Which Brand of Vinyl Flooring is Best
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- Опубликовано: 28 май 2024
- Today we're discussing which vinyl luxury plank flooring brands I prefer the most! We're going to talk about all the options on the marketplace, and how you can avoid buying a bad product when you think you're getting a good deal. For links to purchase the products in this video CLICK SHOW MORE ⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇
This flooring is no longer available from the supplier. Here is a link to a similar product👇🏼
Lifeproof LVP Flooring - homedepot.sjv.io/c/3586222/456...
Abatec underlayment - homedepot.sjv.io/c/3586222/456...
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0:00 Intro
0:18 What Is Vinyl Flooring?
6:28 Comparing Thickness & Cost
10:!2 Underpads
13:58 Locking Systems
16:07 Which Product Performs Best?
19:28 Best Value
21:30 Underpads Continued
29:31 Ease Of Installation
32:30 The Best Brand of Vinyl Flooring
WANT TO WATCH MORE VIDEOS??
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► Easiest Flooring I Have EVER Installed! Loving it!
• The EASIEST DIY Floor ...
► How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring Quick and Simple
• How to Install Vinyl P...
► All You Need To Know About Flooring Options
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We put down engineered hardwood in a living room/dining room area some years ago. With 3 kids and 2 dogs, it was scratched and dented in under 6 months, and it was time to hit the redo button. We went with Mannington vinyl plank flooring (and, no, I don't work for the company). It looks (almost) like real wood with the grain and all. Fast forward 4 years, and it looks like we put it down yesterday. (And, yes, those darned 3 kids, all their friends, and the dogs are still in the house.) Nothing lasts forever, but I'm favorably impressed.
Tip #1 for those who decide to use wood grained vinyl plank: Each box will have a differing variety of faux wood grains. However, the patterns do repeat. Keep an eye on mixing them up as you lay them down so you don't end up with the same patterns next to each other.
Tip #2: If you're covering a relatively large area (and are buying a correspondingly large number of cases of plank), it is possible that the die lots will vary from case to case. Open up several boxes and mix up the planks from them as you go. Otherwise, you could end up with a bunch of slightly lighter ones in one area of the room and a grouping of slightly darker ones in another section.
Do you have a link for them?
HELPFUL Thanks
Which specific one?
@@jayjoseph3563 After almost 5 years, I don't recall.
We just did our office flooring today and noticed there were only 4 different patterns.
I've slowly gathered all the necessary knowledge from all these videos to make my house look amazing and last. This may be just the fine details but the only thing I need now is a house.
Lmao. Same here! I'm telling me husband everything i learned how to do to renovate our house we don't have.
As someone who has the original Life proof, low end vinyl planking flooring for 17 years now, it wears amazing. Unless you're dragging heavy machinery over it, you will never go through your wear layer.
Thank you. Also, from what I’ve read, the manufacturer voids warranty if under pad is used on planks that come with underpads. I think I’ll follow manufacturer’s recommendation on use of underpad (following the science)
Even though this video is 3 years old, it's still helpful. Five years ago, I got samples from Lowes and Home Depot and after additional research, I also bought samples directly from Flooret. The quality difference with Flooret was significant, and I love that their planks are 9" wide. I installed Flooret in my kitchen, bathroom and front foyer in 2019. We have a big dog with long nails. The flooring has held up beautifully. I just installed Flooret in the family TV room that is beside the kitchen. You can't tell a difference between the 5 year old flooring and the brand new flooring. Happy camper here.
Love these videos, jeff keeps me from standing in the home centers aisles for hours confused about what product to use.
Wow, this enlightened me so much! I’m soooooo glad I came across this before choosing my floors. Thank you!!!
This is why I love being honest and objective with the information. Great video, my favorite so far. Well done
Hey man, you’re the best. So informative, super helpful, and really fun to watch. I’m repairing and updating a property of my parents and have come to your videos time and time again. You’re doing great things and really helping people. Thank you so much!
Hi Jeff, you have blessed me so much. I practically just come to your channel to search for info; the how , the why and the why not before taking up any project and have been so successful at them. Thank you so much for all that you put into this to make life easy for a lot of us out there.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the difference between WPC and SPC. As I've researched it, WPC (wood pulp core) is a mixture of sawdust and plastic to form the thick central core. It's good stuff and works well, but it will dent if you bang it. SPC (stone pulp core) is basically constructed the same, but has sand mixed with the plastic. Sand is cheaper than sawdust, so the product is usually a bit less expensive. It also will not dent. I've pounded on it with a hammer and can't leave a mark on it. I've put down several floors over the years as the products have evolved. SPC plank is by far the best way to go.
My wife and I have been shopping for LVP and haven't even seen WPC or SPC listed.. I need to go back and check on that with the products we are targeting. Thanks for that information.
Thank you for the information
Just finishing up my third room with Home Depot Lifeproof 7mm. Installed the flooring directly onto the concrete stab in all three rooms. I'm in CA so I am not sure what works in different parts of the county. As long as the floor is flat there is no need for padding underneath the flooring. In fact I prefer it because with padding it makes the floor sound clickie. Straight on to the concrete slab is quiet and there is still some cushion in the flooring. It also already has the vapor barrier built into it. 1st room was 5 years ago, lots of traffic, no issues whatsoever, still looks great. 2nd room was 2 years ago, again no issues whatsoever either. Right now at HD is $65 for 20 square feet, $3.25 per square foot.
I like how thorough you are and explain why not to go with something. My husband and I are renovating our 11x13 kitchen in Wisconsin through Home Depot (we have no install skills whatsoever) and the labor bid on cabinet install (not incl cab.), 5 inch soffit removal, 2 floating shelves is over $10000!!!! So, your videos are helpful because it makes demo and other less skilled tasks easier! ;) I was wondering about Lifeproof flooring- this helped a lot!
I used the Lifeproof stuff since I have dogs with pee problems. I left a sample in a bowl of water for a week with zero damage. Pretty awesome stuff
Im looking for a flooring for my kitchen..i have a cat that has plenty of pee problems also.....perfers the floor than litterbox, very frustating...Thank you for your post...
Implying a bowl of water is in any way a good test...or is in any way comparable to ammonia, oxygen, temperature, bacteria and pressure/friction...
@@juggmkj you are what we call in the business, an asshole
Listen to the man! I bought the cheap stuff and installed it in my basement in the summer, the locking did not hold and the floor pulled itself apart the following cold winter.
Many many thanks. We really appreciate viewing and listening to you.😊
I know you aren't an expert on everything but you relate pretty well to the average person. In conjunction with others I use your channel to help me with almost everything on my house whenever I question my abilities on any particular task. Then I call my father who is a Civil Engineer and has renovated many of his own homes throughout the years. The engineer's mind is a wondrous thing. You don't always have to do things by the book. And often times, as long as you actually know what you are doing, there's better and more affordable but still sound ways to do things. I don't know your background professionally outside of this channel, but your suggestions usually jive with my father and that's a compliment considering he's an accomplished building engineer.
I'm glad I've found you brother on here you've helped me with so much. May God continue to cover you brother don't stop with the lessons
Thank you so much!!!! In escrow for my third home, but the only one we will have to get the floors completed done before moving in. This video took me from hopelessly vulnerable to more knowledgeable and confident. I will definitely be watching more of your videos to educate myself. Also thank you for being honest about the products.
Put lifeproof in one room. Already bought it for two more rooms and living/sunroof area. Was told by many no underlayment needed. Thank you for the info.
Thanks for such an honest video. I've been studying flooring for 6 weeks and its been very stressful. I need flooring for a modest condo with a concrete subfloor. I'm heading over to your website . You are the first flooring person I trust.
Good review. LVP Floor notes: Big box stores generally = lower quality & lower spec products. Research before you buy. Visit flooring stores. You will see a difference in range & specifications. Decorner flooring you noted looks acceptable but specs on website less complete Vs. others.
Karndean flooring is my first choice for LVP. Have purchased & installed before & will again. Part of any design choice should start with what do you want to see, and how do you want to see it. The Karndean Korlok plank uses photograph quality floor images, micro wood grain surface texture, .55mm top wear layer, 6.5mm thick with padded base, no underlay needed. Basement concrete floors are of course a different beast, subfloor separation away from concrete, often essential. (20 mils>mm = 0.508 mm)
Shopping for vinyl has been overwhelming and of course the staff at HD just trying to push you on the most expensive so this video has been super helpful in understanding what we need to look for so we can make a great choice. Thank you!
At Home Depot, the more expensive vinyl floors are usually the best they have, not necessarily the best out there
At HD the staff wants to help you I'm certain; however, they don't get paid a lot. I'm certain they are selfless and wish to benefit the customer, but some depts. seem to incentivize them - some of them might try to sell you more costly materials. Just do your due diligence and spend some time checking out materials. You may get a lot that's limited in size, but it's marked down to close it our OR there may be a promotion or sale that gets you into better choices.
Use Lifeproof. I’ve installed @ 100k feet, in less than ideal conditions, without a single issue. Never had an unhappy customer. A contractor that knows the difference between Lifeproof and the cheaper options will charge you a justified surface prep, just to hopefully get your surface within tolerances that the cheaper alternatives require for a successful installation. Then be ready for “installer error/ end user neglect” accusations from the manufacturer when the cheap option fails. Keyword: LVP failures. Most times the manufacturer will provide more junk floor to replace the previous failure, but their instructions are getting exceedingly difficult and EXPENSIVE to follow, as to limit their liability for making a finicky, faulty product
Tony
1 year ago
I’m in the process of buying my first home and have been doing tons of research before I tackle any DIY projects. I’m very happy to have found your channel. Your knowledge and way of explaining the fine details is perfect! I can’t wait to have you help me on all my projects
Love your videos always very informative and on point with step by step instructions! Been following your channel for awhile now please keep them coming!!!
I'm not sure if it was actually mentioned, but WPC and SPC stand for wood-plastic composite and stone-plastic composite, respectively. WPC is supposed to have a slightly more cushioned feel when walking on it, which also makes footsteps quieter. SPC is generally thinner and often more expensive than WPC, and it is marketed as having better impact resistance.
I work at a local flooring store here in Lancaster PA USA. We sell and install all types of flooring. The install is just as important as the product. Make sure your seller has someone you can call for advice on the DIY projects. And big box stores aren’t always the least expensive. Check out the local family owned flooring stores. Sometimes you can get an awesome deal and great information.
THIS! We are working on our basement and we've tried to find some locally owned wholesale places for our materials. Especially this year, we've taken a bit more time to support local AND it's saved us some money in the process. We have a smaller flooring manufacturer local to us and we are using the criteria from Jeff to verify the quality of product and if it passes we will be buying it. Supporting local doesn't always have to be expensive.
@@knotmaggot9588 so glad to hear it! Supporting local businesses is so important and helps the community. And a great deal? Can’t beat that!
I'd love to support local stores, however here in California I went to all these local stores named floor depot, wholesale floor, etc, for the same quality product they are still more expensive than big box store (after coupon and gift card discount of course). Sad..
@Laura Dissinger. I'm in York, PA. What's the name of the flooring store? I am in the market for LVT.
@@blakelav1639 Certified Carpet Been in business over 70 years. I’m not sure what we have in stock but we can certainly order what you’re looking for.
Very helpful, I have to replace the carpet in my basement, but had no clue what type of vinyl to use, now I am more confident to choose a good product. Thanks
Great demo brother..everything you said is so true..ive laid flooring for years and learned so much with newer labels newer products but the protection layer and costs should always come hand in hand whenever installing something were all walking on..you get what you pay for and dont get fooled ..alot of trickery in pricing always ask someone who knows amd go from there..great job again
Well said!
Awesome! Thank you!
Fantastic video! I'm trying to decide what LVP to go with for our new house, and this was SO helpful to me making an informed decision. Thank you!
Mr. Thorman your videos are always spot on with excellent tutorials and knowledge. Thank you
As someone who is an assistant manager of the wood dept. at F&D, it was very refreshing to see such an honest video about the current market
What's the name of the product mentions sold at F&D? I can't find him listing it in the actual video.
@@tomee639 I watched this video a while ago, but I believe he is talking about the NuCore/ NuCore Performance line
Hi Jeff, been watching a lot of your videos, you can always make things sound so much easier to understand. I'm building a custom home, so need 2500sqft flooring, which I'm going to talk to my builder to order directly from your website. Thank you for all you do, learned so much as well, appreciate it
I’m in the process of buying my first home and have been doing tons of research before I tackle any DIY projects. I’m very happy to have found your channel. Your knowledge and way of explaining the fine details is perfect! I can’t wait to have you help me on all my projects 😉
You have too ! I built this house 6 years ago, the laminate was a gorgeous cherry hue, the joints any where near any moisture are swelling..no more " moisture resistant", get water proof
I was starting my career as a florring contractor back in the day. You are an amazing explainer. We used the cheap stuff in apts. The good stuff went into houses. We included padding in the price. We wouldnt install unless it was done correctly. And I am not a big fan of the hd or lowes vinyl. I preferred pergo or armstrong.
You can get Pergo at Lowes now. $4.29 a square foot for their higher end waterproof, mold resistant
20+ mil wear layer and built in padding. I haven’t tried their cheaper stuff but there are tons of options just that brand alone.
Quick story, I went to a local high end flooring store on a previous remodel last year and spent a little more per square foot ($4.79) for “luxury” vinyl but really cant see any extra quality or Value, expect for ease of installation. The tabs were extremely tough so if you aren’t used to installing it, it’s very forgiving as they resists breaking off, even in tight places or from a pull bar. The brand was Mannington I believe, it shows every little scratch (was a darker color to be fair) and was identical in every other way that matters (thickness, padding, wear layers durability etc.) The Pergo seems like a better deal overall because the buyer doesn’t care how easy it was to put down and it’s your own fault if you damage a ton of material putting it down lol. I don’t care for how the Pergo connects as much during install personally as it doesn’t lay down as nicely as it connects. With other stuff, you could tell for sure if the boards were 100% connected properly (I may have ocd with things like that, but I’m not the only one by far) but for the money I’m just using the Pergo going forward. Plus I think more people have heard of the Pergo brand name if you’re flipping a house or plan to sell in the near future. Anyway, fun reading all the points of view and opinions. Cheers! 🍻🍻🍻
Great information. I had received a quote for my basement flooring and it was just too ridiculous. Decided to do it myself. So happy I saw your video. I surely saved it to my favs so that I can review once it comes time to start my project. Thank you so much. Love the information you post. Love unbiased opinions relating to products.
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That was an interesting and informative comparison. I’m certain most people shop by color/design on the same day. The lack of planning helps those big box stores.
I have seen people use this flooring on walls. Durable, wipeable, not a bad deal.
Very interesting. Great idea. May use that in our shop on a wall based on your idea. Thx.
I have been in the professional flooring business since 1985. The best residential flooring hands down is an Armstrong 'Inlaid' sheet vinyl floor. It is expensive and needs to be installed by a professional. Only available at certain dealers but will outlast any LVP or laminate floor hands down. Will not tear, color goes all the way through.
Armstrong makes good stuff, they have been around forever it seems. In your pro opinion, if you wanted to do a DIY install vs. having a professional, what brand of lux vinyl flooring would you recommend after the Armstrong? Also if you have any opinion on Laminate or Engineered Hardwood. Not sure where you are from but here in NJ I went to a place called Lumber Liquidators almost a decade ago and bought 12mm Laminate flooring from a brand called Manatee Hills or something in a beautiful mahogany finish. It has held up (so far) extremely well in my townhome even with a slight uneven concrete slab (despite our feeble DIY attempts to self-level the low spots LOL). Thank you for your valued insight!
You are so appreciated --your knowledge,experience, delivery style/presentation, personality, skills, sincerity AND sense. of humor! Because of you I'm less of a sap at the home stores. Thank you, sincerely!
For you Michiganders, there's a Floor & Decor store in Macomb County, in Shelby Township on Hall Rd. Not only floor products, but also kitchen and bathroom tiles. Haven't been there yet, but gotta go, and Jeff is giving it a heads up for at least their underlayment rather than using Home Depot underlayment crap. Happy shopping.
I'm really glad you appeared on my phone one day. You are so easy to understand and your voice & tone are so pleasant to listen to. You answer all my questions before I even ask, Very thorough. Thank you for all the time and energy you put into these videos for all of us. I really appreciate it.
True
Thank god there is a Floor and Decor within a quarter mile of my new home! Thank you for the info, this is exactly what i was looking for
what did you choose from Floor and decor? Are you happy with it? I have 880 sq feet that needs flooring in what will be a rental. thx
Jeff I love your opinions ," this stuff wears better than hardwood, yeah I said it " I alsways appreciate your knowledge and presentations, always so thorough. You tell it straight. And you do the Lowes / Homepot comparison for us homeowners. " Good and garbage"..LOL The recommendations in this video are priceless, Thank you !!!!
I love how passionate you are on the underpad issue!
I work in the flooring industry (on the engineering side, not the installation side) and there is a lot of very poor information in this video.
The part about the wear layer was particularly bad. You can't see the wear layer by looking at the edge of the plank because it's too thin, and it is also transparent.
The wear layer is measured in thousanths of an inch, or 'mil', and it consists of a very hard substance, usually aluminum oxide, and a binding agent, usually some sort of UV cured polyurethane.
You can't just look at a plank and tell how thick the wear layer is. The layers that you see in the video are not the wear layer, they are just a result of the heterogeneous construction of the plank.
To find out how thick the wear layer is, you have to read the product specs. It commonly ranges from 8mil up to around 25mil, depending on the particular product and the price you're willing to pay. Often, the same product will be available in several different wear layer thicknesses, and they will all look identical when viewed from the edge.
For domestic use, 12mil is usually more than adequate, and even 8mil will last a long time in low traffic areas.
The most common reason for wear layer breakdown in a domestic setting is not foot traffic, but careless movement of heavy furniture.
I appreciate your input and disclosure of credentials; however, as someone who has worked with "old work" regularly, what is visible to laborer is notable and a definite reference point. I have no problem with him pointing this out. Yes, specs will be taken into consideration as well when purchasing. TYVM
@@nancyglynn2719 What I was pointing out was the fact that the layer of the plank he was pointing to was not the wear layer. The wear layer is essentially invisible to the naked eye. He may know how to install flooring, but he doesn't know what he is talking about when it comes to the construction of the plank itself.
@@thepenultimateninja5797 I appreciate this point. The wear layer is sometimes visible if you look very closely, but it's just about the thickness of paper - not very apparent.
@@cherrybearylemondrop Yes that's true, especially if you hold it up to the light and look at it from an angle.
Thanks for the information. They never talk about hardness, just thickness. Is there a lot of variation in the chemistry of the wear layer that affects this aspect? I figure the concentration of aluminum oxide can affect this
I’ve nearly bought that hard angle measure tool so many times!!!! I learned a lot and I’m so glad I found your channel. We got so ripped off when we built our house 22 years ago and I’m more than ready to replace it! This is really well-explained. 😊
Super helpful info. We hit up Floor and Decor yesterday, bought a sample plank to see what it would look like in my house. Now moving to your video on installation
Well, about 8 years ago, my drainage system outside the basement wall failed, causing soaked drywall, etc. Along that, the carpet that was installed on top of concrete slab was also ruined. So, after everything was fixed, I removed the carpeting and the padding under it. And installed ALLURE vinyl flooring. Allure is a little bit different that some other that I saw in that it has about an Inch of sticky strip on two sides and the other two sides kind of over hang that much of the top layer. So that when you put two sides together, the overhanging part sits on top of the sticky GRIP-STRIP (as they call it) and in about thirty minutes the seal is permanent. To make the long story short, from the day I installed 8-years ago, till today, the floor has been rock solid. not one seam came off. Makes me happy.
Hi Jeff, Thanks for bringing the "wear layer" to our attention. I wanted to supplement this video by mentioning that manufacturers disclose this by using the measurement "mils" - which is a measure of vinyl thickness. A mil is 0.0254 mm which is 1/1000 of an inch. I have seen product for sale on the thin side of 3 mil and the thickest I found was 30 mil. Everyone should definitely be looking for these numbers to see how thick their wear layer is. A cheap plastic trash bag is 1.7 mil thick ... so be careful ...
IT's mostly meaningless unless you have big dogs or small kids. Sell a million feet of this stuff a year. 12-20 mils is good enough. 20 is commercial grade. 8-6 and below is trash.
@@maniswil2 thank you for sharing
Yes, shall be very careful about this
My son in law & dtr bought a home, the floor was already there, the wear layer scratches with the light bit of friction, they will be replacing it, the home is only 1 year old & floor looks awful
@@darleneprice1711 And this is what happens when builders cut corners by having cheaper flooring installed. Same thing thing happens with "builder grade" carpeting. You usually gotta upgrade sooner rather than later.
My contractor went shopping with me when we were picking out our laminate floor and he had us go with the pergo higher end floor with a lifetime warranty. That was five year's ago and our floor still looks brand new. I'm glad he took the time to go with me because my husband wanted to buy the cheapest floor out there.
I'm still at a toss up, most I hear about are the Luxury Vinyl Plank's, So confused 🙃
I've learned that sometimes it's best to put the money out, in the first place! Instead of putting in the cheap stuff, and then spending the money for the good stuff, it can save you money 💵.
I bought the cheapest tile, because it was on sale, but 20 years later it's got cracks, chips and the grout looks terrible - so maybe I'll lay something over it.
Maybe you shall try SPC
@@johnnywong8962 what's that?
Wild. I went with a 4mm HD “cheap” floor five years ago in a three season sunroom that gets tons of traffic and sees wild variations in temperature and humidity. It’s been flawless. No separation of the locking joints and it still looks brand new.
Great presentation, very informative, based on good experience. I disagree though with the comments made on R value. It is defined as the thickness of the insulation in inches divided by the thermal conductivity of the insulation. In other words, it is is a measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material.
Glad to know I bought the right product! But lifeproof says their warranty is void if you use an underpad.
I live 5 min from Floor and decor. Glad to hear it meets your expectations.
It is definitely helpful! Thank you.
Jeff, Many thanks again! We are prepping to order our flooring and I new you'd have a video telling me everything I needed to know. You have not steered me wrong throughout our entire basement project! Too bad I couldn't get the floor from you. But we do have Floor and Decor's in my area... your suggestions on the vapor barrier greatly appreciate. The "normal" suggested products just didn't seem like they were a quality product... so thanks for the practical solution. I've even had two different retailers tell me I did not need a vapor barrier on my bare concrete basement floor because the flooring came with it. So again... thanks for the pro tips to help us be informed as we shop!
Cheers keith. Lots of advice out there designed to sell product. LOL
So no vapor barrier or any sort of underlayment on bare concrete floor ?
@@HomeRenoVisionDIY wy is too hard to tell people what's going on that nobody can find your best floor on this video?
This has to be the most detailed, thorough, economical, but understandable explanation of ANY product on this earth.
Ever. On this earth.
It certainly is the best vinyl flooring video on this earth.
I sincerely hope this is sarcasm almost everything in this video is incorrect.
As a person buying a home for the first time and knowing ill have to learn this, thank you for breaking it down for us non-home emprovement types.
Same boat here! Closing on the 18th. So many plans but doing these vinyl plank floors is definitely on the top of the list. Along with painting and replacing baseboards and crown molding. Home Renovisions has excellent videos on all of it and makes it feel like I can definitely tackle it all myself!
Another thing to consider when getting to the 3.50/sq.ft price point other than moving to maybe hardwoods, is that vinyl planks are easier to transport, lighter, less package volume, and I don't think they have to acclimatize inside your as long before install.
every floor SHOULD be acclimatized but vinyl is the only floor that can be installed with very limited acclimation period
IDK what vinyl floor you have seen but the Stainmater pet safe vinyl flooring I just installed was about 30 lbs per box and one box only has 8 planks in it! It is stone core waterproof vinyl and it is not light at all.
Glad to hear you like Floor & Decor, I’m actually going there today to compare vinyl flooring for our house.
Buying our first house and my wife wants new flooring. There is nothing changing her mind. We went window shopping at Home Depot and Lowe’s and didn’t find anything we really liked. We went to Floor and Decor and found everything we wanted. Without a doubt that’s the best place to go and get flooring. Jeff is the best for any home renovation! Thank you Jeff!
🤦♀️🤦♀️ I read window shopping and took it literally, I was confused until I read it over again.
Thank you Jeff, just like David Souza it’s a project that I am up to in my renovation and appreciate your solid advice. Thank you once more from Australia 🇦🇺
Mate I’m in flooring. Don’t buy hybrid. Seriously just stay away from it. The issues are so bad with locking systems and sunlight etc. it’s a temperature reactive product and we have huge swings in temp every day! I sell these and I would say to stay away from it. If you want vinyl go glue down planks. If you want a floating floor go a European waterproof laminate.
I am a flooring department manager at one of the big box stores. I liked this video and a lot of what you said is exactly what I tell customers. Especially the wear layer part. That said, it's hard to find a plank without an attached pad now. Also, I would never sell a plank that was under 5mm. I agree with your comments on price point as well. One thing I don't agree with is needing an underlayment pad. All the manufacturers specs and warranties state that additional underlay isn't required if it is attached. One thing I hate though is the fact that most brands require their brand of underlay or your warranty is void. So yeah maybe a cheaper product is fine but what if you have that one in a million situation where you need the warranty protection. But all in all, loved the video but I think some of our differences are differences between the salesman and the installer.
Yep. Installing an underpad when the plank has an attached pad can also void the warranty as it has the potential to allow too much flexion putting strain on the joints and premature failure. I was surprised to hear him recommend this.
I wasted a lot of $ on box store major name brand vinyl plank that DID NOT LOCK together at the seams
Which store and what brand of flooring ?@@cindybarber8449
I liked the video. I did my floor wrong but I'm not fixing it. It was a response to bed bugs, no underlayment. 600 sq ft, 7 doorways and no thresholds. It's one circular unit and I'm real proud of it!
Don't worry underlayment is definitely not needed for vinyl plank flooring.
Some commented that this seemed like an ad. I think someone who does so much work and provides such great information deserves to have a little plug for his products now and then. He has such great, practical information and DID give an opinion that Home Depot's products are good and didn't leave us hanging!
I think it would have helped immensely if he started by saying "I'm not being paid by any of these companies, they didn't provide the samples... this is all just my own money and my own experience" or something like that. Check out Project Farm for a good example of a proper disclaimer and good testing practices.
It would also help if he wasn't specifically affiliated with the one he recommends. That's super shady. Doesn't necessarily mean that he's lying to hawk a product; it's perfectly reasonable that he's being 100% honest, genuinely thinks that this is the best product and that's why he's affiliated with them... but it's still a massive conflict of interest.
I am so thankful for your channel!! Thank you so much for taking the time to share you wealth of knowledge!!
Great video, as always. Lots of useful tips, thanks. One question about the HD vs. Lowes comparison: While Lowes' Stainmaster product is widely considered as junk, how do their better options compare, in your opinion, with the Home Depot's (at the same price point)?
I have the life proof flooring without a pad underneath and it's been great. My kids have put it through hell as well. I put down a diffrent one a year ago and it's coming apart already. Life proof works
After just watched only one of your drywall videos, you became my new lover! My husband is renovating our basement and I told him I will do our drywall just like Jeff!
Weird cause he's my new love!! He can't be doing flooring in both our houses so I'm gonna need some answers! 😆
Tip: use a small cut off piece of the flooring as your tapping block. Hitting directly may damage the locking ability!
Also, trim off the locking grooves for end pieces to keep the gap under the trim baseboard.
Best , most honest,most informative video!!! We plan to purchase LVF soon, so this is video is a huge blessing!
Glad it was helpful!
This was very informative. The reason I haven't bought anything for my flooring yet is all of the misinformation. This helped clear up a few more things.
This video is GOLD! Thank you for making this and all of your other videos🙏🏼 This channel has been a true blessing to me.
Jeff! Fantastic video…everyone who is a vinyl floor novice MUST check this out!
Interesting presentation, packed with information.
Comparison is excellent way to relay this info!
Your videos are all amazing and informative! Thank you for making them
My husband just finished a remodel, when installing the floors they had insisted no underlayment needed. So to be safe he made them sign a waver naming them responsible for the install specs. I thought he was over reacting. They"ll both be interested in this video. Go to your local building supply, big box doesn't even know there own products. Great video
We have Floor & Decors in Arizona as well. I’ve been in that store and bought some Schluter products for my shower.
I used COREtec plus HD... Looks amazing and so much like real wood. My contractor did do and underlayment.
thank you so much! you are amazing. I absolutely love your videos. Thank you for all the time and energy you put into these and for all the valuable knowledge you share with each one. I always go to your videos first! Now I know to put down a vapor barrier in my basement! I would love a comparison video of Floor and Decor floors! I also love them. I
Absolutely great video!!! it is 2022 but I hope that you still have the product when I decide to do my kitchen and bathroom floors! And Thank you
I ordered all of my flooring through Calibamboo after a lot of research. 20mil wear layer, 50 year residential warranty, free delivery to my door by freight, heavy product. I payed a little over $3.00 per sq/ft with transition strips, under layment, stair treads, and 1500 sq/ft of flooring.
Olive lol
We just ordered samples from Cali Bamboo, quality seams excellent! We really wanted 20mil wear layer and found out the box store brands only go up to I believe 9mil, so we started searching elsewhere and came across Cali Bamboo! Their customer service is outstanding also!
For those looking for the top wear layer its called the 'MIL' layer. With the MIL layer there's a number associated with it (MIL 6 -20). The higher the number of the MIL Layer the better or 'thicker' the layer. This is the most important layer for wear. Most packages will list the MIL layer but some do not and in those cases do your research before purchase. You need to google that exact make/model for the MIL layer #. If you go to a big box store and it's not on the package chances are its a low MIL # 6-8. IMO any MIL that's lower than an 8 can expect to wear quicker. Anything that's above a 12 MIL can expect to last longer. Vinyl flooring MIL numbers can go as high as 20 MIL and may go higher. Also IMO with pets you're going to want a higher MIL #.
The room I want to add flooring to has tile. Do I need to remove the tile? Size of room is 19.1 X 11.9 Don't have much money right now Should I just put down a piece of carpeting for the time being, and save up for $ 3.50 vinyl and sub flooring or hardwood flooring?
@@pattyespinoza8902 Patty, I tore up the carpet. Put down the top of the line SHAW FLOORING - that was Dec 2019Before six months was up the edges that overlap were tearing up I’m in a wheelchair and I can remember rolling backwards a few inches --“CRACK”
Another piece of overlap to the ‘fancy’ flooring broken off
NEVER GET THIS STUFF or ANYTHING LIKE IT
I paid $2,600 for 25x25’ square great room - that was JUST THE FLOORING!!!!!
(Add cost of baseboards, paint, Labor, etc ...)
Please if you have tile, Sri I with it. Look on line for large rugs if you like - tile is the best. (Unless it’s broken and ...)
Then RETILE. NEVER EVER BUY THIS VYNAL-
And it needs doing alllllll over again!!!! It’s the biggest waste of money ❗️😢
It is called the "wear layer." "Mil" is a measurement of thickness - .001 inch. So, for example, "20 mils" means 20 thousandths of an inch (or 2 hundredths of an inch), 6 mils is 6 thousandths of an inch.
Wear layers go as hi as 28-30 now. Wear llayer isn't everything either. Some manufacturers have a coating on top the wear layer that make it more resistant to scratches like the Novalis brand 👍.
PureSPCMax brand flooring @ 20 MIL
Fusion-E or any Fusion line also has 20 MIL wear rating.
I put in my house the vinyl flooring that glues straight onto the cement subfloor. Biggest mistake I have ever made, the glue failed due to heat, moisture etc and planks have been lifting on many spots every since. I raised it with the builder and he is ripping the entire floor and putting the ''floating floor'' with the locking system like in your video. Wish me luck! For everyone needs to be aware if you have moisture or other issues on the subfloor they need to be sorter out first!
You're absolutely right. I bought the Luxury water proof one , but I'm so disappointed 😞 washing machine leaked in kitchen and some of the planks swelled up, spent fortune on this product and the labour.
Thank you for doing this. Just bought a home built in 1935; and I am about to put in flooring in the kitchen. This is so helpful
Glad it was helpful!
Wow, thank you so much, I sure learned a lot in a short amount of time!
Your vids are most appreciated. About to replace flooring in 1940s Houston home on pier/beam - not just a little nervous - your info helps. Makes me wish you were nearby to hire. Thanks for sharing - looking forward to more.
Hi Jeff! Thank you so much for doing these DIY videos. After I found you, now I have watched several of your videos. So helpful. In the above video you mentioned the underlayment that you prefer. I would love to order it. Could you send the details please? Where is it available? Thank you again for sharing your experience and knowledge! Liz in Denver
We have Floor and Decor in Salt Lake I love the store too! I bought tile there 4 years ago and just went back and they had the same product. I send all my friends there when they need something.
Is this a good store? I just realize I have one not far from me. They carry good brands for flooring?
I was thrilled to finally having found the kind of review video that I was looking for. Liked the way it was presented. The result, though, was that I felt so disillusioned and discouraged about vinyl flooring that I ended up going back to tile flooring. 😥
Your video helped me understand a few obstacles with taking on this project, Happy I found your channel. Very informative, Thank you.
Right as we were looking for the right flooring we watched this video and want to thank you for that.
These types of videos are gold. I'm gonna redo my kitchen and finish my basement soon and this knowledge takes all of the confusion and decision fatigue out of a rather large purchase. Looking forward to supporting your channel soon!
100% hands down the most easy to understand information about vinyl flooring I've found. I couldn't appreciate the attention to detail more! Keep going, I've got a whole house to do!
Installed 20mil Pergo LVP/LVT from Lowe's in a few rooms. Stuff is tough, you won't get far with just a utility knife. Has a backing/underlayment already. The locking system was great to work with.
Really helpful video. Floors decor was a great experience. Had you were in the states I would have supported. You made me confident in my purchase.
I have a floor and decor near me and that’s where I have been looking!! They have an underpad for $0.50 a sqft that is actually demonstrated at the store and works perfect
Couple correction. All these manufacturers have a substrate moisture restrictions. So these product can not be installed under warranty if the relative moisture content is to high regardless if the flooring itself is "water proof". The reason for this is trapping moisture can lead to standing water that can find its way into baseboards walls and studs witch can make for structural damage. There is also concern that in the presence of moisture you can have different types of mold growth including black mold. #2 Any Lvt ( luxury vynal tile) that is sold with pad attached can not be installed over additional pad. Doing so will cause structural support issues. Meaning that the material will flex to much causing damage to the tongue and groove systems over time.
It’s allowed in a basement
@@carolynj3475 it's allowed under the the same restrictions of relative moisture.
We just got the Smartcore Ultra and Smartcore Pro at Lowes and we LOVE IT!
I appreciate your recommendation of the store "Floor and Decor" for purchasing flooring products. I'm somewhat fortunate in that there's a store about a one-hour drive away. For what it's worth, I found a product on their website with the following specifications:
Thickness: 6.5mm
Length: 48.03 in.
Width: 7.17 in.
Wear Layer: 22MIL
STC Rating: 62
IIC (Impact Noise Isolation) Number: 64
Cork Backing
Manufacturer: Nucore Waterproof Flooring
Price per square foot: $2.99 (as of Sep 4, 2023)
I think the price is competitive and a good value. What do you think??
It’s a good value. Do you mind sharing which one it is? I’m looking at Floors to you. Get samples of whatever you’re thinking of buying. Nothing looks like a photo. No Coretec stone. Coretec can be good. Some are wpc, some are spc. You won’t know without a sample. Colorwall is WPC. Locking mechanisms. Can you easily break off the corners? WPC I can. I don’t think WPC in an 8 thick is going to match a spc in a 6 or 6.5. I drop things on samples. Hit with hammer, stab with hair pins. Drop food on it. I’m also testing with spilling alcohol and acetone on them.