If you'd like to help me make better videos and you enjoy absurdly comfortable T-shirts:) check this out-> www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheFunnyCarpenter?ref=search_shop_redirect Thanks for watching!
as a builder and remodeler I put in so so so much vinyl plank the cheap stuff is trash , scratches if you cover it in cardboard, we’ve had it bind up with heat of the sim coming through windows, and edges separating randomly, but the expensive vinyl plank you can beat and sand a lot out, I have pergo water resistant in my house and love it, my wife moves a piano across it , my 2 year out drags everything he can across it, and it feels exactly like wood
We have had high end vinyl plank flooring installed in 3 homes over the last 7 years and have been amazed at how well it holds up to punishing daily use (kids, pets high heels, walkers, spills, moving furniture, etc.) Plus it looks beautiful! Wouldn’t have any other kind of floor in Florida
@@denisa.g888 Waterproof is a misconception. The subfloor will not be water proof. Think of all the funky stuff growing after a spill that soaks into it under that off-gasing vinyl.
What temperature does it melt at? I wouldn't want to drop a pan on it straight from the oven or burner. I see vinyl sided houses getting melted all the time with that low-e glass.
Hi, I've been in love with all types of wood working and DIY whether it be construction or furniture based since I was 9 years old. I sustained an injury that has more than likely ended my career in carpentry/joinery. Since I've been at home your page is the first I've found that actually pulls my attention and I can just watch all your videos over and over all day. I appreciate you giving the time to produce the content and hope you keep this up 👍
Love the vinyl plank flooring, Prior to selling our house we installed it in the kittchen,laundry and bathrooms/we used it as a floating floor vs glue down. We loved it so much we're putting it in our new home, but really are sticking with engineered hardwood in the living rooms and bedrooms, seems to be a nicer feel and it stood up well. The only change is adding the vibyl to our dining area. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for doing this! I'm researching flooring options and with two big dogs (62lbs and 45lbs), I need something that's durable! So, I'm happy to actually see a test that actually demonstrates dog wear and tear.
Great video and helpful. If you do this again, I would use the same color finish for all three. Also, looks like you used a birch engineered wood, where birch is one of the softest. The salesperson at the local flooring store said not to use birch if you want a durable engineered floor. You should test with hickory and oak which have a much higher janka rating and more durability. You could even add some of the new bamboo engineered hardwoods. I'm sure it would make a big difference with some of these tests.
I would love to see how they all compare with sand/cat litter on them before the chair moving test. Also, small rocks stuck in a boot. Those two things have caused the most damage to my vinyl floor.
Just bought “Lifeproof” vinyl plank flooring in “Essential Oak.” Waterproof with mold and mildew and no VOCs, antimicrobial treatment built into the coating. I’m very sensitive so the VOC thing was super important. Has a residential lifetime warranty as well. Reasonably priced. $3.19 sq ft (American dollars)
There are no vinyl products without any VOCs. Different producers use different softeners and mark them “no this” or “no that” but as long as it’s vinyl the VOCs are highest comparing to wood types of flooring. Important to mention : Laminate isn’t a wood flooring. Everyone making renovation for his/her family is taking responsibility choosing either health benefits or comfort benefits. Vinyl is super easy, wood is simply not harmful to your and your children’s health. Best of ..health to everyone!
I can add to the validity of this well done video. I have a 78lb German Shepherd. Our basement, the entire floor is vinyl plank, our kitchen had engineered hardwood when we purchased the home. And I put in a laminate wood floor in the master bedroom 3 years ago. The vinyl in the basement has held up 100%. She plays down there, and spins out all over the place. I cannot see a single scratch. For the laminate wood. She has also spun out numerous times in this room when she becomes alerted to something outside etc. I specifically chose a product that has the "distressed" look as well as multi-colored look. And it hides scratches very well. You have to really get down and look to see them. And then there is the kitchen with the engineered floor. It is destroyed. I don't care what anyone tells you, large dogs will scratch the crap out of hardwood floors. It is basically ruined. I am seriously considering replacing it with the same floor as the bedroom as it is also waterproof.
This is genius. The best video I've seen for comparing these floorings. Thank you so much! I am interested to see how they deal with moisture. I was planning to get laminate but now I'm definitely going to look into luxury vinyl.
Thank you for doing this demo! It was so helpful because I need to make this decision between hardwood and vinyl plank. This helped me decide to go with vinyl!
Thanks for the extreme tests (including another one testing their water resistant). The Vinyl plank flooring is very durable. But I did find one situation in which it cracked and chipped badly just after one year rental. Turned out Vinyl plank has one weakness: office chair wheel (without the plastic mat). Fortunately it only took one box to replace the area.
I’m a new homeowner who was bummed about “only” being able to swing Vinyl Plank in my home, as opposed to the more prestigious hardwoods. Thank you for this test; I’ve got a dog, I drop everything and my family loves to skid chairs. I feel *so* much happier now, knowing I ended up with the most durable option! That’s a subscribe from me, sir!
I looked at all 3 options too and chose vinyl, not because of price but because of durability. I have solid oak floors. They don’t hold up to moisture, scratches, wear, etc.
People who still insist on having hardwood or wood laminate are "cork-sniffers" who don't plan on dealing with the inevitable maintenance issues with wood products. There's no shame in buying a durable product that will last. Luxury vinyl is the only way to for real people living in the real world.
@@alejandrapadron8307 thank you so much for your feedback, Alejandra! I love the look of natural wood, but it was blisteringly expensive and I’m a millennial - I could barely afford the toast, never mind the avocado ;)
@@teerexness you know, it’s funny - I love the look of natural wood, and would be thrilled to have it everywhere. But the maintenance sounds really gnarly and like I was saying: I’m the one with the dog and the butterfingers, so it sounds like LVP was the solid investment! (No pun intended lol)
@@cloverazar5315 The vinyl actually looks better. It is a photo of real wood covered with a clear coating. My solid oak super expensive floors have scratches, stains, moisture damage and now must be refinished, sanded and polished. Can’t afford all that at moment. Won’t ever do real wood again. Doesn’t hold up. With luxury vinyl can replace in 10 years if need be. I personally liked Home Depot’s Lifeproof as has ceramic coating and was only $3.19 sq foot and got great reviews. We have a decent sized kitchen and was very reasonably priced and should last for years. We chose the “Essential Oak” as not too dark, not too light. Wanted a natural, neutral look as redid kitchen in a colonial blue and white with polished nickel hardware. Also, Home Depot had the quarter rounds in “Essential Oak” that matched perfectly.
THANK YOU for doing the dog burnout test. I was so ready to commit to laminate, but I have three cats, and one of them is the size of a smaller dog; he loves to run around the house like a maniac at all hours, so this was super pertinent!
@@AP-qu8sl there was a company in the US that was selling materials that were not Floor Safe scored... they got their pants sued off. Just make sure the product you are buying is floor score certified. It makes a big difference if you can find that product being made in the US.
@@AP-qu8sl oh, you don't have to tell me. I sell flooring for a living, and Revwood is my favorite one to sell. AC4 wearlayer, medium commercial rating. You can wet mop it, you can steam mop it, can take up to 72 hours of direct exposure to water, keeping it from being pretty safe up till a flood. At my store when you hear something that sounds like running stones over a washboard, you know its me at my display taking a key to it to show a customer how tough it is. Oh, and its made in the US.
I work for a flooring importer and really appreciate this durability test. Hard to beat the strength of the vinyl. Nothing will look as much like wood as actual wood though. Wood can also be repaired (somewhat) or a damaged board can be replaced easier than the others since it's not usually a floating installation. Because it's usually glued down to the subfloor it sounds and feels much more solid. They all have pros/cons but from a durability standpoint your video is awesome.
@@ravenclaw783 We all grew up with hardwood. LVP definitely feels different. Feels like you're standing on concrete. It's not "bouncy" and has no "give" like hardwood does. To each his own...
Thank you so much, it help me to make decision between Engineered Hardwood and Vinyl Plank , we just bought our forever home and this video was so helpful.
I'm gonna guess that you are a Canuck. You are knowledgeable, funny, polite and have a great delivery and voice. I too, subscribed because you asked nicely and didn't yell "SUBSCRIBE!!" Thanks for a great video and your assistants were adorable.
Exactly what I needed to see just when we're finally replacing our flooded floor after Texas Winter Storm 2021. Thanks so much! Now, on to the installation videos.
I appreciate this guy for going way beyond to help us with this intense video, I never seen anyone do this. Thank u, I figure the Engineered flooring which scratch some what as it is wood
I bet the kids & dog love it when it's experimental day! I think too it depends on the frequency of moving items across floors for scratches..we have moving blankets & dollys we use to move things & fortunately the fridge is on wheels but they too can dig in. Our registers are in the ceilings & one day while sqrewing them in place so they don't fall one of them did. We stood on either side of it as it hit corner first & left a nice gouge in the laminate. Certainly glad it was the floor & not one of our noggins.
Thank you so much for doing this! i had a hard time picking the floor because i have dogs and i was concern about the dog scratching and peeing at night. I finally decided what's best for my house!
Amazing review! I'm a first time homeowner and currently building; I've been torn between vinyl and laminate! This video gave a clear answer to my questions. Cheers from the Philippines! Awesome channel!
I have pergo in my kitchen. It still shines like the sun even after years, but I do not let one drop of water get on it without wiping it right up. I also dropping a sharp knife and it did take a tiny piece out of it. I love it.
Pergo's parent company Mohawk has multiple brands of laminate you can wet mop, and steam mop. They are basically proof up to anything but catastrophic water issues. Plus they are even tougher and more scratch resistant.
I used the least expensive stick on vinyl on my entire downstairs on top of concrete and after 7 months it has been flawless ! It's held up to overnight cat vomit from fur balls and an old cat's urine problem. Getting ready today to do the kitchen and put it over the old sheet vinyl. Great video for people not to overspend for real wood.
I had hardwood floors growing up along with a little brother and his toys and about 6 dogs throughout the years. The floors are absolutely shredded up just from the dog nails alone
You need to do the overweigh lady friend in stiletto heels with a damaged heel tip. I can give you a hint how the EHW holds up, at our open house party after we finished our new house my wife's best friend spent the entire night performing said test on our new kitchen floor. We now tell people that it is a "distressed EHW" , yah we ordered it that way.
What about a robust carpenter fella wearing high heels that have been specially modified to fit:). Lol nobody ever wants to be the guy that tells people to take off their shoes, sorry about your floor!
Vinyl flooring is what I did in my basement too. It’s durable as heck 👌🏾 You don’t even know how many tools I’ve dropped on that! Also an entire metal shelf of paint cans got tipped over and the vinyl cleaned up great. No stains, no dents, no gouges. I almost went with ceramic tiles. After the situation with my kids climbing the damn shelves, I’m glad I didn’t go with tiles bc they would have cracked. Vinyl for the win!
Thanks for the video! I've decided to go with laminate on our second floor. I will never put this stuff in a kitchen, bathroom, etc, though. Only going with ceramic or porcelain in those areas.
Thank you so much! We have not been able to decide but yr video has helped us make the final decision. Thanks for including Willy .. cute fella! Happy Thanksgiving
Also when choosing a floor, especially vinyl, always look for how many "mils" it has. Mil refers to the protection layer of the floor. The higher the mil, the more the floor will withstand.
I wonder how we call that in Spanish - I'll be putting vinyl on the house we're about to start building, so I gotta look into that. Thanks for the tip!
I use laminate flooring for the back of large book cases. It’s easy to install, looks great, and it’s less costly than veneered plywood. Plus, I rarely drop knives into my books, let alone drag a fridge through it! 😀
I have hardwood. It's heald up well. I'd probably go for the vinyl plank if I was doing it today. I have a old dog who has accidents sometimes. I think the waterproof/peeproof aspect of it is a real selling point. With the wood, I have to reseal with a fresh coating of acrylic shine product every couple of months.
I installed Engineered Hardwood for $0.79/sq-ft bought at HomeDepot in Atlanta, GA. Cost does NOT include underlayment which is $0.28 to $0.65/sq-ft. Yes, there is more expensive Engineered Flooring but this is the one we choose based on looks; which happened to be $0.99/sq-ft initially and then reduced to $0.79/sq-ft during our whole house re-floor project. Been 2 years and very happy with results, very study and water proof.
Great video, but you missed one of the most important and destructive element, WATER! Dog and child pee, beverage and water leak can trash many floors....
Thank you for this.. I am slowly renovating and have started in my son's bedroom replacing carpets. This video has sold me on the vinyl plank flooring 🤩
First video I've seen that actually shows you what you need to know about the different types. The rest of the videos on the subject are just about useless. Good job!
Water test would be next. Like mopping. (I now know not to use regular mop on these but seriously..im not the swiffer generation!) After a few punctures or breaking the surface. I have some vinyl in my trailer..from '74. That stuff is indestructable. Wish I'd left it all in and not replaced. Replaced the newer stuff twice over.
Thanks for testing them out! It helps us make informed decisions before spending lots of money 💰 greatly appreciated. personally I love laminate as it has a better feel when you step on it. I can't stand luxury vinyl lol.
I got engineered hardwood because we hated the laminate that was in our house when we bought it. When we were looking at vinyl, real hardwood and engineered hardwood, the engineered wood was less that $2 a square a foot. It was the cheapest choice of all 4 types of flooring you can get! we have had it for over a a year and a half and it has some dents and a couple scratches but it is in the kitchen and we expected it to happen. We love our engineered hardwood floor, it feels nice and isnt cold on your bare feet like laminate.
Great tests. We went with 10mm Shaw laminate for better surface look and feel (vs LVP) and better scratch resistance (vs hardwood). The biggest downside of laminate is that it handles uneven subfloors and thick underlay the worst of of the three. Even at 10mm or more thickness, HDF will break easily where our engineered tongue and groove wood is strong and flexible so choose wisely if you can't perfectly level your subfloor.
We had core-tec lvp installed a few months ago. It was more expensive than engineered wood, which is what I really wanted. So expensive: 13k and for reference home depot quoted me 7k for life proof. Its really top of the line and very durable, which is why we got it (4 animals), but still I wish it was wood 😞
vinyl planks are great, however it experience cracks due to the planks not being placed on level floors. If you install them correctly though and use under layment they are amazing, i would also advise going for thicker boards or a good underlayment
I prefer 3/4 inch hardwood flooring in most living areas. It's natural, renewable, adds rigidity to the subfloor and will last forever with minimal care. Also, it can be refinished and the color changed. Vinyl is a good choice for basements, but it's like wall to wall carpeting...junk that will need to replaced sooner rather than later.
I have an engineered hardwood by Carpet One/Patriot Flooring, with a titanium infused top layer and a very thick wood layer. Five years so far, multiple large dogs, water, everything a dog can leave on a floor (poop, pee, puke, the three evils), and it literally looks brand new. No shrinking, expansion, zero scratches. So for engineered, I do think the brand and type you get really matters.
Good video! Confirms my choice as I am having vinyl planking being installed today in our bathrooms. Elderly mother has moved in with us due to a stroke and the Covid-19 situation. I know there will be spills and traffic (plus dogs but hopefully no knives or refrigerators!) so the vinyl planking looks like a good choice. Thanks!
We had the same installed and they are falling apart...be sure they are glued down. Otherwise, you might have issues if you're parents needs mobility devices.
You can always buy a box from the Home Depot bring it home and set up a few rows in the kitchen. Walk on it see how it feels, see if the colour works. Return in back in the box if you don’t like it.
Thank you. You have helped me on deciding on what flooring. We have dogs, slab foundation, and cats! I look forward to your other video’s especially on the installation of this floor.
If you go with vinyl plank then be sure to get a system that can be fully adhered. The HomeDepot interlocking plank does not stay interlocked. Every room we used it in eventually had several locations where the plank became unlocked. And there's no way to fix it without dismantling the flooring from room edge back to location of the failed interlock.
@@TheFunnyCarpenter It's the TrafficMaster Allure Ultra that's an exclusive product to HomeDepot. We've had cracks/joints open up months after installation. We changed to an Armstrong fully adhered vinyl plank system.
David Gover thanks for the info David! I used the Home Decorators Collection- I choose it specifically because the click system was well built and seems quite durable when I inspected it at the store. So far after a 1.5 years in the laundry room and 6 months in the rest of the basement no signs of any issues.
With the vinyl plank (mine was from HD), you can do multiple rooms without transitions. A single slab of floor that has no demarcations between rooms. It's a bit of an effort but way happier with my result vs the contractor plans.
I live in a condo and within we had 3 floods due to DIY plumbing...so I've opted for vinyl ....and recommendations...by the way, I did get the sense you were promoting vinyl
I'm paid by big vinyl....:) Just kidding, I did put in my basement and have been pretty happy with it. Getting new flooring is expensive and stressful! I just wanted to share some the info and opinions I gained in the process of figuring out the situation in my own home.
I am from the SPCA. I want to make sure that you paid the dog minimum wage. Here in the USA that is 0.125 bone units per hour of work. Also sufficient rest time and outdoor ball chasing time is required!
Good tests but the engineered wood was the leading edge when you ran the fridge over the sample board, so it makes sense it would have taken the worst beating.
I’m going back and forth with my designer trying to decide if I should go with LVP or Laminate. I know LVP is water resistance and Laminate supposedly scratch resistance, so hard to make the decision. But, this video helps a lot. Thank You!
Thanks Ann. There is different grades of VP and Laminate that will vary in scratch resistance, also important to consider the colour. I made another test video looking at Light Floor vs Dark Floors- if you're interested ua-cam.com/video/Q6mr_N2gKzw/v-deo.html
@@TheFunnyCarpenter Appreciate your response. The LVP color It would be light greyish/brown and the brand is Cortona, Friar Tuck. Did you ever deal with that brand, by any chance? For the laminated one it’ll be the similar color, just not sure of the brand. Which one would you go for? FYI, the LVP would be $$ more, it’s okay as long it’ll last for a long time. At this point we are just really indecisive which one would be best in a long run. Looking forward to your respond. Thank You!
Great video dude. Nice tests! I've got some samples and I'm kind of drawn to the look and feel of the engineered, despite it being the easiest to beat up. I think in a more neutral colour it's more appealing as I like the idea of natural wear over the years as supposed to the perfect vinyl, if that makes sense? It's for a recording studio after all so think that would fit the vibe better.
We are putting mohawk solidtech lvt in our new house. I am super excited for it since we have kids. We have real hardwood in our current house that we are selling and it has so many fine scratches from the kids and furniture. It is rough. I will never do hardwood floors again 😬
Thanks so much for the very helpful video. We've been debating LVP vs Laminate and we think we're going to buy Laminate. The key reason for us is that we have rooms with a lot of sun exposure. My own tests with Shaw LVP proved that direct sun exposure really fades the color within months. Laminate is supposed to be highly resistant to sun fading. Wondering what your thoughts are about this. Thanks again for the excellent video!
i just installed the grey fig vinyl from home depot and when we went to put the appliances back in place in the kitchen i found it scratched very easily even with us being careful. I had to take an abrasive cleanser to remove it and it's still not gone. With it's light colour it's quite noticeable.
If you'd like to help me make better videos and you enjoy absurdly comfortable T-shirts:) check this out-> www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheFunnyCarpenter?ref=search_shop_redirect
Thanks for watching!
Usually when you come
What's the floor made of in your house?
0
Which floor is in your home?
Z
I like u being so genuine and polite like real professional type
as a builder and remodeler I put in so so so much vinyl plank the cheap stuff is trash , scratches if you cover it in cardboard, we’ve had it bind up with heat of the sim coming through windows, and edges separating randomly, but the expensive vinyl plank you can beat and sand a lot out, I have pergo water resistant in my house and love it, my wife moves a piano across it , my 2 year out drags everything he can across it, and it feels exactly like wood
Thanks for the info! I think a lot of the “scratch resistance” of a floor has to do with its colour and how well you can see it.
We have had high end vinyl plank flooring installed in 3 homes over the last 7 years and have been amazed at how well it holds up to punishing daily use (kids, pets high heels, walkers, spills, moving furniture, etc.) Plus it looks beautiful! Wouldn’t have any other kind of floor in Florida
Can you please tell me the name of the vinyl plank? Is it waterproof?
@@denisa.g888 Waterproof is a misconception. The subfloor will not be water proof. Think of all the funky stuff growing after a spill that soaks into it under that off-gasing vinyl.
What temperature does it melt at? I wouldn't want to drop a pan on it straight from the oven or burner. I see vinyl sided houses getting melted all the time with that low-e glass.
I subscribed because it was the nicest way I've heard someone asking.
Thank you
Same
Me too.
Same
It's because he's Canadian...they're always super nice
Hi, I've been in love with all types of wood working and DIY whether it be construction or furniture based since I was 9 years old. I sustained an injury that has more than likely ended my career in carpentry/joinery. Since I've been at home your page is the first I've found that actually pulls my attention and I can just watch all your videos over and over all day. I appreciate you giving the time to produce the content and hope you keep this up 👍
I’m sorry to hear about the injury Ryan, sending my best wishes your way
Crazy how much this vid chilled me out to say it was about trashing floors 😂 Such a relaxing voice 😁
I dont need flooring but am a homeowner and enjoy learning all things home improvements etc....enjoyed Willie's clip😊
Wish I saw this video before I installed new floors, but thankful we went with luxury vinyl plank
Love the vinyl plank flooring, Prior to selling our house we installed it in the kittchen,laundry and bathrooms/we used it as a floating floor vs glue down. We loved it so much we're putting it in our new home, but really are sticking with engineered hardwood in the living rooms and bedrooms, seems to be a nicer feel and it stood up well. The only change is adding the vibyl to our dining area. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for doing this! I'm researching flooring options and with two big dogs (62lbs and 45lbs), I need something that's durable! So, I'm happy to actually see a test that actually demonstrates dog wear and tear.
I enjoyed all your assistants. I got a good laugh out of your chair assistant.
Great video and helpful. If you do this again, I would use the same color finish for all three. Also, looks like you used a birch engineered wood, where birch is one of the softest. The salesperson at the local flooring store said not to use birch if you want a durable engineered floor. You should test with hickory and oak which have a much higher janka rating and more durability. You could even add some of the new bamboo engineered hardwoods. I'm sure it would make a big difference with some of these tests.
Good point! Also, it's easier to see damage in some cases.
You are the Bob Ross of floor reviews... amazing and chill. thanks for the vid!!
Just put a couple happy little trees over here...it's your world they can go anywhere:)
I would love to see how they all compare with sand/cat litter on them before the chair moving test. Also, small rocks stuck in a boot. Those two things have caused the most damage to my vinyl floor.
Just bought “Lifeproof” vinyl plank flooring in “Essential Oak.” Waterproof with mold and mildew and no VOCs, antimicrobial treatment built into the coating. I’m very sensitive so the VOC thing was super important. Has a residential lifetime warranty as well. Reasonably priced. $3.19 sq ft (American dollars)
Vinyl plank =7kids+10 niece and nephews. I will never complain again waterproof like a motherlova.Easy to clean
There are no vinyl products without any VOCs. Different producers use different softeners and mark them “no this” or “no that” but as long as it’s vinyl the VOCs are highest comparing to wood types of flooring. Important to mention : Laminate isn’t a wood flooring. Everyone making renovation for his/her family is taking responsibility choosing either health benefits or comfort benefits. Vinyl is super easy, wood is simply not harmful to your and your children’s health. Best of ..health to everyone!
@@joesalazar4675 does the vinyl flooring have a termite treatment as it is wood?
I have the same exact thing and so far so good!
Willie: “Best. Test. Ever.”
I can add to the validity of this well done video. I have a 78lb German Shepherd. Our basement, the entire floor is vinyl plank, our kitchen had engineered hardwood when we purchased the home. And I put in a laminate wood floor in the master bedroom 3 years ago. The vinyl in the basement has held up 100%. She plays down there, and spins out all over the place. I cannot see a single scratch. For the laminate wood. She has also spun out numerous times in this room when she becomes alerted to something outside etc. I specifically chose a product that has the "distressed" look as well as multi-colored look. And it hides scratches very well. You have to really get down and look to see them. And then there is the kitchen with the engineered floor. It is destroyed. I don't care what anyone tells you, large dogs will scratch the crap out of hardwood floors. It is basically ruined. I am seriously considering replacing it with the same floor as the bedroom as it is also waterproof.
What LVP brand/color did you use?
This is genius. The best video I've seen for comparing these floorings. Thank you so much! I am interested to see how they deal with moisture. I was planning to get laminate but now I'm definitely going to look into luxury vinyl.
Thanks Ariana glad you enjoyed it, good luck with your choice!
Vinyl is also the most waterproof out of the 3, like 100% waterproof. I mean... have you see plastics being damaged by water?
Luxury vinyl is an oxymoron. LoL, luxury plastic...
Thank you for doing this demo! It was so helpful because I need to make this decision between hardwood and vinyl plank. This helped me decide to go with vinyl!
Good luck with your choice! These decisions are always difficult!
hardwood and laminate always look more authentic. But find something you really like regardless of the material. Nothing is 100% indestructible.
@@clink76 Laminate the one that looks like a picture of wood L0L.
Thanks for the extreme tests (including another one testing their water resistant). The Vinyl plank flooring is very durable. But I did find one situation in which it cracked and chipped badly just after one year rental. Turned out Vinyl plank has one weakness: office chair wheel (without the plastic mat). Fortunately it only took one box to replace the area.
I’m a new homeowner who was bummed about “only” being able to swing Vinyl Plank in my home, as opposed to the more prestigious hardwoods. Thank you for this test; I’ve got a dog, I drop everything and my family loves to skid chairs. I feel *so* much happier now, knowing I ended up with the most durable option! That’s a subscribe from me, sir!
I looked at all 3 options too and chose vinyl, not because of price but because of durability. I have solid oak floors. They don’t hold up to moisture, scratches, wear, etc.
People who still insist on having hardwood or wood laminate are "cork-sniffers" who don't plan on dealing with the inevitable maintenance issues with wood products. There's no shame in buying a durable product that will last. Luxury vinyl is the only way to for real people living in the real world.
@@alejandrapadron8307 thank you so much for your feedback, Alejandra! I love the look of natural wood, but it was blisteringly expensive and I’m a millennial - I could barely afford the toast, never mind the avocado ;)
@@teerexness you know, it’s funny - I love the look of natural wood, and would be thrilled to have it everywhere. But the maintenance sounds really gnarly and like I was saying: I’m the one with the dog and the butterfingers, so it sounds like LVP was the solid investment! (No pun intended lol)
@@cloverazar5315 The vinyl actually looks better. It is a photo of real wood covered with a clear coating. My solid oak super expensive floors have scratches, stains, moisture damage and now must be refinished, sanded and polished. Can’t afford all that at moment. Won’t ever do real wood again. Doesn’t hold up. With luxury vinyl can replace in 10 years if need be. I personally liked Home Depot’s Lifeproof as has ceramic coating and was only $3.19 sq foot and got great reviews. We have a decent sized kitchen and was very reasonably priced and should last for years. We chose the “Essential Oak” as not too dark, not too light. Wanted a natural, neutral look as redid kitchen in a colonial blue and white with polished nickel hardware. Also, Home Depot had the quarter rounds in “Essential Oak” that matched perfectly.
THANK YOU for doing the dog burnout test. I was so ready to commit to laminate, but I have three cats, and one of them is the size of a smaller dog; he loves to run around the house like a maniac at all hours, so this was super pertinent!
Don't do laminate. After several years it starts to creak an pop all over.
Go with vinyl plank or even sheets
Thanks for taking the time to compare these! I've been going back and forth, but now I will definitely go with the luxury vinyl.
I read somewhere it has a problem of off gasing and it’s cancerous
Shaw as well as Mohawk brands offer low VOC for those of us who don't want emissions. Haven't been there yet to scope it out.
@@AP-qu8sl there was a company in the US that was selling materials that were not Floor Safe scored... they got their pants sued off. Just make sure the product you are buying is floor score certified.
It makes a big difference if you can find that product being made in the US.
@@daleludtke7803 ty we ended up going with revwood which is laminate but amazing
@@AP-qu8sl oh, you don't have to tell me.
I sell flooring for a living, and Revwood is my favorite one to sell.
AC4 wearlayer, medium commercial rating.
You can wet mop it, you can steam mop it, can take up to 72 hours of direct exposure to water, keeping it from being pretty safe up till a flood.
At my store when you hear something that sounds like running stones over a washboard, you know its me at my display taking a key to it to show a customer how tough it is.
Oh, and its made in the US.
Kudos to you for not wearing shoes in the house and to Willie for inspiring ball chasers everywhere!
I work for a flooring importer and really appreciate this durability test. Hard to beat the strength of the vinyl. Nothing will look as much like wood as actual wood though. Wood can also be repaired (somewhat) or a damaged board can be replaced easier than the others since it's not usually a floating installation. Because it's usually glued down to the subfloor it sounds and feels much more solid. They all have pros/cons but from a durability standpoint your video is awesome.
Unless you’re literally staring up close at the floor all day there’s really no way of telling between luxury grade vinyl and real wood.
@@ravenclaw783 We all grew up with hardwood. LVP definitely feels different. Feels like you're standing on concrete. It's not "bouncy" and has no "give" like hardwood does. To each his own...
Willie is a good boy! Over and over with boundless energy. He is awesome. As is your video. A fun and good test, for sure. Thumbs up!
We totally agree with your explanation in the video! No doubt, both laminate, vinyl and engineered hardwood have their respective pros and cons.
Thanks for checking out the video.
Thank you so much, it help me to make decision between Engineered Hardwood and Vinyl Plank , we just bought our forever home and this video was so helpful.
Great assistants for the chair slide and dog claw tests!
I'm gonna guess that you are a Canuck. You are knowledgeable, funny, polite and have a great delivery and voice. I too, subscribed because you asked nicely and didn't yell "SUBSCRIBE!!" Thanks for a great video and your assistants were adorable.
Exactly what I needed to see just when we're finally replacing our flooded floor after Texas Winter Storm 2021. Thanks so much!
Now, on to the installation videos.
Awww I’m so sorry! I know that storm was the worst! I crashed in west Texas because of the black ice but don’t worry everything will get better !
I appreciate this guy for going way beyond to help us with this intense video, I never seen anyone do this. Thank u, I figure the Engineered flooring which scratch some what as it is wood
I bet the kids & dog love it when it's experimental day! I think too it depends on the frequency of moving items across floors for scratches..we have moving blankets & dollys we use to move things & fortunately the fridge is on wheels but they too can dig in. Our registers are in the ceilings & one day while sqrewing them in place so they don't fall one of them did. We stood on either side of it as it hit corner first & left a nice gouge in the laminate. Certainly glad it was the floor & not one of our noggins.
I think the color had something to do with it. Lighter colors are just not going to show much wear and tear.
Thank you so much for doing this! i had a hard time picking the floor because i have dogs and i was concern about the dog scratching and peeing at night. I finally decided what's best for my house!
Best wishes- we have been very happy with the vinyl plank in our basement!
Amazing review! I'm a first time homeowner and currently building; I've been torn between vinyl and laminate! This video gave a clear answer to my questions. Cheers from the Philippines! Awesome channel!
Vinyl will also sound hallow when walking over it.
I have pergo in my kitchen. It still shines like the sun even after years, but I do not let one drop of water get on it without wiping it right up. I also dropping a sharp knife and it did take a tiny piece out of it. I love it.
Pergo's parent company Mohawk has multiple brands of laminate you can wet mop, and steam mop. They are basically proof up to anything but catastrophic water issues. Plus they are even tougher and more scratch resistant.
Used 1400sq ft of vinyl plank called smartcore ultra from Lowe’s 3 years ago in a busy house so far so good.
Good to hear
I used the least expensive stick on vinyl on my entire downstairs on top of concrete and after 7 months it has been flawless ! It's held up to overnight cat vomit from fur balls and an old cat's urine problem. Getting ready today to do the kitchen and put it over the old sheet vinyl. Great video for people not to overspend for real wood.
Great to hear it's working well for you!
I had hardwood floors growing up along with a little brother and his toys and about 6 dogs throughout the years. The floors are absolutely shredded up just from the dog nails alone
You need to do the overweigh lady friend in stiletto heels with a damaged heel tip. I can give you a hint how the EHW holds up, at our open house party after we finished our new house my wife's best friend spent the entire night performing said test on our new kitchen floor. We now tell people that it is a "distressed EHW" , yah we ordered it that way.
What about a robust carpenter fella wearing high heels that have been specially modified to fit:). Lol nobody ever wants to be the guy that tells people to take off their shoes, sorry about your floor!
I love how realistic/helpful this is. 👍🏼
Vinyl flooring is what I did in my basement too. It’s durable as heck 👌🏾 You don’t even know how many tools I’ve dropped on that! Also an entire metal shelf of paint cans got tipped over and the vinyl cleaned up great. No stains, no dents, no gouges. I almost went with ceramic tiles. After the situation with my kids climbing the damn shelves, I’m glad I didn’t go with tiles bc they would have cracked. Vinyl for the win!
Oh yeah he forgot to do a rugrats test, lol.
I didn't know I needed this video in my life until now
Best wishes on your choices!
So vinal is final. Exactly what I was wanting to know before replacing my floors. Thanks.
Thank you for this comparison. Was planning to buy engineered hardwood but after seeing this video, we'll definitely buy the vinyl plank. 😊
Best wishes with your renovation!
Thanks for the video! I've decided to go with laminate on our second floor. I will never put this stuff in a kitchen, bathroom, etc, though. Only going with ceramic or porcelain in those areas.
Best wishes on your Reno project!
Thank you so much! We have not been able to decide but yr video has helped us make the final decision. Thanks for including Willy .. cute fella! Happy Thanksgiving
Glad I could help!
Also when choosing a floor, especially vinyl, always look for how many "mils" it has. Mil refers to the protection layer of the floor. The higher the mil, the more the floor will withstand.
12+ is where it's at. I've seen as high as 40.
I wonder how we call that in Spanish - I'll be putting vinyl on the house we're about to start building, so I gotta look into that. Thanks for the tip!
look for the 'wear layer' spec. 12 mills is good for a second floor and 20 mills for a first floor with high traffic.
I use laminate flooring for the back of large book cases. It’s easy to install, looks great, and it’s less costly than veneered plywood. Plus, I rarely drop knives into my books, let alone drag a fridge through it! 😀
I have hardwood. It's heald up well. I'd probably go for the vinyl plank if I was doing it today. I have a old dog who has accidents sometimes. I think the waterproof/peeproof aspect of it is a real selling point. With the wood, I have to reseal with a fresh coating of acrylic shine product every couple of months.
Vinyl plank is most durable. Thanks for this test and making this video!
I installed Engineered Hardwood for $0.79/sq-ft bought at HomeDepot in Atlanta, GA.
Cost does NOT include underlayment which is $0.28 to $0.65/sq-ft.
Yes, there is more expensive Engineered Flooring but this is the one we choose based on looks;
which happened to be $0.99/sq-ft initially and then reduced to $0.79/sq-ft during our whole house re-floor project.
Been 2 years and very happy with results, very study and water proof.
Great video, but you missed one of the most important and destructive element, WATER!
Dog and child pee, beverage and water leak can trash many floors....
Ajax4Hire RedPluto x
@@ttp_007 m
Thank you for this.. I am slowly renovating and have started in my son's bedroom replacing carpets. This video has sold me on the vinyl plank flooring 🤩
First video I've seen that actually shows you what you need to know about the different types. The rest of the videos on the subject are just about useless. Good job!
Thanks
Water test would be next. Like mopping. (I now know not to use regular mop on these but seriously..im not the swiffer generation!) After a few punctures or breaking the surface. I have some vinyl in my trailer..from '74. That stuff is indestructable. Wish I'd left it all in and not replaced. Replaced the newer stuff twice over.
Thanks for testing them out! It helps us make informed decisions before spending lots of money 💰 greatly appreciated. personally I love laminate as it has a better feel when you step on it. I can't stand luxury vinyl lol.
I got engineered hardwood because we hated the laminate that was in our house when we bought it. When we were looking at vinyl, real hardwood and engineered hardwood, the engineered wood was less that $2 a square a foot. It was the cheapest choice of all 4 types of flooring you can get! we have had it for over a a year and a half and it has some dents and a couple scratches but it is in the kitchen and we expected it to happen. We love our engineered hardwood floor, it feels nice and isnt cold on your bare feet like laminate.
That’s awesome! There’s no denying hardwood always feels nicer than plastic- glad you found a floor that is working for you guys:)
You are a legend I am about to have them install flooring this video is a must
Great tests. We went with 10mm Shaw laminate for better surface look and feel (vs LVP) and better scratch resistance (vs hardwood). The biggest downside of laminate is that it handles uneven subfloors and thick underlay the worst of of the three. Even at 10mm or more thickness, HDF will break easily where our engineered tongue and groove wood is strong and flexible so choose wisely if you can't perfectly level your subfloor.
We had core-tec lvp installed a few months ago. It was more expensive than engineered wood, which is what I really wanted. So expensive: 13k and for reference home depot quoted me 7k for life proof. Its really top of the line and very durable, which is why we got it (4 animals), but still I wish it was wood 😞
vinyl planks are great, however it experience cracks due to the planks not being placed on level floors. If you install them correctly though and use under layment they are amazing, i would also advise going for thicker boards or a good underlayment
That was a great demonstration! Thank you for your video!💐
I prefer 3/4 inch hardwood flooring in most living areas. It's natural, renewable, adds rigidity to the subfloor and will last forever with minimal care. Also, it can be refinished and the color changed. Vinyl is a good choice for basements, but it's like wall to wall carpeting...junk that will need to replaced sooner rather than later.
I have an engineered hardwood by Carpet One/Patriot Flooring, with a titanium infused top layer and a very thick wood layer. Five years so far, multiple large dogs, water, everything a dog can leave on a floor (poop, pee, puke, the three evils), and it literally looks brand new. No shrinking, expansion, zero scratches. So for engineered, I do think the brand and type you get really matters.
Buying a shirt as soon as I can. Love your channel!
I just put down vinyl plank in my kitchen and it has been very durable.
Thanks for that video. You really helped me make a decision... about my flooring and to get a better pan!
Great video thanks! I hope Willy got some treats for his hard work 😁
Great video. Helped with my decision making for an upcoming reno here in Montreal.
Good video! Confirms my choice as I am having vinyl planking being installed today in our bathrooms. Elderly mother has moved in with us due to a stroke and the Covid-19 situation. I know there will be spills and traffic (plus dogs but hopefully no knives or refrigerators!) so the vinyl planking looks like a good choice. Thanks!
We had the same installed and they are falling apart...be sure they are glued down. Otherwise, you might have issues if you're parents needs mobility devices.
We did have it glued down and went with a higher grade version. Thanks for the info and concern!
Very glad to know your installer did the right thing. We have to replace the entire apartment and have lost 10K
What a great video! I've been debating whether or not I should get vinyl plank for my new kitchen. Looks like that's what we're going to get!
You can always buy a box from the Home Depot bring it home and set up a few rows in the kitchen. Walk on it see how it feels, see if the colour works. Return in back in the box if you don’t like it.
What floors are in your home? They’re beautiful.
Antique Impressions Alder.
@@TheFunnyCarpenter so is that wood?
@@concretejungle77 It's hardwood
Thank you. You have helped me on deciding on what flooring. We have dogs, slab foundation, and cats! I look forward to your other video’s especially on the installation of this floor.
I'm building right now so this was extremely helpful! Thank you!
Best wishes on the build! Keep in mind lighter coloured floor always show less scratches and wear regardless of the material!
If you go with vinyl plank then be sure to get a system that can be fully adhered. The HomeDepot interlocking plank does not stay interlocked. Every room we used it in eventually had several locations where the plank became unlocked. And there's no way to fix it without dismantling the flooring from room edge back to location of the failed interlock.
That’s interesting information David, thanks for sharing. Do you know which brand the flooring was?
@@TheFunnyCarpenter It's the TrafficMaster Allure Ultra that's an exclusive product to HomeDepot. We've had cracks/joints open up months after installation. We changed to an Armstrong fully adhered vinyl plank system.
David Gover thanks for the info David! I used the Home Decorators Collection- I choose it specifically because the click system was well built and seems quite durable when I inspected it at the store. So far after a 1.5 years in the laundry room and 6 months in the rest of the basement no signs of any issues.
With the vinyl plank (mine was from HD), you can do multiple rooms without transitions. A single slab of floor that has no demarcations between rooms. It's a bit of an effort but way happier with my result vs the contractor plans.
You Can also do laminate without transitions between rooms.
Great breakdowns! I’m stressing out over choosing flooring, this helps a lot!
Me too!
Thank you for doing the test on these floors
It is super informative
Confirms my choice. I’m having vinyl luxury plant flooring installed. Thank you for this comparison
“The dog burnout challenge” had me laughing
I live in a condo and within we had 3 floods due to DIY plumbing...so I've opted for vinyl ....and recommendations...by the way, I did get the sense you were promoting vinyl
I'm paid by big vinyl....:) Just kidding, I did put in my basement and have been pretty happy with it. Getting new flooring is expensive and stressful! I just wanted to share some the info and opinions I gained in the process of figuring out the situation in my own home.
Thank you for information, thought Vinyl will get scratches from dog nails, good to know.
As someone with two dogs who love to come racing inside sounding like they’re trying to kill each other it’s very good to know!
Vinyls do good until your dogs get up to like 70 pounds. Then you might start seeing some wear.
I am from the SPCA. I want to make sure that you paid the dog minimum wage. Here in the USA that is 0.125 bone units per hour of work. Also sufficient rest time and outdoor ball chasing time is required!
Good tests but the engineered wood was the leading edge when you ran the fridge over the sample board, so it makes sense it would have taken the worst beating.
And it would be fair if all are same color
Yeah but it still had more scratches even ignoring those spots.
Not to mention, the wood floor is the only one that can be repaired if there are scratches or dents. The others would need to be totally replaced.
@@johnnybravado1030 moving the fridge back and forth, the fridge barely touch the laminate. No wonder he made the laminate narrow.
What flooring do you have on your own floor? I absolutely LOVE the dark look of it 💕💕💕
Great Test and funny lol What about the Water Resistance Test? I'm about to install the Vinyl Planks.
I’m going back and forth with my designer trying to decide if I should go with LVP or Laminate. I know LVP is water resistance and Laminate supposedly scratch resistance, so hard to make the decision. But, this video helps
a lot. Thank You!
Thanks Ann. There is different grades of VP and Laminate that will vary in scratch resistance, also important to consider the colour. I made another test video looking at Light Floor vs Dark Floors- if you're interested ua-cam.com/video/Q6mr_N2gKzw/v-deo.html
@@TheFunnyCarpenter Appreciate your response. The LVP color It would be light greyish/brown and the brand is Cortona, Friar Tuck. Did you ever deal with that brand, by any chance? For the laminated one it’ll be the similar color, just not sure of the brand. Which one would you go for? FYI, the LVP would be $$ more, it’s okay as long it’ll last for a long time. At this point we are just really indecisive which one would be best in a long run. Looking forward to your respond. Thank You!
Great video dude. Nice tests! I've got some samples and I'm kind of drawn to the look and feel of the engineered, despite it being the easiest to beat up. I think in a more neutral colour it's more appealing as I like the idea of natural wear over the years as supposed to the perfect vinyl, if that makes sense? It's for a recording studio after all so think that would fit the vibe better.
Thank you. I am shopping for floors and this video was very informative.🙂
Very relaxing voice
We are putting mohawk solidtech lvt in our new house. I am super excited for it since we have kids. We have real hardwood in our current house that we are selling and it has so many fine scratches from the kids and furniture. It is rough. I will never do hardwood floors again 😬
How about giving details on wear layer thicknesses.
Such a nice voice to listen to
Loved the dog burnout test!
Very real life type stuff at our house!
Thanks for the tests. I will go with vinyl.
Thanks so much for the very helpful video. We've been debating LVP vs Laminate and we think we're going to buy Laminate. The key reason for us is that we have rooms with a lot of sun exposure. My own tests with Shaw LVP proved that direct sun exposure really fades the color within months. Laminate is supposed to be highly resistant to sun fading. Wondering what your thoughts are about this. Thanks again for the excellent video!
i just installed the grey fig vinyl from home depot and when we went to put the appliances back in place in the kitchen i found it scratched very easily even with us being careful. I had to take an abrasive cleanser to remove it and it's still not gone. With it's light colour it's quite noticeable.
Will they survive a 7 year old boy mining for gold on the dining room floor?
My floor didn’t😂🤣😂🤣😂
Thank you for the video👍🏻👍🏻
Lol, so far so good with my 6 year old boy:)