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Trends In Floor Choices!

Vinyl, wood and engineered wood are all popular choices in flooring. Which one is right for your home?

Why is Luxury Vinyl Planking Trending?

Our flooring partner, Von Payne, owner of East Valley Floors (EVF), has seen a huge shift in his customers’ flooring choices. In the past, EVF customer purchases consisted of ninety percent carpet, and five percent each of tile and sheet vinyl. Currently, luxury vinyl is the flooring of choice, with over half of their customers. We asked Von why.

First, Von said, ‘unequivocally, there is no prettier floor than a hardwood floor.’ But he says the short answer to why luxury vinyl is trending is that customers get the look they want for a substantial savings; the product is easy to maintain and wears well.

 Luxury Vinyl wears better and is easier to replace.

Wood floors are a beautiful flooring option. Humidity requirements for the wood can make them a challenge in the desert.
  • Installation of luxury vinyl planking (LVP) takes a day to a day and a half (not a week or so as compared to solid wood), and it can be walked on immediately after installation.
  • Wear and Tear: solid wood, engineered wood, and luxury vinyl planking are about equal in their ability to withstand scratching and damage from dropping things. Foot traffic, over time, is more likely to affect the wood products.
  • Easier repair of damaged flooring: With LVP, you can easily replace a damaged plank where the tongue-and-groove connection between wood pieces is more difficult to work around.

The challenges of wood Flooring.

  • Maintenance. Wood floors are easily damaged by dropped items that can cause dents and scratches caused by moving furniture, pet claws, etc.
  • Cost. The cost of a solid wood floor stretches the pocketbooks of many homeowners. Solid wood flooring can start at about $11 per square foot and go up from there.
  • Storage. Per the manufacturer’s installation requirements, the wood flooring must be stored in a space that maintains 30 to 55% humidity. This step must be done several days up to several weeks before it is installed. The house must keep that humidity level for the life of the floor to maintain the quality and the warranty. In our desert climates, this is often a challenge.

    Wood floors are a beautiful flooring option. Humidity requirements for the wood can make them a challenge in the desert.
    Wood floors are a beautiful flooring option. Humidity requirements for the wood can make them a challenge in the desert.
  • Installation. Solid wood flooring requires several initial applications of a sealant product and several days of drying before it can be walked on.
  • Stair edge. The preference for a stair edge is for it to be flush at the nose.  East Valley Floors tells us that a flush stair edge is safer than an overlapping edge. 
  • Cost. Quality luxury vinyl planking will give the appearance of a beautiful wood floor for an average price of about $7 to $9 per square foot. That can add up to substantial savings over the other floor alternatives.

Cleaning and regular maintenance are similar on each floor style- a vacuum or damp mop keeps the flooring looking fresh.

Purchasing LVP materials. There is a wide range of qualitative differences. Von tells us to be aware of several things when choosing vinyl flooring.

  • Finish thickness. The finish on the surface of LVPs varies between manufacturers. A quality finish should be 20 mils thick at a minimum. Some cheaper products only have a 4-mil finish, which is thinner than a contact lens. A thicker finish means you won’t have to be concerned about scratching the surface with the everyday things we bring in on the bottoms of our shoes.
  • Watch for consistency, which refers to the consistency of colors from lot to lot and pattern changes from different manufacturing lots. You may experience these differences from box to box. 
  • Higher quality products will have less frequency in repeating designs and patterns making the product have a more natural look. 

When purchasing products on your own, always buy an extra box in case you need to replace any damaged pieces. And don’t compromise quality for cost, ever. If you can’t afford to do it right the first time, you may end up with a floor that doesn’t last, and it will have to be replaced again.

Is Flooring a DIY project?

Von has a few tips for those DIYers who want to tackle an LVP flooring project.

  • Start with a solid, consistent subfloor free of bumps, debris, or gouges. Also, remove baseboards and door casings.

    DIY tip LVP installation requires a moisture barrier. Check the manufacturers requirements!
  • Install a manufacturer-approved moisture barrier. Document this underlayment and save your receipts. Manufacturers may require proof of the barrier if you need to file a warranty complaint later.
  • Maintain a gap of about ¼” around the perimeter of the new flooring as it abuts walls and cabinets.
  • Aligning the planking is critical if you install it from room to room or space to space. Take time to plan the layout of the individual planks.

What’s new in other types of flooring?

Well, the short answer is that carpet and tile haven’t gone away, but their popularity has shifted over the past few years. Both carpet and tile still comprise almost half of East Valley Flooring’s business.

Engineered Wood has the look we are seeking with a more stable product. The cost, however, is still fairly high at $8 to $13 per square foot. 

Tile has been leaning toward a wood floor look. Porcelain tiles are popular as well. Tile sizes have been trending to large individual tiles, such as 12″ by 24″ or larger, with very thin grout lines of 1/8″ or spaces between tiles.

Carpet has also experienced some improvements. Solution-dyed yarn is a newer and quite popular yarn. It is almost entirely impervious to permanent stains from food, pets, and some bleach cleaners.

While knap (the length and thickness of the carpet’s fibers) has not changed much, colors certainly have. Von tells us that strong greys are fading in popularity and are being replaced by more natural colors with a mix of grey and beige.

What is new and quite popular is the introduction of flecks into the carpet’s color schemes. Flecks are randomly distributed across the carpet and do not develop any particular pattern. Fleck patterned carpet is very popular with active homes with pets, children (or grandchildren). Von mentioned that out of approximately three hundred carpet samples in East Valley Floors’ showroom, 90% have flecks. Every carpet he stocks has flecks in the design.

When you are ready to shop:

Shop at a reputable showroom where your questions can be answered, and you can find guidance on the best choice for your floor. A knowledgeable representative will ask you questions like:

  • How will the room be used?
  • Will it have heavy or light traffic?
  • Will the room be the center of activity for family life and entertainment?
  • Is there direct access from outside?

Armed with the answer to these questions, the rep will be able to guide you to choices that will be best for the room you are flooring. You will also be able to learn the warranty conditions and the proper care. 

Replacing flooring is a big job and an investment in the beauty and comfort of your home. Choosing the right flooring is challenging but, pays big rewards. 

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CONTENT PARTNER | East Valley Floors

(480) 926-3444

The staff at East Valley Floors is equipped to bring samples and products to your home by appointment. Visit our showroom by appointment for product preview. Product only orders are also welcome. Carpet | Wall, Floor and Countertop Tile | Wood Flooring | Laminate Flooring | Vinyl Flooring

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