we came from the northeast with hardwood and moved to Florida with a tile floor. I miss my wood floors because they were warm and nice to walk on barefoot or in socks. These tile floors are too hard. they are too jarring and cold. Don't drop a glass or bottle on it! They also have lighter colored grout which is hard to keep clean, so we really miss our hardwood floors.
I am heartbroken. We just put in “luxury vinyl plank” through out the house during an addition/renovation because we are hard on floors. Less than six months, it started separating in the kitchen. Contractor said I had to deal with the subcontractor directly. Two reinstalls later with damaged cabinets and molding, we are now saving up for a new floor because new planks (additional payment) is never going to go down right. Just tearing up the house more. Nightmare and have no idea really of what to go with or who to trust. Contractor was from church, promised he would make any problems right and that’s why he was expensive, did work for close friends, know his family well. Didn’t do discussed prep work and product was defective without anyone owning up to it until just recently. Not the contractor, he refuses to follow up and changed churches. Any suggestions? Please be nice, pretty beat up over it.
Hi! I’m no professional but installation matters, very much so, and so it’s done properly. Your flooring will hold up super easily and for so much longer! I’m sorry you had dealt with that. I’ve learned to make sure I adhere each plank not only by snapping them together but using a glue will keep it more waterproof and stop from shifting so much. Hope this round works out better for you!
I had a situation where mine “puffed up “ and we freaked out. We filed an insurance claim because we didn’t know what was wrong. We were told that it was moisture and the insurance company paid for a huge dryer to dry out the floor. A year later we sold the house, so I don’t know how it is now
Buying flooring from a big flooring outlets and hiring an installer on your own is the biggest problem you make when it comes to your flooring or any remodeling. I am not sure if that’s what you did but judging from your post, I assume that’s what happen. Best advice next time, go to a speciality store front “brick n mortar store”, buy materials from them and hire them for installation. You may pay more for it but at least you will have a peace of mind going that route.
If you're talking about off-gassing, also note that the real wood top layer of engineered wood flooring is glued to several layers of plywood. Check out the off-gas rating before buying.
All good points; however, one thing to keep in mind is that with Vinyl Planks you need your subfloor to be completely flat if floating. The locking mechanisms are not as strong and you will feel high and low spots. So you will need to be very meticulous at leveling or hiring a competent person to do so. I paid extra to have my floor leveled and unfortunately they didn’t do a good job. They say it is within spec but I highly doubt it. Now I would have to tear apart a section of flooring to fix the installers high spot that they created. My previous floor was Laminate and never had issues of soft spots, etc
Honestly, if you have pets, get vinyl plank because it’s waterproof. My sister ended up with this after her engineered hardwood flooring got ruined by the contractor and was on back order. One thing to know about vinyl though, it does have small grooves in it. She lives in a desert like climate that can be windy. She said that dirt gets into the house and gets in the little grooves, making it hard to clean.
I’m a hardwood person with a laminate budget.
Me too and I just bought some 😄
Same. We got some fantastic European made laminate that's certified not to off gas and affect indoor air quality (huge factor since we were replacing old carpet out of air quality/allergy concern). My sister in law in England did the eco research for her London apartment, then I found it's available here in Canada!
@@MyFocusVaries what is the brand?
@@annetteanderson3375 I’ll chime in. We did our second floor with golden select laminate from Costco. $2sq ft in Toronto. This thing is amazing, easy to instal. I left a couple left over cut off hoard and they have had rain and snow pour on them for over a month in my backyard and no sign of damage yet. The box says it’s made in Germany.
I'm a hardwood person with a sub ground level condo that has flooded twice in the past 20 years.
I love that you don't just give your opinion about what's the "best" choice, but talk abut why each option may be attractive for different people and different life styles. We're going with engineered vinyl for our remodel. We have pets and kids, and way too many spills for anything "real".
I always try to do that so people get a real idea of what works for them. My mum and dad are about to remodel with vinyl and I think it's the best fit for them. They have 3 dogs and they plan on being there for years - so resale isn't an issue. Enjoy your new floors!
I have real hardwoods downstairs and the pets and kids have never damaged them, but a dishwasher leak ruined them around the dishwasher. All of the little spills and knocks in the wood have always wiped up nicely and the wood is pretty forgiving about dropped stuff because it pretty much blends right in if your not too picky like me, it’s not a problem. They were already 20 years old when we got them and now 30 and never been refinished and it’s always the 1 thing people compliment about my house.
Awesome channel! I now now how to direct my vendors using contemporary terms . Your videos save us both SO much time. Hey - any chance you are in Northern California?
I have lived with hardwood, engineered hardwood and LVP. I never hear reviewers talk about what it is like to walk on these surfaces. The feel and sound of hardwood floors is very distinct, in my opinion. Engineered wood is not as dense so it feels light weight, if that makes sense. And LVP, even with decent padding is, well, its own animal. Other than that, you did a very good job describing the flooring options.
Hey Nick, I wanted to point out something about vinyl flooring based on my experience, which I hope will help your viewers if they are considering it. We live on the bottom level of our condo community. After we were flooded before moving into our unit in 2017, we replaced the laminate flooring with Lifeproof vinyl flooring (from Home Depot) because it is "waterproof." Three years later, in 2020, we were flooded again, and ended up having to replace the flooring because it buckled the same way as the laminate had! The Lifeproof vinyl "waterproof" flooring is a snap and click install, and it is a floating floor. If you get water underneath it from anything more major than a spill on top, you are screwed. Sure, it did look like a rustic hardwood; we loved the look of it. But it's not totally "waterproof," except on the top. It's great for pets or spills in the kitchen. However, both of our floods were caused by plumbing issues, which can happen to anyone. Our first flood was caused because our water pressure valve blew and our second flood happened because of a clog and backup in the main sewer line. This time we spent the money to UPGRADE TO PORCELAIN TILE, and it was one of the best decisions we ever made! It looks gorgeous and we know if we are flooded again it has a much better chance of not having to be replaced again. To that end, why don't you do a video about the types of and pros and cons of tile?
I would assume that your vinyl floor buckled because the sub floor underneath it got wet and warped.
@@glumberty1 I don’t think so. We live on the ground floor. It is cement. There was water on top and underneath the vinyl flooring.
This is really great info. Thanks for sharing! Did you go back to HD for the warranty? I’ve heard of people doing that within the 10 year period (or whatever it is) and they will replace no questions asked. What type of tile did you go with?
@@charlymcallister4682 We have also been looking at porcelain tile, particularly the wood look. Luxury vinyl is causing us pause because of reports of stuff still seeping through the cracks, like from little boys around the toilet, ha.... It's humid here as well, so engineered is maybe a bet bet for us over hardwood..
@@nauticalnel I’ve had Engineered Hardwood in my home (including the kitchen) for almost 6yrs now, as soon as there was a small leak from the dishwasher the flooring started to show signs of damage (cupping). I would be cautious about installing any real wood flooring where plumbing is involved for this reason. Tile is the way to go, lesson learned! Which, my mother advised me to do from day 1 when choosing flooring during my remodel. A costly mistake. - I’m also in a humid climate and wouldn’t choose hardwood again knowing how it swells and contracts with the humidity & temp change. Just my opinion, however, so many people absolutely love it and nothing can replicate its beauty. It has pros & cons like everything else.
Where have you been all our lives??
Priceless information delivered on a silver platter (fast, fun and fabulous).
THANK YOU, Nick!!!!
Can I just say the soft lighting colour in the background is BEAUTIFUL.
I love the fact that you don’t focus only on aesthetics but you also know details about the materials.
My bf places floor. A lot of times the interior decorators would chose something that looks good but totally impractical. My bf (who worked over 20 years in this industry) would sometimes give them advice but a lot of times they wouldn’t listen and my bf would end up redoing it anyway. I think last year we threw over 20k worth of floors because of this.
Nick, I just want to say how thankful I am for your channel. I am currently remodeling a super old house on a very tight budget and have been watching all kinds of different UA-cam designers. Most come off very snobby, but not you. I love how even if it's not your style or something you'd do, you don't just throw shade at it. I am looking at hard wood flooring currently and while I can not afford real hardwood, and I know I want something better than laminate, I am glad you recognized people of all budgets and didn't just brush over cheaper options like they didn't matter because they don't cost as much. You're a genuine human being, and I truly appreciate you. ❤
I have hardwood, engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl plank flooring in my home. It works really well for the different spaces with different uses. The room we spend the most time in is a gorgeous wide plank hickory hardwood. I love it!
Our home is in Hawaii, the foundation is slab concrete and we have pets. The home we selected has wide plank vinyl flooring that looks like hickory. There is a subtle scraped surface, nothing overt, and a matt finish. It is hard to tell it from real wood. They have really improved in appearance from the original Pergo years. We think it is the ideal flooring, considering the high humidity, the slab, and the pets. In addition, the color hides the red dirt we have here. I had engineered hardwood before and it raised up with the humidity and got water damage on the ends.
I know Pergo were the original laminate people back in the day, but I just left a comment here singing the praises of the Pergo “premium oak OriginalExcellence” laminate flooring in my flat in London (UK)! Their marketing materials rave about the “genuine wood texture” and “silk-matt finish”, and while I had no input in the choice for my new build property, I’m very happy with the outcome - it really does look and feel great, and is very wood-like (and I think I’d be hard-pressed to tell it apart from engineered hardwood).
I previously lived in a Victorian/Edwardian conversion (a flat on the upstairs level within a terrace of houses, with neighbours below me and next door in what would have originally been one single household, with the terrible lack of soundproofing you might imagine), and that had the more standard kind of laminate flooring in a shiny cherry/oak sort of finish... the flooring I have now is so much better than that!
I will say that the light colour means it needs to be cleaned more frequently, by far, so I’m very glad I have a Dyson cordless stick vacuum to hand, and while I am often clumsy I don’t have pets or kids, so that helps 😂 London definitely isn’t as humid as Hawaii, but it’s definitely not dry either... both of our flooring options sound like they might be compromise choices at first glance, but it sounds like they both absolutely have the right trade-offs for their use-cases, so that’s a win for me 😊
My home is also on a concrete slab & when it rains very heavily ( down hill) there is a chance for the one portion of our living room carpet to get damp. I do want to replace it. ( Also have some outside wood at the base of the home replaced.) All this info was helpful
I’m an engineered hardwood person married to a real hardwood person. The struggle to agree on flooring is real. Thanks for the deep dive!
For those with pets who want Engineered Wood floors, another consideration is the hardness of the wood and the thickness of the top layer. Some wood species such as Hickory are more scratch-resisant than softer woods like Oak, Walnut, or Maple. But you have to like the colour and pattern of Hickory which is more varied, unless it is also stained...
Another advantage to Engineered wood is that is usually has a thinner profile (5/8" or 16mm, for example). When renovating, you have to consider what the finished height of the floor is at the edges where it stops, or you may have little ramps (tripping hazards) to transition up.
I had solid hardwood through most of my last home and it was destroyed within 6 months of installation. Dogs and kids did a number. We are currently building and I was advised to do engineered from the builder and the flooring folks. Ended up with wide plank engineered. I like the look better and won’t have to worry about so much gapping from expansion and contraction. What’s crazy is the cost was within a few hundred dollars of solid hardwood.
I just completed a DIY bathroom remodel and we used vinyl planks. [I think it’s the exact same planks seen at 12:40] It’s great, it’s really waterproof, and it feels nicer and warmer on bare feet than tile. It was super easy to install too. It only took a few hours to do our medium sized bathroom.
You’re my new pandemic addiction! Thank you for all these tips!
Recently, I had LifeProof LVP installed throughout my new house this year. My previous house had engineered hardwood which was ok but it became easily scratched. Just dragging a bookcase or a computer workstation across the floor would leave scratches. Over time, some of the strips spaced slightly. Over 10 years, I don't think it help up very well. I'm happier with the LVP. I went with Trail Oak which has a warm look to it. It's very easy to maintain and keep clean.
Just discovered you channel, nice! One other thought about engineered wood over the real stuff is it is more stable and doesn’t expand and contract as much since it is made like plywood with the long fibers stacked and glued 90 degrees to each other. This is especially good for anyone thinking of using radiant floor heating.
I installed the luxury vinyl plank in my house and I love it. It looks like wood and has realistic texture. My house backs up to a lake and I have a senior cat. Perfect for both of them. I highly recommend it, but it really isn't that cheap to have installed.
Yeah. We have LVP and it was not cheap lol.
Hard wood lasts for more than decades. I live in a 1893 house, and the hardwood is doing just fine.
I agree...hardwood flooring should last forever in residential uses with just basic mindfulness to treat it nicely and by all means, keep the roof from leaking and never let the house sit abandoned where interior humidity levels can shoot up. I installed a 3/4 inch red oak floor in the winter in Ohio. Humidity level 30%. By spring, humidity was 40-45% and I saw the start of buckling between boards. Rushed to get a dehumidifier and then later AC....took care of problem and never returned. Floors got flat again.
We looked at a house r the at was 300 year old - had original pumpkin pine floors ( WIDE plank )
“Real hardwood people - you know who you are” - that was awesome :)
I'm loving this channel! It's great that you get right into it and don't blab off-point for the first 10 minutes of your videos - and you are able to speak to poor trends in a way that is not insulting to people who may have them. Most of us don't have the budget for major furniture/flooring/kitchen re-dos every couple of years, and you are motivating me to step back and see if I can make 2 or 3 small changes to update and add interest to a room. Thank you so much for sharing your personality and your expertise!
I have been fooled by vinyl planks thinking it's wood so many times, I'm really leaning towards it for my next home!
We put engineered hardwood in our house a couple of years ago and we love it. Have dogs and its holds up well.
How big are your dogs? We are buying a new construction home and need to decide. Thank you
We had two 20lb rat terriers when it was installed. Now we have a 55 lb flat coat retriever. Have had this flooring about 7 years now and still looks brand new.
wood is wood whether it is eng or solid...it will scratch. If you want to the best wood to hide scratches, you remember 4 things -- go light finish, low gloss, textured (hardscaped) and avoid soft wood (mostly birch, pine, cherry and walnut). Again, these four things will hide scratched and be way easier to touch up if damaged.
We moved into our house 3 yrs ago, our downstairs is Brazilian teak engineered hardwood. From the listing history photos we found it was put in approx 2014 or 2015....not that long ago really, 5 or 6 years.......it's terribly scratched and looks really bad up close...some really deep scratches in some areas. Anything scratches it. It's got some water damage too under our dog feeding station...guess some water got under the plastic tray. I would not recommend it to anyone, maybe just get solid hardwood if you are going that route... it's even cheaper! A beautiful hickory or red oak solid wood is only $3.88sqft (3.25" wide) at Lumber Liquidators.
We have 2 rambunctious huskies and a small Tibetian spaniel...even their toenails scratch the engineered hardwood in some areas.
Excellent. Love how you get right to it. Every second is well used so your content value is great! Thanks!😀
Thanks for your videos, Nick. Just found you this evening.
Another great reason for having luxury plank vinyl, is if you live where there is a lot of moisture, like rain, snow and ice, and it gets tracked into the house on a regular basis.
We just moved to Wisconsin and most everyone here does vinyl here for this very reason.
Also, vinyl feels soft and warm to your feet when its 20 below.
We're finishing our basement to function as a separate suite, and vinyl planks are our choice for the flooring! Gotta go with something waterproof in the basement. We found some really lovely herringbone options at Home Depot of all places. The rest of our 101 year-old house has beautiful original heart pine floors, so we still get the natural wood everywhere else. Thanks for this video, it really cemented that vinyl is the right choice for our basement!
Just discovered your channel. I installed a really nice laminate floor with a thick underpad, and so far (3 months in) the performance is really great! The finish is textured and matte; the underpad makes it feel solid and absorbs a lot of sound. And it seems to elevate the space as well- all on a tight budget!
I live in a very low humidity environment. In fact, I had chosen bamboo for my flooring when I purchased my new (to me) home. Talking to a flooring guy, however, he reminded me that bamboo is a tropical grass that isn’t necessarily well-suited for a desert environment. It was recommended that I get engineered hardwood, since I don’t like laminate. I am one of those people who can feel that it’s laminate through my feet. I’m weird that way.
It cost a lot to purchase the engineered hardwood and have it installed (my home is much older and concrete floors had to be prepared for the glue down) but I don’t regret it a bit. I only had it done in half the house since I couldn’t afford to have it done in the entire house, but it is absolutely lovely and has been able to hold up in this low humidity environment. If you have a sketchy humidity issue, I highly recommend engineered hardwood.
(Edit) I forgot to add that it’s been nearly 5 years since I had it installed. And except for someone dropping a hard-edged item onto the floor and leaving a dent, it is still as beautiful as it was when I first had it installed. My only pets are cats.
I agree 100% with your overviews. We have owned several homes and have first hand experience wth all these floors and your assessment is right on target. We just completed a reno on our waterfront home in Florida. We went with glued down engineered wide plank hardwood that looks just like your sample for all the reasons you listed. I'm very happy with it so far. There is one more aspect I want to mention and that is the sound of walking on these floors. Floating floors and especially floating laminate floors have a clicky hollow sound to them. While they LOOK good, they don't SOUND right. BUT I also agree that each kind of floor can be appropriate in different applications.
We have oak in our 1928 home (they used pine upstairs). Our family has used LVP at our lake house and it’s proven to be super durable against all the snow, sand, and water. I love that you discussed the pros and cons of each type.
My 1913 house is the same -- oak on the main floor, pine on the stairs and upstairs
I have the luxury vinyl flooring from home depot and I love it, it's thick, waterproof and when you walk on it you can feel texture, at a very fair price. Never get the cheapest, and I usually can't afford the most expensive option, wood in this case, so "luxury vinyl" it is and love it.
We have a huge living space in the basement that flooded a few years ago, so we had to replace the flooring (carpet). Went with LVP because if it were to ever flood again, it is more likely to survive. I was worried it was going to look like that horrible printed roll-vinyl they glued onto floors back in the day, but it looks amazing and I'm glad we went with it.
From what I've heard/read about LVP, if you ever have a flooding situation, you'll want to remove the baseboards and pull up some planks to see if water got underneath them. The waterproofing applies to surface spills, but not to moisture that gets between the planks and subfloor. People have reported mold growth in that situation.
Wow! I bought a house and need remodeling, and I watched a bunch of videos about flooring your video is the best! You delivered the information! Thank you so much!
What a great video! I love that you give you opinions while also acknowledging that we all have different situations, needs, and money limits!
We all have constraints we have to work with. Most don’t have a 6000 square foot home with an uncapped budget and that’s ok! 😄
This is a great explanation about different types of flooring. I actually rented a few houses with laminate flooring. People commented that they thought it looked cheap in their homes, but I really liked it because it was easy to clean, looked neat and tidy and was scratch resistant. You are right about it not being waterproof. I plan to install vinyl flooring. I currently have scratched up engineered hard wood that looks terrible from years of my house being a rental. It really should be called "soft" hard wood! I just want a smooth, clean, scratch resistance, waterproof surface that is pet friendly.
I just purchased hardwood floors for my bedrooms, can’t wait to have it installed
Hi Nick, you really helped us decide on our flooring. We were all over the place with LVT, hardwood, engineered, etc and we just got so confused. Your video help us reset and figure out the pros/cons for each. We went with maple hardwood and are awaiting the install. "You hardwood people know who you are." lollll :) Thanks a ton!
This was the best video I've seen for comparing the different 'wood' flooring types. I came from a townhome that had laminate. I HATED it. Any water on a seam for more than a few minutes and it was ruined. Purchased a new home with laminate and hardwood (old & repair cuts poorly done) and carpet. Decisions, decisions. Now I'm torn between engineered hardwood and LVP!
May I add a fifth option? Ceramic floors that look like wood. I know it sounds odd and ugly but hear me out.
I noticed these type of floors are getting more trendy in the past few years. In fact, my parents did their living room with it and it looks really good. It even fooled a few of their guests into thinking it was the real deal. It's a good option for when you have pets because it's easy to clean and difficult to damage.
From what I've seen it comes in a lot of different colours and sizes and in a wide price range.
The downside is if you walk barefoot and you don't have floor heating, then it will feel cold to the touch.
I love you honesty. It just make me feel that I want to watch more and more what you have to say.
Another problem with hardwood (engineered or otherwise) is that it can create slight echos in large open spaces. (Open concept floor plans, I'm talking to you!) That can make it hard for people on the other end of your phone to understand what you're saying, or even those right next to you. I didn't realize that was a problem for me until I visited my sister who has all hard wood in her open concept condo. I was constantly asking people to repeat themselves because there was so much "feedback" due to the hard floors and lack of fabrics to help buffer the sound. We opted for the luxury vinyl plank for a few reasons. The brand we chose has a cork backing which absorbs sound and is so comfortable to walk on. We needed something waterproof as our older dog has some bladder control issues, and we needed something that wouldn't get ruined and would be easy to clean. It does have a texture to it that simulates wood grain which makes it a bit harder to clean. You have to mop in the direction of that "grain" so it will pick up everything. Another issue (and this might have been because of the ones installing it; I don't have enough experience with it to know) is that if you do one area then want to do an adjoining area later, there isn't a way to connect them other than to put a strip over the joins. We did that, and it became a problem when a friend of ours who is in a wheelchair came over. The wheels hit the strip, which doesn't lie totally flat, and knocked it out. Not cool at all. Now I'm trying to find something that is waterproof, has the sound buffer built in, and can be expanded to other rooms without the use of the strip that sticks up creating a hazard for wheelchairs, walkers, or someone who doesn't pick their feet up when walking and could stumble on it. Any ideas?
Hi Nick, love your videos, always very informative. What is interesting to me coming from Europe (Croatia) is that in USA/Canada you put any kind of wood flooring in kitchen or bathroom. For us the standard is tile floor in both kitchen and bathroom. With that you have no concerns about water damage. Also, the bathroom is usually fully tiled from floor to ceiling.
Tiled bathrooms are the norm in Canada too, though not always floor to ceiling. Kitchens tend to have wood flooring.
I don’t even own a home but I can’t stop watching your vids haha
I chose bamboo because it doesn’t have as much pattern as wood. I wanted a more uniform and clean look. It’s also more sustainable since bamboo grows like weeds.
Growing up in our house in the Philippines back in the 80s and 90s, our living room had a nice marble floor and the wall was bamboo. It looked great and I'm still looking for that same bamboo that we had in our house. It's clean and the color very very light. It matches the marble floor in some way.
How are your bamboo floors holding up? We're putting in new floors next month and I'm leaning towards bamboo.
@@Whalelike90 They look great! I haven't had any issues.
Bamboo tends to be softer than hardwoods and will have a slight higher tendency to get dinged. I would use it in environments that will not see as much hard abuse.
In the northwest where it rains all the time hardwood floors are everywhere. You seal the wood and take good care of it you have no problems. Nothing is more natural then a beautiful (real) hardwood floor. Also, bamboo flooring is another great eco friendly option. They last forever can be sanded and refinished to look like new again. In the long run saving money, not having to replace the whole floor with new material.
I thought he said human environment instead of humid environment. I was like ‘yep. I agree. I’m way too clumsy’ 😂
I wish you had also talked about wood-look tile. It has a ton of durability and come in a plethora of looks now.
You are so underrated, very comprehensive vlog! We just bought a house and your videos are helping me a lot decide which colour and design we will go for. 👌🏻
Thank you so much! Enjoy your new home!
Love your channel! We ordered and had delivered hardwood to our 1968 split level entry. The installers came and said they could not nail into the particle board subfloor. (We did pull up a corner of the carpet to show the measuring “specialist”- apparently there was not a line item for subfloor type) We were not working with a contractor, and putting in a new subfloor was not feasible. After looking at our options for a floating floor, we settled on a Cali solid Bamboo. It is narrow strips, 3.75 inches wide and more than a half inch thick, and a light oak color. It is also super hard, and we have not had any scratches from our large dog or from furniture in the two years we’ve had it. It does not have the wood texture, obviously, but is solid. We are slowly replacing worn carpet down the hall and main bedroom. It is not considered waterproof, and we are very happy with our LUxury Vinyl we put into the kitchen-also a floating application due to previous 1968 asbestos flooring.
Our rental apartment had luxury vinyl and we really loved it. We now bought a house that has real hardwood floors and it really is beautiful. Downside is it really absorbed the smells of the previous owners and it's been really hard to get rid of that.
Are you sure it is the floors? The walls may have absorbed that too. Painting the walls and ceilings often helps for that.
@@blaster-zy7xx we cleaned walls and ceilings with a special nicotine cleaner (very visible difference!) and used two coats of high-coverage paint, so I really hope that’s not it. We still need to treat the floors though.
@@iwasalllikeomg Wow. After cleaning, maybe a sealer on the wood will do the trick. I'll bet with all your cleaning, painting and sealing then adding your own new stuff, you will be fine. Good luck with your project.
We are going with mohawk solid tech lvt in our new house. I love it and its low voc so no off gassing.. We have kids and will be getting a dog so durability is key. We had real hardwood in our old house and it looks so beautiful but it got dinged and damaged so easily.
I'm a first time buyer that knows very little about flooring - very useful video, thanks
I've been trying to decide between wood-look tile and vinyl plank. I had never heard of off gassing until now. Your video caused me to do some research and now my choice is clear (definitely tile). Thank you!
We’re in Florida. Humidity matters. Plus, having a pool home & ease of cleaning determined what’s best for us. Thanks for practical information. Homes here have a lot of tile. I’ll check your videos first, yet if you haven’t already- tile video would be nice. There’s so much to look at & what to choose now. You’re info & opinions are enjoyable to hear. Thanks for all you do!
You are the first male designer who I found on UA-cam, I too am planning to learn design😁😁
Just found your channel and have binge watched nearly every one of your videos. Your tips are simple, doable and affordable. Plus your a fast talker which makes your vids very concise. I do enjoy the 2-minute vids as much as the longer ones. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and taking the time to help and educate homeowners and renters.
I am a fast talker! I try to give you the most value that I can in the least amount of time because I know we are all busy!
Great video with so much information. We covered our hardwood with floating vinyl plank strictly for the durability. We have two dogs and three toddler aged grandsons. Then there are two grand dogs one of which is a Great Dane puppy. Help me!! The durability is great but you are so right, that it is not hardwood in any way. Walking on it you can feel the plastic but it works for us. Maybe one day down the road we will lift the vinyl and redo the wooden floors.
I am in the same boat. Considering now whether to refinish the wood floor which is expensive and time consuming versus covering it up with vinyl planks . Our floors look horrible because of one small dog after only 5 years
Man, you're just getting *really* good at these videos. You must have an awesome team. Kudos to you AND the team of peeps supporting you.
Laminate, or any of these other options, is a vast improvement over old wall-to-wall carpeting. If you rent, you might be able to make a deal with your landlord to do this. Sometimes a landlord will buy the material if an experienced tenant installs it, or make a similar arrangement, like paying half the cost. Most landlords are pretty flexible and favorable towards any scheme that improves the look of the space. I suggest writing a polite and friendly request letter, with the pricing, a vendor photo and/or sample and some suggested payment/reimbursement options. If’s worth a try.
Thank you so much for this discussion! I love how you address peoples' emotion in the equation. I think we have to do this while at the same time being practical. It's clear that real wood/engineered is beautiful (maybe the most beautiful) but part of me feels like I would want to cry everytime it would get scratched due the cost. So, there ya go- emotions at play!
Thank you so much for this video💙 I am grateful you took the time to explain the different types of people who would enjoy each type of flooring. And the pros and cons. Thank you!
I don’t want to drop an opinion with the off gassing with LVP either. Keep in mind off gassing or VOCs are a concern with paint, beds, the glue when putting down hardwood floors, etc. it’s everywhere.
Many builders (and custom) are putting in the LVP.
Update 01/24. Our builder put in LVP in our new home in 2022. It was pretty, easy to mop clean. But it feels like plastic and any bumps in the subfloor (like screws) is felt or push through. My husband hates it. In the previous home we remodeled and put in Pergo Timbercraft Laminate which is waterproof up to 24 hrs. It was gorgeous. Easy to walk on and maintain. Many thought it was hardwood. We are taking out this LVP & going back to a waterproof laminate. This video is 3 yrs ago. Laminate has improved greatly since then.
Also we had hardwood before. Not easy to mop and it scratches & chipped easily.
THANK YOU for a quick simple video. I now fully understand everything. If everyone made a clear video like you - there would be less headaches! Love the text on the screen too!
I own a hardwood floor installation and refinishing company (15years). We get 2 or 3 calls a week from clients seeking repairs to existing floors. Sometimes a client is remodeling, sometimes a client is dealing with water or fire damage. Luxury vinyl plank, engineered, and laminate floors are all produced in big batches overseas. 3 years later... when the fridge waterline leaks, replacement material will not be available and entire floor will need to be replaced. It is an expensive nightmare.
Nice houses have solid real wood floors that can be refinished multiple times. We routinely patch and repair floors that are 100years old. You cannot do that with the others. Additionally, most wide plank engineered floors need to be trowel glued to the subfloor ( anything wider than 5"). Just wholesale cost on glue is usually $1 /sf and that doesn't include added labor cost ( usually + $1/sf in my market). Once a wood floor is glued down it is nearly impossible to remove. We charge $5/sf to remove glued flooring.... again expensive nightmare if you need repair
Nothing beats a solid wood floor long term. It's refinishable and repairable and will add more value and livability to your home than anything else. That driftwood color engineered or LVP ( think Martha Stewart / Oprah's beach house) is gonna be the equivalent of 70's orange shag carpet in 10years. Trendy materials will devalue your home long term. A 3/4" solid natural white oak floor is timeless and never goes out of style.
Install LVP in your rental or a starter home flip. Avoid laminates entirely. Save the engineered floors for installation over concrete and be prepared for increased labor and glue costs for installation.
This is so such good comment. Thanks for sharing! It's really helpful 💫
My hardwood floors look horrible. I have a small dog and it’s impossible to keep it looking nice. We refinished it 10 years ago and it started looking horrible after 5 years. To refinish it now again, it’s expensive and a hassle. And am worried that 5 years down the line, am back with the same problem. That’s why am considering luxury vinyl. I don’t want to worry about scratches
And refinishing hardwood every 5-8 years.
When you say anything wider then 5”…
5 ft or 5 sqft or inches?
We had to use engineered wood in a piling house on the water in Florida. Otherwise an expensive subfloor venting system has to be built to keep moisture from buckling and warping hardwood.
A couple of extra things about hardwood:
- check your underflooring isolation if you're doing it upstairs. If you don't have a good floor with maybe something against the noise, you're going to hear every step and shuffle somebody takes upstairs and that's just really annoying.
- There are companies that sell hardwood planks from all the scraps. When they make the planks, there is a ton of spare wood that can't be used because trees have a natural shape and companies want uniform planks with the exact same length and width. So planks from all the extra bits are going to be significantly less expensive. This is what my parents did back in the day. They are not small planks, it's not like you're left with an ugly floor. The only thing is that the planks are not the same length and width. That actually doesn't look cluttered at all because it's all the same wood, it just saves you a lot of money.
I just bought engineered cork, and it's awesome.
We put in laminate about 10 years ago, I’m not sure the luxury vinyl was around then. Anyway, having 3 small dogs who have had accidents, it was a BAD choice! When it gets wet it lifts and kind of bubbles up. We are now going to have to replace it with the luxury vinyl, since we still have dogs🐶. It was a top of the line laminate and I feel like we just threw the money away, oh well, we live and learn! I love your channel and just watching a few episodes has opened my eyes to some decor ideas I wasn’t even aware that I liked......Thanks!
That's the downside of laminate, spills have to be cleaned up immediately. Mine's held up OK for over 15 years, but here and there you can see where water's been absorbed at the seams and the laminate has swollen.
Good morning from Germany! The wood flooring in my first house soon got ruined by children and dogs. It got black scratches. This just looked cheap and disgusting. So I choose wood-look tiles in my new home. This may sound horrible to puristic souls, but I‘m very happy with them. Good wood-look tiles have a wood-like structure and they look and feel like real wood. They always look clean. The only disadvantage is that your feet get cold. I choose STEULER wood-look tiles - LINCOLN.
Thank you for efficient concrete advice without (any I guess) marketing influence. I wish you the best. Love from Norway
I had a Pergo laminate floor installed in my living room and continued into the dining room. Still looks good after 8 years and it's a mid-grade quality, but with just me and my cat living here I think it will last a long time. No dents or scratches yet.
There is both waterproof and water resistant laminate. We are looking into putting vinyl into our house, but looking to put the vinyl in our bathroom and laundry rooms.
I have real hardwood because my house is over 100 years old. The house I just bought has engineered hardwood, and it's nice. But every time I walk on laminate I notice how nice it feels to walk on . . . it feels nicer than real wood. So smooth. No shame in laminate
I live in a warmer, mediterranean climate, and I'd like to put in my 2 cents for LVP here. In places like this, we don't necessarily need "warmth" from our flooring -- quite the opposite, esp. if you lack A./C in the summertime! Plus, the LVP we just installed in our living area is really quite neutral, temperature wise, on the feel of our bare feet. We will see how that goes this winter. But so far, LVP is a perfect option for this climate, IMO.
So happy I found this! Open concept with an entrance from our pool, kids, and pets? Vinyl seems perfect for our needs, but never would have considered it
Thanks for the overview. I want to add that vinyl (anything) planks are not bio-degradable, nor are they made from renewable resources--overall very bad for the environment and the future of people.
Thanks for the video! It would be helpful if you expanded on the subject of flooring, with a video on the different types of tiles, polished concrete, etc.
Our home builder actually offered “Aqua laminate” which was waterproof and still cheaper than vinyl! I can’t wait to see what it looks like! I’m from Australia by the way and love your channel, I have binge watched so many videos in preparation for furnishing the new house😅
I have Pergo “originalExcellence” laminate throughout my flat, with “AquaSafe for superior water resistance”, so it sounds maybe similar to what you’re getting! I hope yours turned out as good as mine 😊
I had Brazilian cherry that had a sapphire coating so it would resist scratching installed in three rooms. The total cost came to $6.67/sq. ft. I got my wood from a supplier that handled smaller amounts of flooring up to 1000 sq. ft. worth. Brazilian cherry is much harder than white or red oak and with the sapphire coating is rated for 100 years of use. My contractor had the wood get conditioned to the ambient humidity for four days before he installed it. In Kentucky the humidity is never low so wood floors do well here. My contractor did complain about how much more difficult it was to install Brazilian cherry over oak. :) My house was demolished by the 12-10-2021 tornado and those floors were the only structural items left intact afterwards besides my basement and a concrete slab which I attribute to the skill of my contractor and the strength of the wood I chose. Those floors felt silky and warm under my bare feet.
Strand bamboo engineered flooring when coated with sapphire, comes in different stain colors and is supposed to last for 50 years. For tropical climates I have heard that vinyl planks that are made to look like wood work really well.
Synthetic materials can outgas but in my experience it is only noticeable when the ambient temperature climbs into the 90's and there isn't adequate air exchange. Under those conditions paint, carpeting and plastics including synthetic fibers not made from an organic product will outgas and then you have a "sick" building situation.
Thank you Nick! I’m starting a kitchen renovation in a home with original hardwood floors throughout and this video is BY FAR the most helpful, out of the many I’ve watched, for the flooring . New Subscriber ! 😊
Really late finding this video (lol). I had laminate flooring in a lot of my house, and it actually looked really nice! It also wasn't super inexpensive/cheap looking, and the quality was really good considering. I live in a very dry climate (Vegas), so traditional hardwood isn't really a good option for me because of how quickly it will be dried out. I unfortunately did have to have most of my laminate pulled up due to a sink flooding and am going with a vinyl planking to replace it. Which - ironically - the vinyl planking is a bit more expensive (okay, a LOT more expensive) than the laminate was. The bathrooms originally had vinyl roll flooring (that looked like wood, I was NOT going with one that looked like tile), so I opted to just extend the vinyl planking going into my bathrooms into the rest of the spaces.
Would love to see a similar video on tile for kitchen or bathroom flooring!
My parents built a gorgeous home in the mid 60’s and had wide plank wood floors. Sad they don’t make it now. 😞 FYI - every kind of wood floors all over Atlanta, it’s a humid place but there’s usually no trouble. I’ve had hardwood in every house I’ve ever had and there have been 10. ❤️ wood floors! Might be good to add the often dogs have real trouble with most of these floors, they can cause and/worsen ortho problems with canines - the down side.
Luxury vinyl plank is going in my entire house. It’s in my kitchen entryway and bathrooms so far but I’m pulling up the carpet in my living room hallway and bedrooms I can’t wait I’m super excited
Hey nick, I love your videos.
I am painting my home and would love if you can maybe make a follow up video to this on how to choose the best walls and furniture colors to not clash with the flooring?
Hardwood is actually softer than laminate or vinyl planks, therefore it is more comfortable to walk on hardwood. Also Hardwood provides a good room climate due to the ability to absorb and release humidity. Furthermore, you can get hardwood floors in different price categories. I have seen more expensive laminate than hardwood floors.
How about Bamboo hardwood strand? Advantages we found: Warm, each plank unique (looks a lot like hard wood; comes in wide range of wood colors). Disadvantages: Lack of texture on top; not waterproof! Had to replace rooms of it 3 times due to pipe leak, 2 AC leaks. Might go with vinyl plank in the future. :) Love your videos, Nick!
Hey... Just something I thought would add... In India we also have the option of tiles... That look like hardwood... No texture of course but alot of the other disadvantages with non wood would not apply to it
I feel like the luxury vinyl plank is the best choice. I am going to be closing on a home soon and am considering going this route.
Valuable information! Since I'm binge watching your channel, I've had fun noticing your ever-changing vignette in the background. 😊
I love hardwood but, coming from a tropical island and now living in the Northeast (USA), I'm having a hard time adapting to how delicate hardwood is. I miss my tiles badly. Plus, they come in really beautiful sizes, materials and patterns Specially in the kitchen and powder room. I am not used to be overly careful with spills and muddy/wet shoes,etc. Plus I have 2 large dogs that love to play outside. The convenience of mopping tile and not worry about it is priceless to me.
Do you have a video comparing hardwood vs. tile (ceramic, porcelain, marble, etc.) floors? I would really love to see it.
I have lived in homes with both. Ironically, we came from the northeast with hardwood and moved to Florida with a tile floor. I miss my wood floors because they were warm and nice to walk on barefoot or in socks. These tile floors are too hard. they are too jarring and cold. Don't drop a glass or bottle on it! They also have lighter colored grout which is hard to keep clean, so we really miss our hardwood floors.
I would love to see a video with the same format comparing non-wood flooring options like tiles or polished concrete.
First video I have found that describes the differences so beautifully! THank you!!
I am heartbroken. We just put in “luxury vinyl plank” through out the house during an addition/renovation because we are hard on floors. Less than six months, it started separating in the kitchen. Contractor said I had to deal with the subcontractor directly. Two reinstalls later with damaged cabinets and molding, we are now saving up for a new floor because new planks (additional payment) is never going to go down right. Just tearing up the house more. Nightmare and have no idea really of what to go with or who to trust. Contractor was from church, promised he would make any problems right and that’s why he was expensive, did work for close friends, know his family well. Didn’t do discussed prep work and product was defective without anyone owning up to it until just recently. Not the contractor, he refuses to follow up and changed churches. Any suggestions? Please be nice, pretty beat up over it.
Hi! I’m no professional but installation matters, very much so, and so it’s done properly. Your flooring will hold up super easily and for so much longer! I’m sorry you had dealt with that. I’ve learned to make sure I adhere each plank not only by snapping them together but using a glue will keep it more waterproof and stop from shifting so much. Hope this round works out better for you!
I had a situation where mine “puffed up “ and we freaked out. We filed an insurance claim because we didn’t know what was wrong. We were told that it was moisture and the insurance company paid for a huge dryer to dry out the floor. A year later we sold the house, so I don’t know how it is now
Buying flooring from a big flooring outlets and hiring an installer on your own is the biggest problem you make when it comes to your flooring or any remodeling. I am not sure if that’s what you did but judging from your post, I assume that’s what happen.
Best advice next time, go to a speciality store front “brick n mortar store”, buy materials from them and hire them for installation. You may pay more for it but at least you will have a peace of mind going that route.
I'm sold on luxury vinyl planks. Thanks a lot for this video! 🙏
If you're talking about off-gassing, also note that the real wood top layer of engineered wood flooring is glued to several layers of plywood. Check out the off-gas rating before buying.
Oak is THE traditional flooring for a reason. It’s stable unlike many woods.
All good points; however, one thing to keep in mind is that with Vinyl Planks you need your subfloor to be completely flat if floating. The locking mechanisms are not as strong and you will feel high and low spots. So you will need to be very meticulous at leveling or hiring a competent person to do so. I paid extra to have my floor leveled and unfortunately they didn’t do a good job. They say it is within spec but I highly doubt it. Now I would have to tear apart a section of flooring to fix the installers high spot that they created. My previous floor was Laminate and never had issues of soft spots, etc
This is the best video I found about different type of 'wood' flooring. Can you please also include tiles perhaps? Thanks.
Honestly, if you have pets, get vinyl plank because it’s waterproof. My sister ended up with this after her engineered hardwood flooring got ruined by the contractor and was on back order. One thing to know about vinyl though, it does have small grooves in it. She lives in a desert like climate that can be windy. She said that dirt gets into the house and gets in the little grooves, making it hard to clean.