LVP, Laminate or Hardwood for a Busy House: Kitchens, Basements and Pets

Luxury vinyl plank, laminate and hardwood can all give you the look of wood across a room, and in a showroom they're easy to mix up. Then you bring a dog, a leaky dishwasher or a damp basement into the picture and the differences become obvious. Instead of asking which one is best, ask which one fits the room you're about to put it in, and how much trouble that room is likely to give it. A floor that's perfect in a bedroom can be a poor match for a mudroom, even when it's the same plank.

Luxury vinyl plank: the water-tolerant one

LVP is a layered floor with a printed wood-look surface and a tough wear layer on top. It's built to resist scratches, it's waterproof in construction, and it has some cushion underfoot. That combination makes it a natural choice for basements, kitchens, bathrooms and busy living areas. M & M carries LVP from Armstrong, Bella Cera, Earthwerks, Shaw, Mohawk and Engineered Floors, and the sister product, luxury vinyl tile, offers the look of stone or ceramic with the same comfort.

What LVP can't do is be refinished. When the wear layer finally goes, you replace planks rather than sand them. It also follows the shape of the floor beneath it, so a bumpy subfloor can telegraph through. A good installer prepares the surface first.

Laminate: the stable, easy-care one

Laminate has a photographic wood or stone image under a hard protective top layer, over a fiber core. It's stable, it resists everyday scratches and it's simple to keep clean. For bedrooms, offices, hallways and living rooms, it does what hardwood does at a distance while asking little of you. M & M's laminate lines include Adleta and Earthwerks.

The weak point is standing water. Because the core is fiber, water that sits at a seam can make the edges swell. For that reason laminate belongs in dry rooms. Wipe up spills promptly, and be careful about putting it in a kitchen next to the sink or in a below-grade space where moisture is a risk.

Hardwood: the one that can start over

Real wood is warm, it feels solid and it ages in a way that nothing else does. M & M stocks hardwood in oak, cherry, pine, cork and manufactured wood styles, from suppliers such as LM Flooring, Bella Cera, Pinnacle Floors, Jackson Hardwoods, Adleta and Earthwerks. The big advantage is that a hardwood floor with enough thickness left can be sanded and refinished, which resets the whole surface after years of living on it.

The tradeoffs are water and dents. Wood swells and cups when it's wet for a long time, and a dropped pan or a dog's claws will leave marks. Some people want exactly that history in the floor. Others don't, and they should choose accordingly.

Kitchens, basements and pets, one at a time

• Kitchens: LVP is the most forgiving when the sink overflows or a pot boils over. Hardwood works well if you wipe spills quickly. Keep laminate away from the sink and dishwasher wall.
• Basements: moisture rises from concrete, so LVP is the usual pick below grade. Be cautious with laminate and solid hardwood, and ask about what suits a basement before buying.
• Dogs: claws scratch every floor eventually. A tough wear layer on LVP shows it least, hardwood can be refinished later, and slick floors make some dogs slip, so a rug in the busiest paths helps.
• Cats: accidents are the issue more than scratching. Water-resistant LVP is easy to clean up, while hardwood and laminate need fast attention.
• Kids: toys, spills and rolling chairs all favor a scratch-resistant, cushioned floor.

Check the floor underneath

Every one of these floors depends on what it's laid on. A flat, dry, clean subfloor makes any of them look better and last longer, and a bumpy or damp one causes trouble no matter how good the plank is. M & M's installers work to manufacturer specifications, which is the right yardstick, since each floor has its own preparation rules.

Don't skip the sound and feel of the floor either. Vinyl is quieter and a little softer underfoot, laminate can sound firmer when you walk on it, and real wood has a warmth and give that people either love or don't notice. It also helps to see the floor in a full plank rather than a postcard sample. Walk across the display stands, feel the texture, and ask for a few pieces to take home. Hold them against the cabinets and the wall color in your own light before you decide.

Walk the racks on Highway 412 West in Tontitown and compare them in person, or call 479-361-2551 for a free estimate on the floor and the installation.