I just installed Armstrong Vivero Arbor Orchard in Natural, selected because it has the integrilock click-in install mechansim. 530sf - 2 bedrooms and a laundry hallway. I have never used luxury vinyl, but have college rentals and heard good things. Carpet is NASTY for college rentals. In the past, I've used various levels/price points of laminate, when the subfloor allowed it. The husband and I do the install - mostly him doing the labor, me doing the shopping. I like the finished floor to look as natural as possible (vs just throwing down whatever comes out of the box), so I help with the layouts. (I also LOVE epoxy - garage - for concrete, but am saddened that Home Depot stopped carrying the Rust-Oleum 2 part version that I've used many times.) What I look for in flooring is durability that looks great. College kids think even the low end laminate is real wood, but this cheap stuff lacks durability. For my latest project, I wanted to do the install myself - maybe with the help of my young kids. Prior to learning of Armstrong's Vivero, I was set on US Flooring's Coretec because it seemed to have the best available LVP click-in locking mechanism. My project was delayed and I failed to order the flooring. Then, I found Armstrong's product and the price was easily $3 less per square foot. Plus, I watched the You Tube video where the guy could not close the gaps between the Coretec planks. I figured that if he couldn't do it, neither could a chick with two young kids. So, I prepped the floor - sanded the OSB and began the install - without reading the directions!! My tools in hand were a tapping block made for LVP, carbide utility knife blades, a rubber mallet and shims. Of course, also measuring tapes and L squares etc. Because I failed to read the Armstrong install directions (I did watch a few videos), I installed backwards. Instead of laying the top piece onto the bottom piece, I slid the bottom piece onto the top. This took a lot of finesse and hammering. I failed to hear any "click". The floor was looking awesome, but it seemed to be taking more effort and time than anyone claimed. The husband decided to help. He read the directions and discovered my first issue. I finished one bedroom, doing the install wrong, in 9 hours. This bedroom is 15'x12', plus a closet. I had to go to the store to buy a "pro bar" to tighten the planks together. (The probar damaged the planks, even after taping cardboard around it.) The second bedroom - same size - was installed the correct way and was done in 6 hours. These times include the OSB sanding/clean up. I laid the flooring directly onto the OSB. When installing correctly, where the top is layed onto the bottom, there is definitely a "clicking" noise. Although the correct way to lay the planks takes less time/effort, there are very slight gaps here and there between the planks. When I installed the one bedroom incorrectly, the gaps are non-existent. These gaps are very slight and resemble a wood floor when the boards slightly shrink. I don't think the "gaps" are a big enough issue to warrant the extra time/effort to install. When installing following the directions, the pro bar was needed only on the final edges of the room. The planks do not move nor make any noise when walking on them. This is my new non-epoxy flooring!! My only complaint is that 1 length (48") is not enough. With a 15' long room, I ended up with tiny 1" slivers inside the closet. There was no way I was starting a row over once I got to the end. Using a 12-16" starting piece was problematic in every 1" sliver row. I hope that more lengths become available. The planks were difficult to cut, so I am hoping this equates to fantastic surface durability. The carbide blades did mar the surface (and could remove a finger with no effort), so installing with the recommended titanium blades might make the install quicker/easier. It is true that young kids can help with the install! I wouldn't trust them with the sharp blades, but they can definitely "click" the pieces together.

We also have the Adura LVP, in Essex Oak. We have stairs that come down into the room, so when we found out that Mannington was (at the time; I don't know if anything newer than Nov 2015 has come onto the market) the ONLY mfg who offered one-piece stair treads, we turned our attention solely to that line. You may want to know that our vendor absolutely refuses to do a click-lock install on LVP. Glue-down only is their policy. They said they had way too many consumer problems with click-lock installs on LVP versus zero complaints with glue-down. Two different contractors and three different friends who were experienced remodelers, all thought the flooring was wood. The LVP is only slightly separated, at a right angle, by our kitchen flooring, from a 1940's red oak flooring. We were pretty amazed that no one could tell the LVP wasn't "real" wood, with the red oak flooring so close by. Sorry our experience is less than a year so far. But we have been very pleased with the LVP. Easy, easy, easy to keep clean. Do note that some folks who have had LVP very long-term have said fade occurs in strong daylight situations. I can attest that even the highest quality LVT does suffer color changes in strong direct daylight. Our kitchen flooring is Metroflor LVT in a slate-look tile, installed in 2003. I recently had to have a single tile replaced, whose corner edge had chipped off. It wasn't until after replacement I noticed the new tile (from an extra box I bought at the same time) which had been used to protect a table surface but was exposed for about 10 yrs to more direct sun than my kitchen floor, IS now a very slightly different color than the rest of the kitchen tiles. It has a color shift to the more brown/tan hues, than the others. It's not terribly noticeable - after six months I don't think my DH has ever noticed it - but UV shift is something to be aware of if you have windows with direct sun coming in, that are not coated with UV reduction film. YMMV, of course. This is a 25x18' MBR: Close-up: The one-piece stair tread, with mitered side edge:

So let's talk the about the difference between an engineered hardwood and a vinyl plank. And there are more than just the difference between the two flooring options. There are many differences within each type of flooring. For example: engineered hardwood flooring can come in different thickness overall and vinyl planks can come in different plank styles (glue down, WPC and SPC). Let's break this down for you guys a little further. Engineered hardwood is an incredible option for an authentic with longevity in mind. Typically is worth less than it's hardwood counterpart (hardwood) but in some instances, depending on the wood species, a high end engineered hardwood veneer could be worth more than a low grade hardwood such as your North American (domestic) species. Engineered hardwood is more often on the 7/16" side of thickness and that is your more price friendly thickness. You can special order a thicker 3/4" board, but that will come at a heftier price because it's added layers. The added layers create a more stable plank that expands and contracts at a lower rate than it's 7/16" counterpart. Engineered hardwoods always should and for the most part come prefinished with an aluminum oxide coat. This very coat is your barrier against everyday beatings from walking traffic and dropped items. This coat is very tough but no floor or finish is indestructible. You will have dents and scratches pop up over the years. Depending on the company, you can buy "refinish kits". Although, technically you cannot refinish aluminum oxide, the kits just help you hide the scratches until you decide to do a professional refinish to your floor. Lastly, let's talk about refinishing your hardwood floor. Please have a professional do it! And it is very expensive to do this job. Depending on your floor size it can cost well over $3,000 USD. At this rate, you are in the market for a high level LVP. Which brings me into the luxury vinyl plank spectrum. As you all are aware, LVP's are dominating the flooring market and they should be. They do a very, VERY good job at imitating a hardwood or stone surface and multiply the longevity all the while. Vinyl has come a long way in the last couple of decades let alone the last few years as far as planks are concerned. There are plenty of options and so, so many different brands all wanting you business. Luxury vinyl planks can be divided into two different categories in the market right now: glue down or floating. The first generation of vinyl planks are your glue downs. They are still very popular and serve as one of the friendliest DIY repair floors. You simply heat the old damaged plank, peel it and put a new one down. The floating aspect of planks gets a little more complicated as you can have a WPC (wood polymer composite), SPC (stone polymer composite) or a loose lay style. And you can look those up to see the complete difference in each to see what's your most needed. I'll lightly go over each to explain what they are. While all three styles are virtually waterproof, you really can't go wrong with any and will have a good product in each one. WPC's are a click based plank which does not require an underlayment, hence being labeled a "floating" floor. The foaming agent in the core of the plank helps with sound absorption and makes the plank a little more friendly to stand on. It's a thicker overall plank and you should think about how the trims will be affected. SPC's are a click based plank which also does not require an underlayment which helps reduce the installation cost. The core is limestone based and makes it very rigid and tough. It's extremely dent resistant but for the most part is lower in wear layer for some reason. You can however find plenty of SPC's with a higher wear layer, nearing 28-30 mil, but it will cost you more because you will have a high dent and scratch resistance. And finally you have your loose lay planks which are the ultimate form (as of now) in easy maintenance and installation. They do not require an underlayment, do not use a click system and don't need any adhesive (although some installers recommend gluing the perimeter). They have a friction backing which let you lay the plank adhesive free without any movement on its end. The plank itself is waterproof and pretty dent resistant. While engineered hardwood does cost more and is less maintenance friendly, it does add value to your home with the hardwood veneer. The ability to refinish gives you a long floor life but the cost of a refinish is a setback in itself. Luxury vinyl planks are a low cost and long lasting floor option but adds little to no value to your home. The endless options of styles and colors gives you endless customization to your home at a far less price. Either option can last a while but at this time vinyl planks are a better option for any household with multiple members, both human and furry alike. I hope this little bit of information helps in the short and long run. Just a flooring dude.

We have mannington sheet vinyl in a maple wood look. I think its gold or platinum? It was installed in 2015. After install i noticed several white dots with black centers. they're very tiny and a flaw in the printing/ manufacturing process. I'm fairly happy with the flooring, I just wish my installer would have given it a thorough inspection before gluing down--you have to look very closely.