I agree 10" never looks real so keep looking since you are already concerned it will only bug you more . Your installer should not be choosing your floor. I have never used that brand so waht is it that is so much better than Coretec? I like the vinyl floor that has no backing gets glued down but your condo probably has rules about the flooring you can install so make sure about that before any choice is made .I assume the pics are not actual pics of the space so what is in there now ?

@Patricia Colwell Consulting, the original flooring red and white oak parquet tile that became water-damaged when the apt's convector failed. The installer sells both brands as well as Aqua Amour.

Versacore has 30 mill vs Coretec's Pro Plus 20 mill wear layer--although this is for an apartment with a 2-person occupancy and no-pet policy, so not particularly relevant. Some think that the higher the wear layer, the less sharp-looking the wood print--what do you think? With the samples I've viewed, Versacore's wood print looks more realistic to me than that of Coretec. Maybe that's b/c the former is EIR vs Coretec's Springfield Oak's brushed texture?

Versacore is 10 mm thick vs Coretec's 5 mm. I've read that Versacore's IPXE is more water-resistant and sound-deadening than Coretec's cork underlayment, although the latter is more comfortable.

In this photo, 3 Versacore's 10-inch sample boards and Coretec's 7 on the bottom right. The Versacore's bevels are more pronounced. I think I like that....This is a rental and I need to return to check how deep the bevel. My long-term tenant doesn't clean often, so maybe this isn't a good choice.

What color goes well with the light gray kitchen tile, that will remain? What do you, @JAN MOYER and others think of the 10-inch look? I did find out that 36-inches--and therefore 3 long 10-inch versacore tiles--would be visible in the hallway with the closets along one wall and the kitchen and bedroom entrances on the other. I think that would look okay, but I'm stylistically challenged.....

From above again....( I'm not known for changing my mind)

"I think 10" looks unnatural anywhere, but that is opinion of one. I find 7" looks good just about everywhere". Buy a box and test on your site.

Is there a better way? No.

Buy a box each. test, select and move on......

It . is. a. RENTAL.

There is risk with any rental. Take bigger security deposits and vet the tenant.

Most "forever" are below

Replace the lost original real wood parquet with new real wood parquet, instead of obviously fake too wide plastic.

IMO, the plank width is not a big deal. Think about it--people use 12 x 24 (and larger) tile in small bathrooms & no one blinks an eye.

Briefly glanced at the Versacore website--they do have more narrow planks in other lines (maybe not the same quality as the Grande line). 20 mil & shorter lengths...

@Simon Templeton & Associates I would love to replace just the damaged wood tile with the same 4-slat parquet tile, but since it isn't manufactured anymore, the floor installer would have to make them at an installation and refinishing cost of $14,700 The 7-inch Coretec Pro Plus' install is $10k and the 10-inch Versacore is $2200 more than the Coretec. Although I prefer the color and bevel of the Versacore to that of the Coretec, a $2500 savings between real wood and it doesn't seem worth it, even for a rental. Better to replace parquet than go with Versacore.

Do you or anyone else think that parquet is a dated look? The parquet is over 60 years old and can take a couple more refinishing.

I could install factory-finished engineered wood throughout the apartment at roughly the same cost as replacing the damaged parquet. But I keep thinking about the upkeep of either wood option--there are already scratches (though faint) in the parquet that was just refinished last year. Not sure if they are new scratches or were scratches that same floor contractor didn't sand out last year.

OH, AND THE DUST/CLEANUP, after installing either wood option--at a cost of $300-400 more.

Parquet is very much available at your local mill. It's a far better look than the obviously fake vinyl.

@Minardi, The floor contractor says that the mills no longer manufacture individual parquet tiles composed of 4 white and red oak slats of 2.25" pieces, so the installation of new parquet tiles to replace the damaged tiles will not match with the floor in the rest of the apartment.

For the same price to replicate and install just the damaged tile, the contractor can install pre-finished engineered wood. But I wonder if that wood is not as high quality as the original 60-year old parquet that is in the rest of the apartment?

What did you end up going with? im

the outlier and prefer the LVP cant stand parquet lol

What did you end up going with? I am looking at the same brands of LVP. ill be the outlier here but i have parquet in my current place and hate it lol