Sorry, didn't see this, Lynn. One thing I read while I was looking for the 5/16" solid -- and I may not recall this exactly right, so just derive the general idea -- was that when looking at engineered wood, there are 3-ply and 5-ply veneers on top. Obviously the 5-ply would have more resurfacing potential. They recommended to always get the higher ply veneer. I saw yesterday, in Home Depot, the 5/16" solid. Yes, it does look kind of thin, but it's solid. I don't have any idea how much weight those things can take or the type of damage, but I'd think having your subfloor correct would be important in supporting it well enough to withstand heavy cabinets. My mother has a huge antique armoire, extremely heavy, sitting on the thin 3/8" engineered stuff in their condo. I think I'd be more afraid the veneer would give, now that you've mentioned it, than a solid. They have 1/2" solids, too, not just 3/4". Which I'm sure you've discovered. How much is the sf price difference between 1/2" solid and 1/2" veneer? When I've casually looked around, just to get a feel for things, the prices seem to be all over the place. Very true with the laminates -- wood floors are slippery enough for our pets and the laminates are even more so.

Wow. Ok. Where to start. First and foremost the SHEET vinyl is the only one that can brag about water proof. If you have leaky pets or leaky people, this is the go-to product if water PROOF is a requirement. Sheet vinyl requires a professional install which is normally quite reasonable. The costs grow with the subfloor PREPARATION costs (where are a separate line item that may not have a "final total" until the job is complete). The click together vinyl planks are all the rage right now. Some are DIY friendly - but most are quite picky about technique and take +++patience to learn how to do it right without breaking the click-edge. It is possible to do this yourself....but it requires an understanding that you will have a STEEP learning curve. Be OK with that. The cost to install the planks is a little bit more than laminate flooring. Again the costs go much higher once subfloor preparation is added in. Again, this is a separate line item that, as above, might not have a final tally until the job is complete. The "flatness" quotient for vinyl planks is extremely important and can be considered outside the comfort zone of many long-term DIYers who have tackled several different projects. Again, it is possible to DIY....but it takes quite a bit of time to learn the skill/trade. A professional can have most of this done before you have figured out how to work the self-leveling-compound (which is not self-leveling BTW). Is there anything else that you were looking at for information? I've just touched on the two biggest differences between the two products. I didn't know how much info you were looking for.

You can install anything over anything you want, even tile over carpet ... but you will often be very unhappy with it. What do the installation directions for THAT BRAND say? If they say it's possible and if they give clear directions, and if the tile is in excellent condition, and if you know the floor joists are string enough for the extra load .... then yes. By the time you get the underlayment and adhesive, your floor height will be high enough that your baseboards will look strange and doors will need trimming for clearance. And the weight of the floor might exceed your joist carrying capacity. If you want to cover up old crumbling tile ... don't do it. That doesn't fix the problem and the floor will continue to deteriorate. then you have two floors to demolish instead of one.

I can attest to what SJ McCarthy explains: the previous homeowner in the house I bought couldn’t be bothered with taking out old flooring before slapping another down. The flooring was so thick that the counters in the kitchen were ridiculously short, and yes: the dishwasher was bricked in! When I remodeled it took my flooring guys six days to jack out four layers of flooring before laying new tile. When all was said and done I found the interior doors and their jambs had been shortened as well! What a huge, expensive PIA to fix. If you’re not going to do the floors right, please just leave them alone. The future homeowner will thank you.