luxury Vinyl Plank —Can it look at good as wood?!

5 years ago

We’re being offered tons of LVP options for my desired whitewashed look herringbone floor in a family room we’re remodeling, by all the flooring contractors. I assumed we’d go hardwood/ engineered wood, and that definitely has the high end look we’re going for. Is it possible that LVP is going to look as nice?! The price difference is about double, but I don’t want to pay the lower amount and walk in and immediately regret it because it looks cheap. I have visions of my parents’ linoleum kitchen floor in the 90’s swirling in my head lol!

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Beth H. :

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

the price difference is about double. Well, I guess that should tell you your answer.

remember too, doing a herringbone is 4x as much work as a regular layout, so of course the cost for install will be more. I did a herringbone w/solid acacia. there is no way any LVP on the planet would come close to this look. And if you do find a really, really good LVP that looks like wood, the price is going to be as much as the wood! if you're paying 1.99 sq ft for LVP, it's going to look cheap. 2.99, 3.99. It's cheap and it will look cheap. start getting into the $6-$7 LVP and you might find something that looks good.

is this what you want?

all oak.

below is the laminate

this one doesn't look too bad, but it's in England. £17.00 sq m (comes out to roughly $2 sq ft. so this photo may be deceiving)

If your flooring guys have something like this, have them bring it over to show. or go see room w/it installed. Nothing, and I mean Nothing, compares to a real wood floor. So what if its double? Floors like this last a lifetime. the LVP? 10-20 years? Look at it like that

one more thing, if all of your flooring contractors are pushing the LVP, that's just weird. either they aren't capable of doing a real wood herringbone, or they get a nice cushion profit from choosing the laminate.

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Comments (6)

Aglitter
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Are they showing you samples of the LVP? I think it would be evident to you from viewing samples the answer to your question. It's not even close, in my opinion.

If you want something really special, check out Listone Giordano, particularly the Biscuit design which is a pattern pre-designed for herringbone lays: https://www.listonegiordano.com/en/natural-genius/collection/biscuit
User
5 years ago
The only time lvp looks good is when its wall to wall full house application. It looks what it is plastic against other flooring imo
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SJ McCarthy
5 years ago
The old saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

As a flooring snob, I can spot faux-wood look products within 30 seconds of walking into a house...that includes the hugs and kisses required in polite society prior to COVID distancing.

If you have the ability to 'see' patterns (remember that LVP, Laminate and tiles ALL have planks that repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat, etc) than you will be very upset with the look of wood-look products.

I will admit the herring bone install will HIDE the repeating pattern a bit more...but it will show itself. And that will happen in the weirdest way. Just when you feel like you've done an AMAZING job of creating the 'perfect' fake floor, you will notice TWO planks/tiles that are identical and then you will never be able to 'un-see' it.

I'm a very pragmatic person. If I had the budget to enjoy a real hardwood herring bone (I wish) I would not hesitate to have it. On the other hand, my budget is 'DIY' laminate, then that's what I will work with. I will purchase the HIGHEST GRADE product I can afford so that I can get the best possible floor for my budget. But I will also realize I won't be laying wood. I will be laying photographs of wood and those photos will repeat. I'll do my best, but the repeats are still there.

My personal effort to sort them, will be all I can do to contribute to the BEST looking laminate floor I can possibly get. And THAT'S what I would be happy with.

And remember: a glue down is one of the few ways a vinyl floor can be laid in a herring bone install. That will increase the cost of the install as well.
acm
5 years ago
yeah, I was wondering about the install -- this stuff clicks together at the sides, so a herringbone installation requires perfect cuts and nonstandard connection/stabilization at every single end. 0.o
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HU-876768832
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Luxury Vinyl Planks, known as LVP, are designed to give you the look of wood or stone, while creating a waterproof and scratch proof surface that is durable and long lasting. LVP is great for families with kids and pets, and provides a beautiful look to complete your home. For the price, it is well recommended to invest in LVP to get the wood look without the required maintenance.
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luxury Vinyl Plank —Can it look at good as wood?!

Beth H. :

Comments (6)

Aglitter

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