Nancy and her husband are planning their retirement and getting their home ready to sell. They have a lovely home that is tastefully decorated.
Among other improvements, I recommended that the hardwood floors in the small foyer and entry hall be refinished. The worn carpet in the living room and dining room also needs replacing.These sellers realized that the flooring needed 'fixing'.
Here's the rub:
This couple has a family friend that owns a flooring business. Methinks 'friend' is looking for a Guinea pig to showcase one of his products. Friend recommended that they remove all of the downstairs flooring and install.....wait for it....vinyl faux-hardwood flooring.
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This vinyl hardwood product probably is being used a lot. I would imagine that it appeals to institutions as an updated alternative to patterned vinyl.
To be honest, I haven't seen this particular product. However, vinyl is neh-va eh-va going to trump real hardwood flooring. The foyer, living room and dining room are formal areas and vinyl flooring is not an appealing alternative.
I suggested they approach their friend about a great deal on new carpeting and have their hardwoods refinished.
Have any of you seen this vinyl hardwood product?
I just found your blog the other day and have enjoyed reading your old posts.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember what brand but I thought about using vinyl "wood" tiles in my basement. I thought it was a good alternative and would withstand any water I would potentially get during heavy storms. It also seemed easy enough for me to install myself and more cost effective than having tile laid. I wouldn't use the product in my primary living spaces, especially in a mid to high end home. I didn't end up using the vinyl as I sold my house and left the basement floor bare.
Hi Kathleen! Thanks for finding me. I'm with you--it might be ok for a basement but not in formal areas. I think basements are one of those areas that buyers recognize it for 'it is what it is space'. Bare floors in the basement wasn't a deal breaker. Aren't you glad you saved yourself time and money?
DeleteA floor dealer tried to convince my sister to use this product when she was remodeling her smallish kitchen. It actually looked pretty realistic from a distance but...vinyl is vinyl, not wood. I talked her out of it and she installed beautiful wood floors that were a huge "wow" factor when she sold her house a few years later. I might consider intalling this product in a small rental house/apartment kitchen or bathroom or *maybe* in a small mudroom or laundry room but NEVER in a main room of a lovely home I was trying to sell. Just the word "vinyl" turns some people off.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Adele. The word 'vinyl' does turn people off. From a distance, or in photographs this stuff looks pretty realistic. I'm sure your sister will see her money back when she sells AND she gets to enjoy the benefit of them now. Thanks for commenting Adele!
DeleteI agree. I think you can always tell the difference! I have vinyl wood flooring in my basement where the kids used to play, and there is a potential moisture problem down there, so it was perfect for that application. Hope all is well Linda!
ReplyDeletexo Nancy
Hey Nancy! Glad to have your input about actually using this product. It would be perfect for a play space. (Love your new picture Nancy.)
DeleteI think vinyl is a mistake for the main living areas of the house. Buyers are going to be underwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Kimberly! These sellers are smart. I hope they will not be tempted by their friend's offer.
DeleteThis isn't Pergo laminated flooring is it? That has been known to hold up fairly well and has been around for years.
ReplyDeleteNo Patty it is not laminate. It is vinyl. Laminate is often a good choice for new flooring. Laminate is beautiful after it is newly installed. However, I have seen it years later with lots of wear and tear that is not easy to cover.
DeleteInteresting. I know a lot of laminate flooring has been installed since the late 90's. I haven't seen any after years of use. We have "engineered" wood floors. The veneer is so thin on the product the builder uses, even if you upgrade, It dents, scratches and is overpriced. I imagine there is some out there that is a high quality, but the average builder doesn't use it. I had as little as I could get away with when we bought the BLH. I had the same product in our previous home. You can't refinish it and when a scratch happens the only fix is a sharpie!
DeleteThanks for the sharpie as a quick fix on laminate flooring. I tried to cover scratches with Old English in a home I was staging. (It looked ok until it was totally absorbed.) I have admired the look of newly installed laminate for years. It is disappointing that it shows blemishes so readily. I also appreciate you advice about what builders use.
DeleteI'm sitting in my BFFs kitchen typing this message. She has an amazing house (4000 sq ft bungaloft), beautifully decorated with hardwood floors in the main hall and living area. However, her kitchen (which is also huge by the way and gorgeous) has vinyl faux wood floor in a dark reddish brown. It's that click system flooring. It's so cheap looking. I would never tell her, love her to death. But why, oh why, would she pick something so awful for an otherwise stunning home? The lesson learned is that you get what you pay for and flooring is one of those things that you should invest in. Your client needs to tell their "friend" that this setting isn't the right place to try this product. You can't beat old wooden floors even if they need refinishing.
ReplyDeleteI agree Heather--can't beat hardwood floors. I think even old beat up wood has a kind of 'lived in' patina that is charming (not for selling, of course). I so get not telling your dear BFF that you don't agree with her flooring decision. It is hard for me to keep my opinion to myself--but the relationship is the most precious.
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