Real wood vs Laminate Floors in Living Room and Tiles vs Vinyl in Bathroom (Frisco: hardwood floors, how much)

[Capitalprophets]

We went to design center today and our designer recommended laminated floors over engineered wood or real wood as the laminate has many advantages especially with kids. Laminate is hard to scratch, easy to clean, water proof, etc. Everything sounds good but my concern is around when reselling the house. Is one better than the other? What is your experience if any?

And for the bathroom, we were deciding to get luxury vinyl instead of the tiles as it'll be easier to maintain while tiles have grout in between which gets dark overtime. Any help with our choices would be appreciated.

[calgirlinnc]

What is the price point of your house? At a certain price point, buyers will absolutely expect real wood floors and real wood tiles. I'm sorry to be blunt, but laminated wood floors and luxury vinyl just sound cheap.

Grout can be cleaned by steam; there are companies that do this similar to carpet cleaners.

We had laminated wood floors in one house many years ago and it was very noisy. Also it can chip and flake and repairs are difficult. If you have floors similar to Bella Wood, then they are resistant to scratching and water damage.

Also are you sure laminated floors are water proof?

[Capitalprophets]

Yes they are 12 mm in thickness and are water proof with 50 years of warranty. You may be confusing these with what they had years ago.

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

What is the price point of your house? At a certain price point, buyers will absolutely expect real wood floors and real wood tiles. I'm sorry to be blunt, but laminated wood floors and luxury vinyl just sound cheap.

Grout can be cleaned by steam; there are companies that do this similar to carpet cleaners.

We had laminated wood floors in one house many years ago and it was very noisy. Also it can chip and flake and repairs are difficult. If you have floors similar to Bella Wood, then they are resistant to scratching and water damage.

Also are you sure laminated floors are water proof?

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by Capitalprophets

Yes they are 12 mm in thickness and are water proof with 50 years of warranty. You may be confusing these with what they had years ago.

Fair enough.

What is the price difference between that and real wood that is also has the tough coating on it to prevent scratches, etc? (Something like Bella Wood). What is the price range of the house?

[calgirlinnc]

I came across this information which might give you something to think about:

"Why we don’t sell luxury vinyl tile!
by Joel Hirshberg on March 18, 2017
And why you should think twice before buying it.

Summary

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring has recently become popular due to its durability, price, and unique-looking surfaces. However, it is made of new or recycled polyvinyl chloride or PVC. PVC is one of the most environmentally hazardous consumer materials produced. PVC creates large quantities of persistent toxic organochlorines such as dioxins and phthalates and releases them into the indoor and outdoor environments. Both of these chemicals are highly persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic to humans and all life.


The New LVT Trend

There is a new trend away from laminates towards a flooring called luxury vinyl tile flooring (LVT). Made in glue-down tiles and planks as well as floating versions, popularity of this flooring have been sweeping the US and the globe. Almost all flooring manufacturers are now making some form of LVT.

Consumers like LVT for the same reasons they liked laminate flooring: low prices, exceptional photo-realistic 3-D graphics that simulate natural wood or stone, durability and the promise of no maintenance. LVT has four distinct layers fused together: a resilient vinyl backing, a vinyl color layer, a photographic film layer and a urethane or aluminum oxide top layer for wear resistance.

Sounds great, looks great and is almost too good to be true, except for some important details that are missing from most discussions—The Back Story.




"The Back Story

The majority of all LVT is made in Asia, although new plants are being built in the US.

LVT is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is hazardous from production to disposal. There is no completely safe way to manufacture or dispose of PVC.

Vinyl chloride has been classified as a human carcinogen (14th Report on Carcinogens, National Toxicity Program) and is on the Living Building Challenge Red List of toxic chemicals to avoid.

Some LVT manufacturers are committed to reducing the amount of PVC and phthalates, but many companies have not eliminated them. Because chemical manufacturers are not required to reveal proprietary ingredients in their products, it is nearly impossible for consumers to determine which product might be safer than another.

How do I know if a product is really safe?

Phthalates, which make PVC softer and more pliable, are known to leach into food and water supplies. A 2012 Swedish study of children found that phthalates from PVC flooring were taken up into their bodies, showing that children can ingest phthalates not only from food but also by breathing and through contact with the skin. (Sciencedaily.com. 2012-05-23)

There are many types of phthalates. Some are cancer causing, and some may be endocrine disruptors. The problem is, we don’t know which ones are being used in LVT because of the lack of proper labeling.

PVC also contains ethylene dichloride, mercury, and other chemicals, many of which have been banned from children’s products and other consumer goods.

LVT is not repairable. While it is water and scratch resistant, it’s wear and photographic layers are only paper-thin. When the LVT is scratched—and it will scratch—there is no way to repair it. It is not a through-body color like wood, cork, bamboo, or linoleum, all of which can be repaired.

The emissions from PVC create health hazards, such as dioxins and furans, two of the most toxic chemicals on the planet. These chemicals are typically produced during the manufacturing process and from incineration in landfills. Small amounts may also be emitted from exposure to the sun and proximity to heat coming from a furnace or fireplace in your home.

Because PVC is not biodegradable and is both difficult and costly to recycle, most of it eventually ends up in landfills and is burned after its useful life. The threat of exposure to humans and the environment after incineration is very real.

PVC is banned in many countries throughout the world because of its potentially harmful effects on humans and the environment.

PVC is made from non-sustainable petrochemicals.

PVC is inexpensive and appears to offer many benefits to numerous industries. However, few manufacturers look at the long-range effects on humans or the environment. Much research has been done, but much more needs to be done."

https://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/...ury-vinyl-tile

I don't know if this company is just trying to sell you their own stuff, but it's worth looking into a bit more.



I also read that there can be issues with peeling and buckling if the sub-floor isn't absolutely perfect.

It looks like there's a lot of info out there with the pros and cons, that will help you make a more informed decision.

I am partial to wood and real stone because they feel
more timeless, but that is just me.

Good luck with your choices!

[Capitalprophets]

Bella Wood (engineered wood) is the same price as laminate but laminate is much thicker, water proof, scratch resistant and durable. They both have 50 years warranty on mfg. defects.

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

Fair enough.

What is the price difference between that and real wood that is also has the tough coating on it to prevent scratches, etc? (Something like Bella Wood). What is the price range of the house?

[TeamLynn]

Saw some great vinyl in a medical building today. Some people may never notice. It looks cheap to me, but I'm sure is easier to clean and might be best in a facility like that vs ceramic, wood, etc. If your house is in the 100K range I think it is probably fine from a durability standpoint.

As you move up the price range of homes it becomes less and less desirable. Never anywhere in a luxury home if you want a good price on resale.

If you are in your forever home probably doesn't matter to anyone but you if you never plan to move.

[TXNGL]

Just my opinion, NO on vinyl tiling in the bathroom. Natural stone is what's in and if you are looking to sell in the next few years, just no unless you are at the lowest price point.

[stephwin]

You're in the Frisco/Prosper area, right? So I'm going to assume your house is $400-500k. I absolutely would pay more for real wood and tile. I have two kids and handscraped hardwood floors and I'm sure they scuffed it up or scratched it in places but I would never be able to tell because of the stain color and the texture. The floors are 13 years old and they still look good. My SIL has very dark, smooth engineered floors and her pets have scratched it up and it's really noticeable after only a couple of years. So I think you need to find the right product/finish and stain.

[keribeth818]

Originally Posted by stephwin

You're in the Frisco/Prosper area, right? So I'm going to assume your house is $400-500k. I absolutely would pay more for real wood and tile. I have two kids and handscraped hardwood floors and I'm sure they scuffed it up or scratched it in places but I would never be able to tell because of the stain color and the texture. The floors are 13 years old and they still look good. My SIL has very dark, smooth engineered floors and her pets have scratched it up and it's really noticeable after only a couple of years. So I think you need to find the right product/finish and stain.

This has been our experience as well. We are hard on our dark stained hand scraped wood floors. Four kids and a large dog. They look great after 10 years. We have tile in the two bathrooms that the kids use. Im not familiar with LVT but my kids' bathroom floor takes the brunt of harsh chemicals. Just no way getting around it. You can have grout professionally cleaned and resealed as needed. Again, after 10 years we are just now thinking of doing this.

What about wood tile? I've seen it in some remodeled homes lately and I was surprised how much I loved the look.