A good flooring store should let you check out some samples to take home and see what YOU think.

I have LVT In my basement and am very happy with it. But there is no way it matches the oak hardwoods upstairs.

If you can't match what you have, it might be better to contrast it with a different flooring. The real oak is likely to make the fake flooring look really fake.

I agree with going different to create a nice contrast, don't create a real vs. fake look.

Is there a reason you can't do hardwood in the entry? They should be able to match your existing floors.

I guess I should re-consider my idea of this. I did bring home a couple samples from a flooring store and from what I can see with them next to the real floor I don't see where the samples look really fake. Obviously they don't match the adjacent room, but I would put a trim piece to separate. However, the samples are not that large to really get an idea.

I may purchase a box of stocked planks that I could lay out and return if I don't like the look.

Porkandham, the expense, time and mess is why I was thinking of doing this. There is a small bathroom that would have to be done as well.

I would never put vinyl planks in my house, "luxury" or not, and certainly wouldn't do it in the vicinity of real wood. I believe it will look as though you cheaped out.

I agree that if you aren't going to match your existing floor, you should get something completely different. Like tile or stone.

If vinyl is more appealing to you for convenience and expense, why not look at some luxury tile look vinyl instead? It wouldn't compete with the real wood and would work well in a bathroom. There are some really terrific looking vinyl tiles available now.

I don't think vinyl planks are ever going to look good near real hardwood. I would put in an inexpensive slate look vinyl for now and save up to install some real slate or porcelain tile down the road.

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Here is a link that might be useful: Armstrong vinyl slate

I have LVT in my back hallway, a step down form the family room which has real hardwood. The LVT was chosen because that hallway has the mudroom and the garage entry which is our most used entry, as well as the washer and dryer. This winter there has been salt all over it. Our prior washer leaked several times before it was replaced which is another reason we chose LVT. No one has noticed that the back hallway is different until I point it out.

that said, I put wood-look tile in my kitchen during that remodel which is right next to the real wood flooring. The colors are a bit off and we will get the real wood floors refinished eventually to match, but the wood look tile looks fantastic and I wish that I had put it first into my back hallway instead of the LVT. Just a thought.

I know luxury vinyl sounds like an oxymoron, but it was on this site that the suggestion was made to me. Never knew much about luxury vinyl planks until I started researching, and for those of you unfamiliar (as I was) apparently they have come a long way as far quality and real wood look. Installed next to the real thing may be a different story, I realize. That was my reason for this post to see if anyone had done and what they thought.

This is an entrance way that has my front door as well as the side door from the garage, so needless to say there can be lot of water-dirt from time to time.

Vinyl tile is an option, not my first choice, but worth looking into.

LVT's are a growing and hot market. They are really recommended with enthusiasm up here in Alaska due to water being a total non-issue. There's some new ones out that you don't use adhesive with at all. They are just tightly set against each other. If you have a problem with one, you can take a plunger and pop it out and replace. Pretty sweet, really. They are also making some that click together.

I'm having trouble, personally, finding ones in the color tones and styles I like. So many of them are busy, grayed out, striped in some mimicked hand scraped look or made to look like they just came out of a 200 year old barn. Finding products in a medium to light brown that just look consistent and clean is really hard to do in all product lines right now.

The real issue here, though, is that it is generally not recommended to put another wood look right up against a wood floor. Many of the LVT's come in a tile look, though, so that would be something to consider.

This post was edited by Steph2000 on Fri, Feb 6, 15 at 16:48

We have LVT in a large tile format (not wood look) in our basement. Everyone that sees it is impressed and asks what it is. Wish I could remember the name of it. If I get to the house, I'll take a pic for you. I am incredibly fussy about using natural products (wood, linen, cotton, cork) but I love this.

I would never put the wood look next to the real deal, but would put the LVT in a tile look next to it.

I think this is what we used. We laid ours at right angles to get a sort of checkerboard look.

If you go to the site you can download some images, but I couldn't find any good room images online.

Here is a link that might be useful: armstrong LVT

I wanted to take a pic, but my camera died....if I get it running again, I'll show you. While we don't have hardwood floors, we did make a couple of transitions out of real wood so you'll be able to see real wood right up against the amtico. I think it looks pretty nice. Most people assume our floors are hardwood... so I think, depending on the product you choose, it will look fine.

OK, got camera working again.

Here is the amtico (on the bottom) up against the cherry woodwork on the staircase. The amtico is supposed to mimic rosewood. We did not try to match the one to the other here as the woodwork on the staircase matches all the cherry finish on the hand rails, which matches the woodwork in the DR and LR.
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In this shot, we used oak as a transition which we stained to match the rosewood color in the amtico. The oak is the narrow strip at the top next to the tile...you can see it has different graining from the rosewood, but I think it matches well.
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I think the vinyl plank flooring would look different next to an entire room of hardwoods than it does against one transition strip, Annie. Your pictures look great because you transition to a completely different type of floor. In the OP's situation I do not think it would look as good.

I agree with others about not using fake up against the real. You WILL be able to tell. I know that the vinyl wood look is popular in some areas and as mentioned above, growing in popularity. I can see the advantages (such as mentioned above) in using it in some areas. It is not something I have seen in our area. I have yet to see vinyl wood flooring that I cannot tell is just that and not wood.

I would do as others suggested and go with something completely different from the wood, such as tile or slate.

tina

I agree that even the best luxury vinyl planks would not look right installed next to real wood. We used a good vinyl plank in our walk out basement family room. It was perfect in that application because it wasn't near any wood flooring. There is just something different about the way the two materials reflect light, feel and sound when walked upon. I don't think the differences in those qualities would register to most people unless they are right next to each other, which is what you are proposing.

If it was my space and I was looking for the easiest and most cost effective solution (while of course still looking nice!) I would use a good vinyl tile. Some of those can even be "grouted" and look very realistic. Good luck!

Thank you all for your comments. Anne your floor does look nice.

I am disappointed that everyone concurs it won't go well, but you come to this site for honesty and I appreciate that. I guess I thought being since it is an entryway that it would be acceptable to have a "fake" hardwood because people tend to be careful about real wood in their entrance due to salt, water, etc. I do have matching hardwood throughout my living room, dining room, kitchen and family room.

My other thought was that if I did it in a different color, darker, such as a walnut, and maybe even a herringbone pattern then it would be obvious that I wasn't trying to make it look like I was trying to match to my other floors and therefore could pull off the not real wood.

I do have some samples of some vinyl tiles that I am considering. I will try to post, along with some of the vinyl wood planks just to have you all see them against my wood floors. I'm slowly letting go of the vinyl plank idea, but not exactly there yet.

Another option that looks good next to real hardwoods is cork planking. You can install it the same as laminate. We did the glue down cork tiles in our entrance way 15 years ago and it still looks great. They didn't have the cork planking then but several people here and in kitchens have done them and they look great.

We have vinyl plank flooring in our laundry room which is adjacent to oak flooring on the hallway. It's not in a very public area and looks fine there. I think it helps that the vinyl is in a separate room

And another view...taken from an iPhone so getting it right side up is hopeless :)

daisychain, I have not seen any cork floors nor has anyone even suggested it with all the stores I been to. Does yours appear like a tile look? I have to say I'm intrigued with the idea and will look into it. Any further information you can give me would be appreciated.

Actually thought I had decided on a vinyl tile, which is a multicolor stone look, not beige, but darker. Now I think I should check out the cork idea first.

daki, I have to say from a picture both of those floors look like real wood. I was thinking about the dark planks as well.

I've linked to what we have in our kitchen and front entrance. Like the link, ours is stained, but I love it natural as well. Beekeeperswife had the planks in her beautiful kitchen. I'll see if I can find a link to that.

Here is a link that might be useful: cork

Here is a link to Beekeeperswife's cork kitchen floor.

Here is a link that might be useful: bee's kitchen

I have had Amtico flooring in my kitchen, eating area, and laundry room for 11 years and it's a great floor. But next to real hardwoods I don't think it would look as good.

daki's LVP in the laundry looks really nice and has a smoother finish than many I have seen - some have a really grainy texture that traps dust and dirt -- then it doesn't clean up or look nice - daki - what brand of LVP is that?

Mine is Mannington Adura which was a discontinued cherry style. It has a wood grained hand scraped texture but its fairly subtle.

We also have a different color (Acacia) down in the basement that is less textured but with more color variance (which in turn makes the artificialness of it more noticeable). We are happy with the quality though :)

I have seen a vinyl plank installation that looks as close to the real thing as it could- no silly bevel to mimic engineered hardwood. It is worth looking into.

Thought I had attached the link apparently It didn't happen: Lauzon Flooring

What did you finally decide? I have the same dilemma, only a 6 foot opening into a large kitchen. We have cherry hardwood in the family room and I want the wood look in my kitchen. Our wood floors have been replaced twice due to water damage so I would never put real wood in the kitchen. I have found a lighter cherry LVP that I was really surprised how real it looks (Mannington Adura). The sample does not scream fake! when you look at it next to the wood. Like you suggested, I would lay the planks in a different direction, and use a wood trim transition. I have also found a beautiful slate LVT that I could live with but I can't seem to let go of the wood-look.

@myru, can you post a photo of your result? We are thinking of doing the same. We have white oak kitchen floors and carpet everywhere else, with about an 8 foot transition between. I really want to try to refinish the oak then match it with a LVP.

snow_lily, that's a great color match. Can you share any details on the product? Thanks!

Sorry this is late, but it’s Carolina pine color. COREtec brand. I have had many compliments on the floor since we installed it.

Anyone else has photo examples of their hardwood to LVP transition? We’re planning on the same thing but so hard to find photos of examples! Thanks!

I have the same question, Alivia did you take the plunge?

Not sure what happened to my photos above, but I'll repost here with the same comments:

Here is the amtico (on the bottom) up against the cherry woodwork on the staircase. The amtico is supposed to mimic rosewood. We did not try to match the one to the other here as the woodwork on the staircase matches all the cherry finish on the hand rails, which matches the woodwork in the DR and LR.

In this shot, we used oak as a transition which we stained to match the rosewood color in the amtico. The oak is the narrow strip at the top next to the tile...you can see it has different graining from the rosewood, but I think it matches well.

I have real wood floors downstairs that are going to be redone. They will not be stained. My kitchen is going to be a remodel. I like the vinyl plank flooring, but am reluctant to put it in the kitchen as I want the rooms to match. I'm thinking tile would look better. Any suggestions.

I’m in the same boat regarding the kitchen matching the rest of the hardwood in the house. I don’t know what to use.

Just use hardwood with a durable coating. I've had hardwood (oak floors) in two different kitchens for a total of about 50 years with NO problems at all. If you have a flooded appliance/leak it's going to ruin whatever floor you install (even with tile it could get into the subfloor and require a redo). I keep a rug in front of the sink/dw to catch extra drips and the floor looks brand new. I had these refinished in around 1997 and they added a 3rd coat of finish in the kitchen area.

Hi. I did something like this in my house. I have a split level. I put Biscayne Oak from Coretec down next to oak stairs. The vinyl extends out down the hallway and into a bathroom and family room. This whole level of the house is the same. It looked the best color wise next to the oak stairs. I put the vinyl over where the tile is as there are 2 layers of tile and demo for that was costly. I am thinking to do the same floor in the upstairs hallway and kitchen, which again is all hardwood floors same color as the stairs. I am nervous to do this in the kitchen and upstairs hallway, but the bathrooms all have the coretech vinyl floor because again 2 layers of tile, and cost. I dont think it looks bad with what you want to do. I will say this, cleaning these coretec floors is heaven :) so easy