Redoing stairs and upper floor to match main level vinyl plank
Sam Abrams
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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Maureen
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Carpet, hardwood, or other flooring on upper levels?
Comments (5)That hardwood looks to be red oak with either oil based finish that has oranged (ambered) over time or a light stain. The SPECIES of the hardwood is pretty easy to match. If you are going to add more hardwood, then the SPECIES match is the most important thing. You can always work with a different COLOUR on the upper floors. That is completely acceptable. And as Sina points out, you can always do the hallways/master bedroom in the hardwood and then run carpet (durable as you can find) in the other areas. Again this is perfectly acceptable. Many, many people prefer carpet in bedrooms and offices. Because the hardwood looks to be red oak in a 2" - 3" wide plank, this should be super easy and (relatively) cost effective to find/install. You can save money by adding carpets to the other areas. Red Oak can then be added to other rooms at a later date if you feel you want a house that is wall to wall hardwood. It is one of the easier species to find/install/match. They key to this is the species match....See Morevinyl plank floors - whole house?
Comments (22)Not all laminates are created equal, and the same is true of LVP. LVP is softer on the feet but is more prone to indentations from furniture as well as sun damage (warping or fading) from windows. It's not super common, but it does happen, even with some of the mid-grade brands. We chose laminate flooring and LOVE it. I did a lot of research and the one we chose has a nearly waterproof core, meaning a puddle of water is not going to soak in and damage the floor. Not all laminates are like this though. We've had it for 3 years and it's been a dream to take care of. It's installed throughout our main floor, including the kitchen and half bath. I would not put laminate, hardwood, or LVP in a full bathroom or laundry room but that's just my opinion. I would do tile in those areas. Anyway, we're very happy with our laminate (except it was installed wrong initially and they had to redo it) and would choose it again. I decided against LVP because it can scuff, etc and we have two dogs. Our particular laminate is way more durable than the LVP we looked at (mainly Coretec) and looks brand new....See MoreHardwood to luxury vinyl plank transition
Comments (5)Sorry but the LVP/LVT or even SPC/WPC product needs REALLY FLAT! Oh...no. The wobbly subfloor = DEATH to vinyl click ANYTHING. Why? Because the click edges are VERY THIN. Any bit of height variation will cause EXTREME stress on the click edges. Any stress on those thin, brittle, finicky, nasty edges and you LOSE the floor's integrity. And you lose warranty. And....and....and. I'm in Vancouver BC, so the extra $5K for subfloor work (by pulling the old floor, etc) doesn't even phase me. Cost of labour in Canada runs (roughly) $50/hour in the building industry. The sheet plywood is STAGGERING right now. Unless you purchase DIRECT from a mill (in small town Canada, that's ENTIRELY possible) you are looking at $3/sf for plywood alone. A tile install normally runs (all-in...tile+labour+materials) $18/sf and up...with prep being the extra (which is why he's saying DOUBLE the cost). Sorry but the 'lay it right over' the old wobbly floor is NOT correct. Everyone will tell you, "You can float it over anything," but they FAIL to mention the old floor MUST BE LEVELED and with a flatness rating that is ACCEPTABLE to the flooring manufacturer. I'd be happier with a STURDY laminate (except this is in a wet area) or an engineered hardwood (watch out for the clash) over vinyl being floated over wonky. Vinyl CANNOT HANDLE the floor height variances. The edges are too fragile, too brittle and too easily damaged just by standing on them over that wonkiness. Do the work. Pay the price and get the correct floor. If not, then just throw down any old 'King of Floors $0.99/sf vinyl' and be happy if you get 10 years out of it. You will replace it by then anyway, and you can pay for the subfloor work at that time...if you need to cap your costs today....but you WILL pay for it tomorrow. It's your call....See MoreI have maple in my LL, can I put vinyl on my stairs and upper level?
Comments (12)You don't need to tell us, but ask yourself which price point your house is at. Low, mid or upper? Is vinyl indeed popular where you live? I think some regional preferences exist. It isn't where I live except at the lower price points. I am at the mid price point and I have vinyl in my basement, but wood on the first floor and carpet on the second floor, which is pretty standard. The stairs from the first to second floor are uncovered wood. Anytime you put vinyl next to wood it will look extra fake. So I agree with @ptreckel. It is always expensive to do stairs, but wood on stairs is classic and durable. It will still be there in 50 years and can be refinished when it looks worn or you want to change the color....See Morejulieste
3 years agoUser
3 years agoSam Abrams
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agojulieste
3 years agoSam Abrams
3 years agoUser
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoK R
3 years agojulieste
3 years agoSam Abrams
3 years agoSJ McCarthy
3 years agoSam Abrams
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoSJ McCarthy
3 years agoSam Abrams
3 years ago
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