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Flooring Design Dilemma

Malibu Wide Plank engineered hardwood vs high-end laminate or LVP

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hi, We are considering buying Malibu Wide Plank French Oak from Home Depot, but we would like to compare to the alternatives in a high-end laminate. Can anyone recommend a laminate that is similar in color, style to this one with good quality? Any brands or stores we should try? We are in CA. Thank you for your help!!

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Comments (6)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
Such totally different floorings sort of like comparing apples to oranges to berries. What is your reason for each choice.Then maybe i could do a comparison. IMO they each have some good and bad points .
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staceysr K
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks Patricia. We like the look of hardwood, but we like the durability of LVP.
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Kim,,,it's very solid. just make sure the glue is spread to completely cover the plank. I have a few spots (like under the kitchen sink) where they missed the corner and it squeaks. They've held up great. I don't have dogs, but I have cats and have heard their nails burning rubber across the floor they go off on their tangents. I've spilled water, cleaned up their barf, spilled food, whatever, it all cleans up very well. as for dents, only if you drop something very heavy. but any wood floor will dent. I vacuum w/a Dyson, and then I use Bona wood floor cleaner on a mop. in the kitchen, i'll often take the scrubby brush and watered down Dawn to clean up spills or oil stains. no problem. no, I don't baby them. I don't wear shoes in my house though. I love my floors. just make sure on install they clean up all the glue residue. my guys were messy and lazy. had to call them back w/special glue remover and rag and go over the entire floor.
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OK...first things first. Everything scratches or shows wear - eventually. What you are asking is what will look GOOD in 6 years. The best options are: 1. Stone 2. Porcelain 3. Ceramic 4. Epoxy over Concrete 5. HIGH END vinyl (commercial grade) 6. High end laminate 7. Sight finished hardwood with high-end finish OK...so you are asking about 'middle of the pack' performance. The HIGH END LVP products (or SPC or WPC...your choice) can perform very well. They should cost $7/sf and be rated for commercial/light industrial traffic. Those bad-boys should have a wear layer between 30mil and 40mil. A regular high end product comes in at 20mil (good enough for most American homes). These ones have a price range of $5-$7/sf. To be clear, a high-end laminate ($5-$7/sf) will out perform the 'regular high-end vinyl' (20mil wear layer). The question becomes: Why replace everything now? If you are selling in 6 years, you might as well wait another 3-5 years so that the floor you put in will be hyper-accurate for trend AND look amazing.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
Hardwood can last a very long time and if you choose solid it can be refinished many times. I have 3 big dogs so for me hardwood was never the answer I used a laminate that looks like slate on my main floor and a vinyl plank wood look in my walk out basement since our dogs have free access to a dog run and are in and out in all kinds of weather. the water would have been an issue wuth the laminate.
0
SJ McCarthy
5 years ago
Is this going in a kitchen? If so, then laminate is out. Is any of this flooring going into areas with large windows allowing sunlight to pool on the floor? If so, then LVP *might *not be an option. If you have lots of sun sitting on the floor, do you have UV blocking windows (50% UV block or HIGHER???I prefer 70% UV block for vinyl in California).

Vinyl HATES heat and it HATES direct sunlight. If the two are put together you could have a heartache/painful situation within a few DAYS of the vinyl being installed. Buyer beware.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
IMO solar shades should always be used for windows with a lot of light and heat. Wood fades quickly too with UV rays.
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Helen
5 years ago
What are the specifications for the wood flooring you are considering.

I just finished a remodel using engineered wood flooring (in So Cal if that makes a difference) and there is a huge range of quality in terms of the specifications for engineered wood which will impact durability. Also your choice of finish and color will also impact durability - or at least how wear shows up.

You need to consider the depth of the wear layer as well as the type of finish used. Good engineered flooring can be refinished although not as many times as solid hardwood. For most people that is not going to be particularly relevant as refinishing once or twice would be adequate.

I personally would not purchase flooring from Home Depot but would take the time to go to several stores to look at all the varieties of flooring available. I would also do some research into how to differential low, middle and high quality engineered wood so that one can differentiate intelligently between choices.

In terms of subjective advice, laminate is never going to be as attractive as wood - engineered wood is wood after all and in some circumstances it has to be used because solid wood would not be a feasible option. It is always going to be perceived as a higher end more aesthetic choice than even the highest quality laminate.
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