High quality Engineered Plank is going to allow you to finish on site with whatever custom stain color you like. They can also be finished again later in the future. Finishing on site with a very durable finish like Bona Traffic will give the floors a high level of protection as well.

No vinyl: bad for your health and worse for the environment !

Check things like whether you can use casters on it. I was leaning toward some of the luxury vinyl, but it got so expensive at the best level that pre-finished engineered hard wood became cheaper for me and are designed to last 50 years and it showed. They are so solid and my friends who have it all have dogs and all use it in their kitchens and they all said that the finishes have gotten so much better that they recommend engineered hard wood at a high level. The carpenter I am working with said that he is surprised at how many people use it in their kitchens and even bathrooms now. I wouldn't use it in the bathroom, but am going with it in the kitchen after I realized that everybody I know has it in theirs and I go to all their houses for parties and it all still looks good decades later.

I double emphasize pre-finished if you are going to use it in wet areas.

Being told I couldn't use casters on the luxury vinyl planks made me nervous. I have been in a wheel chair before and have relatives with scooters and most of my elderly relatives have had walkers and everybody I know has rolling chairs and wheels on furniture. I couldn't even think about putting something in which wouldn't hold up to those types of things.

I had the same dilemma. My kids are now older and calmer, but I still have a couple of crazy dogs that run frantic circuits around the house. I was told everywhere I went that the engineered wood would scratch quickly - especially the darker stains. I was told that on the higher quality engineered wood with a thicker wear layer you will get at least one refinish. I narrowed the choices to true distressed hardwood installed and stained in house (so it could be refinished multiple times) and vinyl plank. I ended up going with Cortech HD vinyl plank because I decided I just didn't want the constant worry about scratching - I just knew I would be a "floor Nazi" if I spent the $ to install hand distressed and stained wood floors. I really think the floors look fantastic. They look like wood. You can tell by the sound and feel that they are not wood, but they are softer on your feet. I've had them over a month and my 50 lb dog has done several frantic circles slipping and scratching trying to get her footing, but there is not a scratch on the floor. I recently saw a Houzz article about true linoleum that I wish I would have seen before making my decision. True linoleum (made from sawdust, linseed oil, etc) is apparently much better for the environment and made out of quickly replenishable materials). It probably would not look like wood, but would open up a whole new world of design. Pics of my floors:

Hardwood, easy to clean and looks great!!! We put it our home as we are in the process of building and we thought that we would reuse some if in our guest house when they start building. I HATE it!!! We live near the beach in Del Mar and have 2 dogs and 4 kids. It always looks dirty, shows EVERYTHING. You can clean the floors and 10 minutes later it shows every footprint etc. they do lift and dent. White grout on a floor is easier to keep clean.

Hi Sarah, it’s incredibly wise of you to consider how you and your family will live in the space when deciding what flooring is best for you. Occasionally we hear from customers who truly want only hardwood but we’ve also seen a significant surge in interest around luxury vinyl or resilient floors in recent years because of its durability.

We recommend you check out a nearby flooring retailer so you can see and feel LVP products like Coretec or the Floorté Collection by Shaw Floors to see for yourself whether it’s something you’ll want in your home. The styles are on trend and feature high-definition realistic visuals of the best-selling hardwoods and stone looks. To your point on high-traffic wet areas, you’ll like hearing that Floorté is a waterproof flooring, meaning that spills or the drips are no worry. Let us know if you have specific questions as you further research your options and best of luck with your remodel!

did you choose LVP flooring and if so are you still happy with the decision? What brand did you choose?

I see you went with Coretec HD . That is exactly what I have my sights on. So how is it 2 years later?

I am looking to install this in 3000 square feet.

Also, you can choose SPC flooring thickness above 4mm with mute pad. In this thickness, SPC cheaper than LVP.