Flooring dilemma

6 years ago

We own a townhouse that was built in 2005. We're the second owners and the first owner just rented it out and never lived in it so it was never cared for. It has 3 floors - the kitchen, library, and dining are all connected with hardwood flooring; the rest of the house are a mix of carpet, (poor) ceramic tiles, and linoleum/stick-on vinyl.

We're planning on renovating the whole flooring of the house - we're going with luxury vinyl planks and this one is really nice > https://www.flooret.com/arbor-72-click/. The color is spot-on to what we want.

However, we're running into a dilemma about what to do with the hardwood. Floor has holes in some places, scratches, is squeaky, and very orange. The painters we hired in the beginning did a VERY poor job and dripped paint everywhere. We got to scrape most of it out but there are some areas we 'hid' because they spilled a bit of paint and probably just wiped it off and not properly, might I add. You can still see the paint there.

I get we can have it sanded and refinished close to the color of the LVPs - which would probably cost a ton. However, it's at a big-traffic area (kitchen and dining), no kids, but cook a lot and have a dog that is a messy eater/drinker. She's old too and sometimes have accidents. Having it refinished will probably won't last long.

Should we just cover up the hardwood with the LVPs, maintaining consistent flooring throughout the house? Factors we've considered:

- all LVPs would be a DIY and won't need to hire someone = cheaper

- covering hardwood would lose resale value

- keeping/refinishing hardwood would be costly, won't last long; it's in an area that would definitely benefit from some waterproofing

- LVPs and hardwood have very noticeable differences in plank size, so very slight concern for inconsistent flooring

Any suggestions/advice welcome!

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Comments (3)

SJ McCarthy
6 years ago
Rule #1: NEVER EVER put vinyl over top of FINISHED hardwood. It is a recipe for disaster. We've seen people who have done it...the hardwood 'sweats' underneath the vinyl and the water than sits on the wood. The wood absorbs it and then gathers mold and mildew. The wood is ruined and the vinyl will need to be replaced.

Hardwood refinishing averages $5/sf. That's it. It is one of the cheapest ways to get a 'new floor' per square foot.

Rule #2: Fashion Faux Pas having real wood sitting next to 'fake' wood.

These two rules (one is a rule of physical properties, the other a rule of fashion/design) would indicate you should pull the wood and go with vinyl throughout.
M L
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for your response, SJ McCarthy. Good to know. I seem to be under the impression I could put plywood over the hardwood and then do the floating vinyl planks on top of the plywood - as what other forums here have suggested.

Reading what you wrote now - all the hardwood is on the second floor and the only room there that's not hardwood is the living room. I'll probably keep the hardwood and continue it into the living room, maybe seal kitchen with something waterproof. But it would prevent the hardwood and vinyl sitting next to each other.
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SJ McCarthy
6 years ago
If you can lace in new hardwood (same species, cut, grade, plank width) you will have given yourself years of impressive flooring. The INITIAL cost of hardwood is expensive ($10 - 15$) but the ability to refinish at $5/sf is where the savings begin.

Right now your existing hardwoods are roughly 15 years old (2005 + 15 = 2020). That is roughly the time a 'buff and coat' can happen to perk up the hardwood IF it is looking a bit worn.

Personally I would take the time/effort to source the perfect plank match (oak species, cut, grade and plank width) and drop the new stuff into the living room.

I would then stain the new hardwood a very different colour. I would do this KNOWING I will have EVERYTHING refinished in 5-10 years anyways.

That way you can have your 'quick fix' for the living room at a lower cost. Then you can take the 5-10 years to save up for a full sand/refinish when the ORIGINAL hardwood needs it. At that time you get all your woods the same colour.

It isn't ideal to have two different wood colours on the same floor but it is a way to get what you want at a decent price. At the end of the day it will work out to be roughly the same cost as a HIGH END vinyl with proper subfloor prep and installation costs.