I realize y'all might be bored with a question that's been posted many times already, and it IS tough to weed through all the Search results...but I figured someone might be able to steer me in the right direction regarding some of the newer options out there that are not going to be slippery when wet, doesn't need to be waxed or polished or have a coating on it...and I'm still wondering how a "click" floor can be waterproof...

Thanks!

We installed Marmoleum and love it. It's pricey and you need a professional Marmoleum installer. Here's a link: Marmoleum by Forbo

We installed Metroflor LVT in our kitchen, gluing it down over old sheet vinyl. We love it and no problems with being slippery. We needed something to contrast with old red oak flooring since nothing would ever match it, LOL:

In the upstairs bath in 2011 we ripped old cheap tile and installed Mannington sheet vinyl. The stone patterns in sheet vinyl had really improved since they first started coming out. This one has wowed everyone who has seen it. Again, very easy to clean, no waxing required, non-slip:

HTH!

Wow, thank you both for the great info, links and photos!

DH and I went today to check out a few flooring places--a little local shop that's been in business for 15 years with great Yelp reviews (I'm all for supporting local businesses!) --- and, because we had to pick up some pavers, we also checked out the stuff at the H. Depot. I wasn't thrilled with the samples that either place had--samples from Armstrong, TrafficMaster, Mowhawk Luxury Vinyl, and some company called IVC US Flexitec. I did see one sample that I kinda liked, but that was only "kinda" liking it.

Again, many thanks again for your help!

Smiles,

Sooz

I wish I could help you. I had plenty of houses with sheet vinyl floors and they were useful. I remember dragging a kiddie pool into my kitchen when my kids were very young and it was an endless January day in Wisconsin. I filled he pool with warm water to keep the kids occupied. There were no worries about the floor with sheet vinyl on it. They could splash their heart's content.

Given the choice, I think I would go linoleum, only because the sheet vinyl has always looked cheap and got scuffed, stained or otherwise in our homes with that option.

While linoleum might be tough, I don't believe it could be considered low maintenance. It requires specific care products that likely aren't readily available and it needs to be polished periodically and stripped once the polish builds up.

Some sheet vinyl floors are tougher than others but they should meet your care requirements. You'd have to determine whether they would be slippery when wet. Generally a vinyl floor with a durable no-wax finish is going to be somewhat slippery when wet.

The Marmoleum is a green linoleum product. I clean it with hot water and white vinegar. Sooz, look for a green home products retailer. As for wear and tear, when I was at the airport recently, I noticed the parking garage elevator had the same pattern of Marmoleum that we picked for the kitchen. I say that gives it an A+ for wear. ;-)

Do not confuse professional installations with home installs. Very few homeowners give their floors the same regular maintenance that pro installations get.

Here's what Marmoleum ITSELF says about care of its product:

Regular cleaning:

The frequency of regular cleaning method will depend on the
amount of traffic, soiling levels, desired appearance, and hygiene standards.

• Remove dust and loose dirt by vacuum cleaning, sweeping or
mopping.

• Remove spots, stains and spillages with a damp mop and a
neutral floor cleaner.

As required:

• Spray clean the floor with a rotary machine (150-300 rpm),
a 3M red pad or equivalent and neutral floor cleaner

Periodic Maintenance:

The following maintenance actions should be used when needed
to maintain a satisfactory level of appearance.

• Remove dust and loose dirt by vacuum cleaning, sweeping or
mopping.

• Remove spots, stains and spillages with a damp mop and a
neutral floor cleaner.

• Spray Buff the floor with a rotary machine (300-500 rpm)
and a 3M red pad or equivalent using a buffable floor maintainer to remove gloss irregularities and provide an
even appearance.

*********

Now, I'm not saying it's not a great product. It's very beautiful and many people love it. But I hate cleaning floors, and I abuse my LVT and sheet vinyl in comparison to Marmoleum's instructions. And have done so for 12 yrs in the case of the LVT, so I think that's a solid 'real world' example.

Do check out this "Fact vs Fiction" care sheet from a flooring website. It's very comprehensive, and useful info:

http://blog.1877floorguy.com/2010/07/fact-vs-fiction-forbo-marmoleum-cleaning-maintenance.html

I do not run a spray buffer over my floors. Vacuum and wet mop. Done. My floors look fine. There are levels of complacency in life, buffing my floors is way below swinging in the hammock with a good book and a cold beer. ;-) [I have not read through the fact sheet jakkom linked but will later.] All input is good input. mm

Sooz, click flooring is not "waterproof". The surface of each plank, and the substrate in the body of the plank and click mechanism are waterproof. But you are correct, some moisture can leak down through the click mechanism especially if you flood the floor (wet mopping etc). But it's a very small amount and I wouldn't think it would damage the underlying subfloor. My concern would be the development of mold, or smell if it's pet urine flooding the floor! The benefit to that kind of floor is it's a bit more forgiving of a slightly rough or unlevel subfloor (sheet flooring is thinner and will transmit subfloor flaws) and it's warmer underfoot because it's thicker. It also can be popped up, cleaned and dried, and reinstalled if you have a major flood problem (sewage backup for example).

If you don't anticipate numerous pet accidents or flooding consider a good quality click vinyl such as Coretec. There are numerous Coretec threads on houzz. And they do have tile look options.

And you can install click LVT yourself. Unlike sheet vinyl which takes a bit more skill!

Sheet 'vinyl' doesn't necessarily smell. Although it does require some skill and strength to fit and install, depending upon the size and shape of the room, any smart DIY'er ought to be able to do it well enough. Proper preparation of the substrate is a must. For the best an easiest way to fit sheet vinyl...consider pattern scribing.

Hi Sooz,

I would suggest Coretec Plus. Waterproof means the product can withstand moisture but it will not waterproof your kitchen floor. The VLT and LVP products are being sold as a better choice than laminates. When laminate are in contact with water the seam can swell and can only be repaired by replacing the damaged boards.

Hope this helps!

Chris @nicefloors.com

Thank you all for your helpful input!

We are going to do sheet vinyl and have it installed by a professional. Not going with click stuff, due to aging dogs and potential puppy accidents.

Smiles,

Sooz

Good idea with doggies in the house. The previous owners of our home had 2 dogs who aged along with them [smile]. When we ripped up the disgusting shag W2W, there were huge black urine stains marring the gorgeous random width red oak flooring with its walnut plugs.

We got almost all of the stains out, but we had to sand right down to the nailheads in some areas. They'll probably never be able to be refinished again, sadly.

We used Forbo sheet vinyl and it is great. It's made with a lot of natural products and had NO odor whatsoever. The company states there are no off gassing harmful effects of this particular line (Eternal Wood) and it's even used in operating rooms! You do have to buy it through a contractor and have it installed professionally. It has a 30 year residential warranty

I totally understand, jakkom, about pet stains and gorgeous flooring underneath carpet!

Flaswp, thanks for the additional information! Very helpful!

Finances and unexpected expenditures have prevented us from taking care of the flooring, but maybe in 2017, it will get done!

Smiles,

Sooz

We installed CoreMax Cerameta LVT in August in the Silver Oak in our kitchen. It is a loose lay click product, 100% waterproof, and so far, it is fabulous. I wanted sheet vinyl, but due to the room size, we would have needed a seam, so went with the CoreMax. So far, no scuff marks, scratches, or scrapes, it cleans with my steamer like a dream, and is a matte, non-skid surface. I'm not a fan of faux wood vinyl, and it does imitate wood plank, but the color makes it less evident, so I can live with it.

In our rental property, we used both Armstrong and Shaw brand vinyl, and have been very pleased. It was really difficult to find an overall pattern that was not wood or tile-look, but we persevered and found two patterns we liked, both in a gray shade. They provide a very contemporary feel to the floor which is the look we were going for, yet the benefits of vinyl.

Good luck!