If hats a photo of your existing hardwood, I would absolutely not cover it with LVP. Just put a rug over the small damaged area.

Yes, that is our existing engineered hardwood. The damaged area is BAD - in the front foyer, two lengthy and very visible gashes. Do you think they could tear out just the foyer and re-do to match the rest of the wood?

I'm no flooring expert, I just think your engineered wood looks great and LVP will diminish the resale value if your home if you cover it with that. I have LVP in my own home but if I had the choice of engineered wood even damaged, I'd go with it. Maybe you can call some local hardwood tefinisgers and see if they could repair the gashes?

Wowser, Flo Mangan - that slate foyer looks gorgeous! An idea I had not thought of............yes, the FOYER portion IS glossy. In trying to repair the gashes, had them recoat that part of it and it does NOT match the rest of the floor (I know, should have just had it all re-done but thought it might work out ok with the sheen eventually matching closer to the rest of it - it did not :((( The rest of the floor is more of a satin finish with just a little sheen, which is really what I like. I do NOT like the wooden seams you see with my wood floor. The adjacent room started out carpet and we had them install to match the rest of the wood several years later. Those seams are part of the reason I was considering tearing it all out. Do you think it would be too difficult for them to match up wood and put wood back in that area to match the rest? I still have the boxes and it's a common color and brand (Bruce).

TMNCA - yes, I am really hesitant about putting vinyl over it, but dang, the reports on how it just doesn't scratch (the LVP, that is) is just hard to resist along with the fact that my foyer looks so horrible right now with the two gashes and the mis-matched sheens............but I LOVE the look of my wood before this damage. I am leaning towards doing whatever I can to preserve the wood, fixing it, or get something new (wood, or wood with tile in the area like Flo shared), before I go to plan c (the LVP). This post and all of the discussion is really proving helpful in sorting this out. I'm in somewhat of a panic because the foyer just looks so horrible right now. I think I am going to abandon the LVP for now and see what I can do with what I have - either replacing it with a matching wood or maybe even tile.

The worst thing you can do is "panic" and take actions to meet your "panic" mode and then have to redo it again. Take a deep breath. It is NOT easy to match and feather in woods. Even if you know the make, brand etc., the wood being used is different now than then. If you have boxes of the current wood, then that might work, but be prepared to sand the whole floor down and restain and re-poly coat. That process takes about 2 weeks to do right and most people move out during this process for "smells, allergies, dust production, etc.". Can you post a picture of this entry/foyer area. That might spark some other ideas. I am interested in just exactly where these deep scratches are located. This might give me another idea. Thanks for your patience. This can be fixed without vinyl.

I'm going to comment on the "sheen" question. It has happened over and over again so I might as well speak to the "shiny clean" part of this equation.

If you want a higher gloss than 'matte', even satin, then do NOT purchase low-gloss matte. You will be the most unhappy person on your block...possibly your neighborhood.

We have seen SOOOOO many people buy the fashionable "low gloss" vinyls only to have them complain, and complain and complain and then POLISH them (and then complain about the amount of work it takes to keep a polished vinyl floor looking 'good').

If you have a STICK of "shiny clean" in you (someone who smiles when they see their shiny clean floors...and keep smiling for days afterward) then do NOT purchase low gloss. It is a BIG adjustment. One that 99% of people can't make.

Right now your current floor appears to be 'gloss' = the highest gloss level we have. If you drop down to the LOWEST gloss level, you will most likely be horribly unhappy.

I wish you luck in finding the floor that is right for you. As Flo points out, do NOT panic. Even though the foyer LOOKS nasty, it is still FULLY FUNCTIONAL. Excellent. You have all the time you need. So long as the foyer remains functional (no gaping holes where you can break an ankle, etc) then you can take all the time to find the right floor.

Flo - y es, I will post some pics tonight when I get back of the damaged areas. My teenager was trying to be helpful and dragged some furniture across it not realizing the damage caused, so two chair legs left long, deep scratches in it. I then had someone come out who said they could fix it and that the poly would blend with the rest of the floor (they cut it off at the end of the foyer) over time, but I am afraid that isn't going to happen. It's much too shiny and even some fading will make it NOTHING like the rest of the floor. I am definitely in panic mode. It's the first thing people see when they walk in. From another angle nobody can see it, but you sure can when right in front of it and the sun is pouring in. NOTE: it is NOT a wood that can be sanded. Very, very thin. WE have had it recoated, but they cannot sand - only "screen". I will post some pics tonight. I most definitely am panicking. I am also contemplating tearing out all of it and just starting from scratch with more engineered wood because even the 'good' parts are 15 years old and have some issues. I figured in 15 years they may even have a more durable product. And I eliminate my matching issues. AND get rid of the seams between the original hardwoods (which were 19 years old) and the two rooms done 15 years ago (something about the height of the two woods not matching up - putting in those seam dividers was the only way they could make it work at the time). Does that sound unreasonable to do *if* I cannot get a match? I do realize I will be paying more than for LVT.

We just put in 900 sq ft of LVT from Flooret and I'm surprised that I actually love it but I'm pretty sure you will hate it in your house going from actual wood and preferring the sheen. I don't think it looks plasticky but it doesn't truly mimic real wood, either.

Hello! I have a similar situation; 24 year-old engineered hardwood, several heavily damaged areas, four dogs including an 80 pound Great Pyrenees who loves to get the zoomies on the wood floor. :)

First of all, I agree with the others who say to not panic. It's okay to have damaged floors, and it's okay that one section of the floor is high gloss. If your floors look so bad that a layer of poop spread on top of it would look better, then that's okay too. It's not going to be this way forever, and a year from now you will look at your lovely, fixed or new floor and forget this ever happened.

Tearing out your existing floor is an option. You may also be able to float another engineered hardwood on top of the current floor. There might be height issues, but this depends on the flooring in other rooms. You might also be able to re-screen and recoat the high gloss area that you do not like.

My advice is to find the very best flooring company in your area, go in, look at samples, and ask questions.

Also, make a list of your ideas and options with pros and cons.

Hope this helps!

LOL, the tone of my post must exude panic - and that is an accurate reflection! :) I am feeling a bit better about it after talking with everyone here. I truly think I will be happier with the engineered wood even with all of the issues than LVT - but if I didn't already have engineered wood to begin with and was starting from scratch, then maybe the LVT would be my choice. I do have an upstairs hall and back bedroom that are in the same hardwood, and ideally would like to keep those the same with the rest of the house to match. Did not think about putting another floor on top of that one - did not think about that AT ALL! Thank you, Cara! Great option for me to ask about. I wish it was in a back room or something but it is RIGHT THERE in my front hall way staring at me whenever I come in. I think I'll put a rug over it until I have my appointment with the floor people - I DID find one of the more reputable places in the area and have them coming out this week. And yes, maybe another screen and recoat might help. Another option. Putting all of the options on the table is helping calm my mind :).

Honestly, that LVT you picked is not an upgrade to what you have. I don't think you would be happy with that choice.

I love Flo's idea. considering replacing the really bad portion w/a sort of tile. Slate, porcelain, terra cotta, the list is endless. you could turn this disaster into a cool design feature. If you have some left over flooring, you could even do those cool square inserts of tile/flooring.

instead of the transition pieces:

or do a cool black slate in a herringbone. this would look nice w/your wood flooring.

There are lots of great options, so relax. All panic'd thinking does it create a worse problem. So, slow down girl and relax. This isn't brain surgery. It is a floor! I would take engineered hardwood any day over vinyl. Some people like it, I don't. It feels fake, and looks fake and it sounds fake. So, chill and get a good solid set of options from your best flooring people in town and most aren't doing hardwood from scratch anymore they are all into the newer, more desirable engineered hardwoods, with a descent thickness of wood. The base of the engineered hardwoods is a plywood material on most. You can get some very informative YouTube videos that might help calm your nerves tremendously. Get that rug out and put it down right now! haha! This will all work out and glad you are here so we can hold your hand and help you through this.! Smart woman!

Thanks, m_gabriel. I missed your post earlier! I just can't get past the sheen of the wood (NOT my overly-glossy messed up foyer, but the rest of it that is low-sheen but really very pretty). I wish they had LVT years ago. Our kitchen flooded (builder installed dishwasher incorrectly) and ruined the wood in there so when we tore it out, we put in tile even though I LOVED having the wood in there. I think LVT would have been a good option for me in back then :)) I do think it is the sheen factor that is holding me back and steering me towards the wood. Some of the samples I picked up of the LVT look phenomenal - but that's on a small block of sample board..............an expansive 1500 square foot area that is all open, I'm not so sure. But without a doubt, there is some good looking stuff out there!

Wow, this is all GREAT.................I am starting to come out of panic mode and seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. I really like the continuity of having ALL wood - no seams anywhere - just ALL wood across the entire bottom level - BUT - some of these ideas intrigue me as well. Would a marble or mosaic look appropriate? We are in a higher-end home and my decor is very formal, upscale vs. a cottage look, beachy, rustic, etc. A hotel that we visit frequently had some wonderful marble mosaics as part of their lobby. Wonder what that might look like as an option? Thank you, Beth, for those pictures and being part of the sane ones talking me off the ledge of craziness with this whole situation, lol. And Flo. Very wise words - it is NOT brain surgery, you are right! I have a picture of the two gouges on my phone but I don't know how well they will show up. I'll try to log on from my phone and post the gouges so you can see. COuld be they can still fix what is there. I shall know soon! IN the mean time, going to see what else I might can put in that foyer - starting with the ideas already shared :)).

Another quick question since everyone here is so knowledgeable - are the engineered hardwoods of 2017 much different than the ones in 2002? In terms of durability, resistance to scratching/marks?

I REALLY like #2 (just the brick part - wouldn't necessarily do the marble or whatever surrounds it). #3 I like second best. #1 or something similar might also be an option. Any thoughts on something like #2 or #3 working with what I have?

cindy, they have porcelain tile that looks like brick. (Capella porcelain tile)

that's an option.

the patterned tile is either a cement tile (expensive) or a ceramic tile meant to look like the cement.

either one is doable depending on the look you want.

OMG, ya'll are going to make me cry! I love some of these ideas! I am feeling some h ope here..................thank you for these great ideas. I love this last one!

Assuming I HAVE options - meaning the floor guys says he can make the wood work for the foyer (either replacing that section to match the rest or fixing it appropriately) OR I could do something totally different like what has been suggested here, what would be some of the personal preferences of some of you? To have an all-over same look with the same product (i.e., the wood) or to have a combination of flooring, texture, colors similar to one of the many great photos shared?

The difference between finishes from 2002 and 2017 is all about Aluminum Oxide and the "toughness" it offers. The thickness of the wear layers have also come a long way.

Dents = still happen because it is still wood

Scratches = still happen because it is still a finish over wood

Sigh...I know. A wood floor is still a wood floor. If you got 15 years out of an engineered hardwood that is "too thin" to refinish, then you are on the "good side" of the life expectancy.

I would say, at 15 years of age, your engineered hardwood probably doesn't owe you very much. I think you can happily go ahead and replace the whole darn thing. Get what you like. You've managed to get this floor to go a long way on short legs! Good for you!

If you want a wood floor that is continuous, then go for it. Once the old floor is out, you can pay to have the subfloor evened out and ready for a single floor - without transitions.

Thank you, Cancork - I wondered if there had been dramatic improvements since we initially installed. I definitely need to lower my expectations on the whole scratches issue.............but very happy to know that I have done well with the life expectancy issue. And that's through 2 young kids and cats. I am just glad that I have some options. Will look forward to hearing what the floor people have to say. Probably a blessing in disguise, as we were starting to look at making some major changes even before this happened. Just made us start contemplating a little sooner! :)