best return would be not to do the laminate. any reason you can't do engineered hardwood?

not getting the baseboard thing. If you are putting in laminate flooring in the living spaces, how would they not have to change the baseboards? are you considering doing a shoe molding w/the laminate??

and if you are changing baseboards, regardless, get this one

also, are you selling the home? No one who walks in a home is going to say, "oh good. they have vinyl over real wood!" yay!

a really, really good laminate will cost as much as a good engineered wood floor. a properly done, good looking wood floor will always give a better return.

almost no one does engineered hardwood around here. I really dislike tile and the upkeep of grout. the majority of houses have either luxury vinyl plank OR laminate. I live in central Florida.

it's either laminate or luxury vinyl plank due to my preference and cost factor. I like in a new house (2yrs old) and no I'm not selling anytime soon just thinking of future

also regarding baseboards. I have done laminate in a previous home and they did not need to replace baseboards, we did use shoe molding at that time.

@beth. what size baseboards is that?

then if you aren't selling soon, why worry about resale? the life of those laminate flooring isn't much past 10 years.

Personally I hate shoe molding. but if you like it, and want new floors in the bedroom, then get what you like. But please don't worry about what some futuristic buyer might want 10 years from now. that's ridiculous. 5-10 years from now those laminate floors won't be worth anything and won't cause resale to go either way. they just aren't that valuable.

It's 5" (or slightly higher) I did them all in my home. so easy to paint too

gives you an idea how they look.

love the baseboards! thanks for that tip. what color did you go with on them??

that is true regarding the lasting of the floor but we could be here 2 more yrs. maybe 6 more. the reality is, anything is an upgrade from what we have now lol

then just get what you like.

I painted them the white base straight from the can! BM Advance. no tint added.

In this room I painted them, the crown, and the walls, Simply White by BM. not much diff. eggshell on walls, all trim work was semi gloss

By the time you are ready to sell, you will have to pull the floor to update anyways. That means the trim will be mucked up multiple times by then. You might as well get as much of the floor in place as possible. Trim can always be added on in a few years when you've saved up enough to do it all at once.

As for laminate in a kitchen, the average laminate has a 'life expectancy' of 3 years. The rest of the house will achieve 15-20 years but the kitchen laminate will struggle to see 7 years.

If you insist on installing laminate (it isn't 'wood' it is just a picture of wood sitting on fibre board), then I suggest you purchase the kitchen size TWICE. That way, when the kitchen floor is totally thrashed (year 7) you have enough flooring left over to replace it with a matching product. That way you will get the 15 years out of the flooring that you are (probably) hoping for.

Laminate HATES moisture. Hates it! It can be upset by a stray ice cube melting underneath the fridge...I kid you not. But the biggest issue is the STEAM given off by dishwashers. I've seen laminate in front of a dishwasher bubble and peel inside of 3 years. The steam coming out of the dishwasher causes the laminate to puff and swell and then weaken.

And the biggest issue in a kitchen: a leaking fridge that has a water line (for water and ice production). This happens ROUTINELY. As in you should expect it to happen. Again this is where the extra kitchen flooring (you purchased the kitchen space twice, remember?) comes in very handy.

I have never actually thought of baseboards as a deal-maker or deal-breaker in a house. Floors yes, baseboards, no.

My sister has LVT in her home. She got it 7 years ago and it looks like new. She has it in the kitchen, dining room, hallways and laundry.

After 7 years it still looks like new. There is no issue under the dishwasher or in the laundry room.

As for return on investment, all flooring will cost more than you will get back when you sell. It is true of most home improvements. Buy what fits your budget and lifestyle and what will bring you joy while you are living in the home.

I love my lvp, and I’m in south Florida. I had laminate before in the exact same areas I have the lvp now and it didn’t hold up, so something to think about. It bubbled, faded and lifted. The lvp is perfect.

I will disagree about the life of laminate , the floor in the second pic is now 17 yrs old and still looks like new the one in the 1st pic is almost 13 yrs old and in both cases withstood big dogs and many parties . I would rather see good quality laminate with no scratches than wood that is a mess from animals . I use good quality laminate .We have LVP in our walkout basement

t with 3 large dogs in and out of a dog run in all kinds of weather, IMO a good looking floor in any material is a good selling point. BTW both laminates were also in my kitchens

None of that adds any resale value. It’s just an expense. Wood would add some value, but not as much as the cost of the project.

Agreed it is not going to add resale value so do what you want and works for your family! I thought I was going to be in my house maybe 5 years, things changed and I’m now at 16, replaced the flooring twice already from the original.

@patricia - how did you like LVP vs laminate?

@kr - how long did the laminate last you? was it very high quality?

As Patricia points out, her HIGH END European laminate (not cheap) will stand the 25 years of use it advertises. These products are the exception...not the rule. I always assume people are going with $0.79/sf - $1.99/sf laminate. It is the most common form of laminate purchase in N. America.

I actually prefer a HIGH END laminate to a low-grade LVP. I'll take an E1 or E0 rated European laminate than a low-grade PVC based (phthalate filled product) option any time.

A beautifully produced, high-end European laminate (Switzerland is the land of laminate perfection) will start around $4.50/sf and go up to almost $6/sf. Which makes it the same price as mid-range vinyl.

Baseboards don't matter. Nobody's decision to buy was ever affected by baseboards. Having said that, go for something simple as Beth suggests, or a rectangular profile.

Laminate in kitchen? Never.

SJ McCarthy , is right on as always. The cheap stuff is going to look really bad really soon. There is a reason some laminate costs 3x-4x as much as another laminate product.

We put Wilsonart laminate floor tiles (they were actually the kind you glued together ) in our kitchen, den, hall to garage and powder room

almost 20 years ago and it has held up well. Unfortunately I don't believe Wilsonart makes flooring anymore.

My laminate was $5/sf not including labor. It did not do well in Florida humidity, water (from kids/pools/wet bathing suits), messy children and pet accidents. It lasted 6-ish years and was already wrecked in places well before I changed it out.

I'll be going with a waterproof luxury vinyl because I'll be doing it in the kitchen and laundry areas. 😊

I disagree with the idea that baseboards don't matter, in fact, I find baseboards to be one of the best ROI's. Buyers will ignore all kinds of questionable wall conditions when the baseboards are impressive, clean and crisp. It is so much cheaper for me to paint over every wall sin with a flat paint and replace the crappy baseboards than it is to attempt to clean up the walls.

@bry911 I agree -- i dont think its a DEAL BREAKER but I do think it adds that little unexplained something to the OVERALL look and feel of an area which in turn makes it more appealing and hence could get offers on a property.

Jessica - you are correct that a finished house is more sellable than an unfinished house. The point you asked about was "More flooring or do baseboards". Then you stated that you don't plan on selling any time soon. That means you have TIME to finish the house...at a later date.

For me, that means you should spend the money on extending the flooring into EVERY SPACE you want it to be in. You can always add baseboards and trim anytime in the next 7-15 years...or even right before you list the house.

A house does not need trim. But it does need flooring. Since you are not selling this home soon (soon for us is 6mon - 5 years) then you should get as much of the flooring done in one go.

If you wait too long to add flooring into one or two more rooms you will be faced with the 100% reality that you cannot find more of the same floor purchase. And that is where 60% of all Houzz flooring renovation issues come from. "Help! Home Depot discontinued my flooring and I need to finish my house!"

Yep. If you read enough of these forums, you will find out that man made floors (like vinyl, laminate, engineered hardwood, etc) have a shelf-life of 18-24 months. After that you will never see them again. Ever.

If you purchase all the flooring RIGHT NOW and install it...you are financially FURTHER ahead than if you stop with 2 - 3 rooms to go. In the future, when you want to add those few rooms, you will find you cannot find the product. And THAT'S when you discover the financial/design pickle you are in.

Please do yourself a favour and install all the vinyl flooring in every room you want it in. You will thank us for it later.

@SJ McCarthy i do think i poorly worded what i was i was trying to figure out but regardless I definitely got great insight!

SJ- what is your opinion on the LVP in kitchens and bathrooms? I know they say waterproof, and people always ask on here. Are they a good choice?

Sure Beth...LVP is well situated to deal with spills. I don't mind click together or glue down LVP. It is today's version of sheet vinyl. The LVP/LVT format is the 'modern' version of mum's vinyl kitchen floor.

The seams make it technically a weaker finish compared to sheet vinyl...but it is a minor issue for 90% of homeowners. People with leaky pets (or leaky humans...bodily fluids are bodily fluids) should look towards sheet vinyl first...but DIY trends suggest DIY flooring rather than a sheet floor installed by a professional.

If you hate tile and everyone in your area does laminate, then I say go for your preference. especially if you're not actually planning on selling soon. get what you want! but I do agree with others that a high end laminate will be a better choice. I'm like you by the way, I hate tile anywhere that's not a kitchen or bath. so hard and unforgiving.

Beth H. : is that cabinet a Broyhill???!!! I. LOVE. IT.

BH,,yes! It's my Brasilia that I lovingly restored. Found it on craigslist years ago

I guess that's why I keep getting notifications about people commenting in this thread. Thanks

pgrading the baseboards in all the areas where you're laying the laminate floors generally offers a better return on investment for resale. Consistent, high-quality baseboards enhance the overall aesthetic and finish of your home, making it more appealing to potential buyers. While laminate in the master bedroom is a nice touch, the impact of upgraded baseboards throughout the common areas is more significant.