Excellent points. I would like to add that the REAL water proof laminates are actually composit core products. In fact there isn't a STICK of wood fibre in them...which makes them as far away from traditional laminate" as possible - while still being called "laminate".

The word laminate comes from the latin base which means "layers". If you look at old driver's licenses or birth certificates, they were "laminated". In other words the paper was SURROUNDED by PLASTIC...aka. "laminated" or layered.

That means Aquaguard - being a composite core product (no wood fibre but resin = plastic) STILL ADHERES to the "layered" version of the word "laminate". It has a LAYER of 'finish' over top of a photograph (usually wood) that is LAYERED over the composite core. Tah Dah. Laminate.

If the "laminate" floor you are looking at STILL HAS WOOD FIBREBOARD as the MIDDLE BIT (or even has "cork" on the bottom) it is NOT water PROOF. At best it is water resistant (for more than the "15 minute" rule).

The professionals know what to look for when looking for "water proof". They are LOOKING FOR a core that does NOT swell. Wood fibre SWELLS very nicely thank you very much. Plastic or composite core = not so much.

There you have it...the low down on "water proof" laminate. It does EXIST...but not at the $0.70/sf range. Not even at the $2/sf range. And NOT at a big box hardware store.

Registered/licensed retailers will carry Aquaguard (and the like). Why? Because they have to be REGISTERED. And that takes MONEY and commitment to the LINE. Local dealers will spend the money for their SINGLE SHOP.

If you need water proof, then look at stand-alone dealers. Please stop shopping at the big box retailers. The "flooring guy" isn't a flooring guy. Last week he was the "paint guy". And the week before that he was the "plant guy".

One of the first houses I worked in(installing base trim) was built by the builder who built about thirty houses in an addition. He had sold his house(model home) after filling up the addition(4 years). The fellow who bought it had to replace the flooring because it warped in the great room/kitchen from water tracked in from the inground pool(builder never really 'lived' in the house).

The new owner found a fully man made plastic composite T&G flooring product that was advertised as having the color completely through the produce and it was water proof. He decided that was the best product for his house(two kids, three dogs, wife) since they all LOVED the pool.

I installed the base molding(using wood trim and nailing into the wall framing members, NOT the flooring. He called me about 18 months later wanting to know why my trim installation caused his flooring to warp, since the flooring contractor told him I had installed the base improperly.

The warping happened because the installer did not leave expansion room between the wall and the flooring. Luckily, the home owner understood basic physics and readily understood the plastic flooring expanded and contracted. And more than usual since in the spring, they opened the house up and did not use the AC until June/July.

Another installation I did was doing a customer supplied click lock composite flooring in a bathroom. They bought the product at a home improvement store because the advertising said click and done. I read the fine print and found the warranty required a special glue(made by the flooring manufacturer) be used for bath/kitchen applications. The HI store folks not only did not have that glue, they maintained it was not needed. I made them order enough for the job and quickly found that easy click and done did not work well with the proper addition of the glue. When I contacted the customer service at the flooring company, the first person to whom I spoke had never heard of that requirement. The second and third persons maintained I was not applying the glue properly, and the supervisor finally admitted the glue was added after warranty claims for water damage----and to their knowledge, never tested. Meaning the glue requirement was to avoid warranty claims.(My opinion, not theirs).

Point being, what the OP posted is exactly the right thing and needs to be remembered whenever looking at any product, not just flooring.

Oh, that HO took the product back and used sheet vinyl instead.

M flooring and S J Mccarthy, iI am looking for flooring for our entire downstairs to replace our open floor plan worth of engineered hardwoods) only 3 years old) due to a water "leak" with no vidiblevisible water anywhere from the fishwasherdishwasher which created tons of mold on the backs of the neighboring cabinets.

Anyway, we visited a local flooring company (Irefuse to shop at big box stores) and the sales guy showed us Mohawks revwood plus. I had already nixxed laminatwlaminate from our search and wasn't even considering it for the reasons you both mentioned above. I looked at LVP first but greatly dislike the extreme variegated looks the companies are doing. So we looked at revwood plus ansand my husband fell in love with one color. He would have purchased it right there but I'm the reviewer between us and need to make sure we are picking the proper product for us.

We took the sample home and it grew on me. But it still has the plasticy look, and definitely the feel that a lot of laminates and LVP wood look alike flooring has. So iI dontdon't know if iI can get over that.

But the part that iI do appreciate is that the top layer is totally waterproof. No, one plank cannot be submerged in a bucket of water and not have damage but once it's installed due to their locking technology, moisture cannot penetrate below.

So it remains on our list. For the plastic feeling I may have to nix it,

But we are going to compare it to all the other brands and types we are researching. I do not want T strip transitions and this is also the other reason I may need to nix revwood plus. Which is why iI may be swayed again bakcback to engineered hardwoods. But at least I've done tons of learning in the process.

As the local flooring company told us that even though LVP touts being "waterproof" which it is - even if there is a home water leak that needs repair then the LVP would still have to be taken up to dry out the sub floor. So either with this revwood plus laminate or an all embodied "waterproof" LVP, there'd still be work to be done to dry everything out.

As the local flooring company told us that even though LVP touts being "waterproof" which it is - even if there is a home water leak that needs repair then the LVP would still have to be taken up to dry out the sub floor. So either with this revwood plus laminate or a full all embodied "waterproof" LVP, there'd still be work to be done to dry everything out.

This video was helpful to me to hear morwmore about the product and that the top later and jlintsjoints are indeed 100% waterpeoof. As a consumer I am desperate for any reviews of homeowners for any flooring iI am researching. This is from the company, but it still was informative.

https://youtu.be/cLSUS19YGaA