Luxury Vinyl Plank vs. Hardwood Floors: Which Is Right for Your Louisville Home?
When it comes to new flooring, Louisville homeowners often find themselves torn between luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and real hardwood floors. Both options are stylish, durable, and popular — but they’re very different materials with their own strengths and trade-offs.Here’s what you need to know before deciding which floor fits your home, lifestyle, and budget.1. The Look and FeelNothing matches the natural warmth and character of real hardwood. Each plank features unique grain patterns and color variations, lending your home a timeless appeal.Luxury vinyl plank, on the other hand, does an impressive job mimicking the look of wood — and high-end brands can fool the eye at first glance. But underfoot, LVP feels slightly softer and less substantial than true wood.If authentic beauty and craftsmanship matter most, hardwood wins.2. Durability and MaintenanceLVP is designed for durability. It’s resistant to scratches, dents, and moisture — making it ideal for basements, bathrooms, and busy households with pets or kids.Hardwood is durable, too, but it requires a bit more care and maintenance. It can be refinished multiple times over its lifetime, which means it can literally last for generations. However, it’s more sensitive to humidity changes — something Louisville homeowners know all too well.If you want low-maintenance toughness, choose LVP. If you want long-term [...]
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) Flooring is Taking Over Homes – Here is What You Need to Know.
When it comes to updating your flooring, homeowners today are faced with more choices than ever before. Hardwood remains a classic, tile is timeless, and carpet offers comfort, but one type of flooring is quickly rising to the top in popularity: Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP). Once considered a budget-friendly alternative, LVP has evolved into a stylish, durable, and practical flooring solution that’s being installed in homes across the country. Whether you're building new, renovating, or just refreshing your interior, LVP offers a lot of advantages worth considering. We break down the pros and cons of LVP flooring, and explain why it’s become such a top choice for homeowners. The popularity of LVP flooring continues to increase for few key reasons: Lifestyle-friendly: It fits the needs of busy households with kids and pets. Versatile style: Works equally well in modern city condos and cozy suburban homes. Budget-conscious: Delivers beauty without breaking the bank. Low-maintenance living: Homeowners are increasingly looking for flooring that looks great with minimal upkeep. Improved quality: Modern LVP is a far cry from older vinyl—it now offers realistic textures, embossed surfaces, and even wood grain finishes that are hard to distinguish from real materials. The Pros of Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Waterproof & Moisture-Resistant: One of LVP’s [...]
Top 10 Questions About Hardwood Flooring Refinishing
Hardwood flooring is a timeless choice for any home, offering durability and natural beauty that can last for generations. However even the sturdiest hardwood floors can show signs of wear and tear over time. Refinishing your hardwood floors restores their original luster and can extend their life. Here are the top FAQs homeowners ask about hardwood flooring refinishing. What is Hardwood Floor Refinishing? Hardwood floor refinishing involves sanding down the top layer of the floor to remove scratches, stains, and imperfections, then applying a new stain and finish to protect the wood and enhance its appearance. How Do I Know if My Hardwood Floors Need Refinishing? Your hardwood floors need refinishing if they have visible scratches, dullness, and water damage or if the finish is worn through in high-traffic areas or if the wood is splintering, it's time to consider refinishing. Can All Hardwood Floors Be Refinished? Most solid hardwood floors can be refinished multiple times. However, engineered hardwood floors can typically only be refinished once or twice, depending on the thickness of the top layer of wood. How Long Does the Refinishing Process Take? The time required to refinish hardwood floors depends on the size of the area and the condition the floor is in but on average the [...]
What things you should consider when installing engineered hardwood floors
When considering engineered hardwood flooring for your home, it's crucial to ask the right questions to make an informed decision. What is the thickness of the wear layer? The wear layer is the topmost layer of real hardwood veneer that bears the brunt of foot traffic and wear. A thicker wear layer indicates greater durability and longevity. Aim for a wear layer of at least 2 millimeters (mm) for high-traffic areas and at least 3mm for commercial spaces. What is the Janka hardness rating of the wood species? Janka hardness is a measure of a wood's resistance to indentation. A higher Janka rating indicates harder wood that can withstand scratches and dents better. Common hardwood species for engineered flooring include oak (Janka rating 1,720), maple (Janka rating 1,450), and walnut (Janka rating 1,670). What is the finish type and durability rating? The finish protects the wood and determines its sheen and stain resistance. Common finish types include urethane, aluminum oxide, and polyacrylic. Look for a finish with a high durability rating to ensure it can withstand wear and tear. What is the moisture resistance rating? Engineered hardwood is generally more moisture-resistant than solid hardwood due to its multi-ply construction. However, check the moisture resistance rating to determine its suitability for [...]
Oil based vs. water based polyurethane
What is the difference between water based polyurethane and oil based polyurethane? Both oil and water based polyurethanes are like a coat of armor for the hardwood floor below, protecting the wood from damage. Each type of polyurethane is a sacrificial layer that will show scratches and wear marks over time, and both oil and water based polyurethane have their strengths! DURABILITY: If each product is applied properly using quality products, the difference in durability is indiscernible. A lot of clients think that water based poly is not as durable as an oil based poly, but a newer brand, quality water based poly will last just as long if it is well taken care of! COLOR: Oil-based poly has an amber hue, whereas water based poly is clear. An oil based polyurethane will continue to amber and darken over time, while water-based poly will remain clear for the lifetime of the hardwood floor. This color difference is less noticeable over a stained hardwood floor, but an oil based poly will still exhibit an amber hue that will continue to darken over time. DRYING TIMES: Oil-based poly takes much longer to dry and cure, and only one coat of oil based poly can be applied to a hardwood floor in 24 hours. [...]
Top 6 Trim Styles That Make Your Room Pop
Once you have decided on a beautifully hand-finished floor, putting thought into your choice of trim work is the key to giving your room a stylish, polished look. The right trim unites the floor, walls, window and door frames, and fixtures into a coherent whole. And there are countless options for each type of trim, from clean lines for a modern room to more decorative styles perfect for Victorian-style homes and more traditional settings. As you flip through catalogues and website pages of trim, think about the period and style of the architecture, the color and texture of each element of the room, as well as the type of atmosphere and furnishings you want for the space. Here are six common types of trim you may consider: Crown Molding: Traditionally found in a more decorative setting, this popular trim between the wall and ceiling has evolved, with more streamlined designs available for modern rooms, as well as more ornate styles. Crown moldings are great to consider when you have showcase fixtures such as chandeliers, as they draw the eye toward the ceiling. Baseboards: The baseboard is the most common type of trim, and for good reason. They cover the uneven joint between the wall and the floor [...]
Pre-finished versus Unfinished Hardwood Floors
When it’s time to buy hardwood flooring, there are so many decisions to be made. You have to decide which rooms to floor, color, material, plank size and more. Here’s one you may not have heard of: pre-finished or unfinished flooring. If you haven’t had a wood floor installed recently, you may not even know about this option. To make the decision even harder, there are pros and cons to both types of flooring, and it may come down to simple preference. Installation Prefinished wood flooring planks are cut, sanded and finished in the factory, which makes them sturdier, longer lasting and easier to install. They can be installed in as long as it takes to lay the floor, and you can walk on them right away. Unfinished wood floors, sometimes called site-finished, have to be installed, sanded, stained and sealed in your home. Layers of polyurethane can take hours to dry. If you live in your home at the time of installation, this can be an inconvenience. The finish Pre-finished hardwood floors have beveled edges on the planks, leaving tiny grooves in the floor once installed. While some may find that to be a beautiful bonus, others might not like the less-than-smooth finish. This all depends on your preference. [...]
Hardwood Flooring Maintenance Tips
Here are some basic hardwood flooring maintenance tips for anyone that has new, old, or recently refinished hardwood floors. Sweep and vacuum your hardwood floors regularly: Particles like grit, gravel, and salt are abrasive. Your weight on top of those particles turns you into sanding machine that will grind down the finish on your floor. Do not clean the floor with furniture polish, vinegar, ammonia, pine cleaners, or Murphy’s Oil Soap: Those cleaners may dull or even damage the finish and will create problems when your floor needs recoating. We recommend Bona Professional Swedish Hardwood Cleaner for all polyurethane-finished floors and Rubio Natural or Satin soap for all Monocoat-finished floors. The Bona professional line is actually different and better than the Bona cleaner that is available through Ace and WalMart because it contains a degreaser. Recoat your hardwood floors before you wear any spots through to bare wood: Wood floors don’t wear evenly. You will see wear first appear in small spots at exterior doors and in front of the fridge. Those little-worn spots of driftwood cannot be spot-fixed; once you’ve killed the finish in one area, you need to resand the entire space. Keep a vigilant eye on your trouble spots and recoat the floor BEFORE they wear through. [...]
