We are having to replace very old floor due to flooding and we are stuck with what the insurance will pay for. They are supposed to replace with something comparable. What we have was there when we bought the house but I can say that it probably was very close to the cheapest available 16 years ago, BUT somehow it still seems to be far more durable than what we are reading about all of the vinyl sheeting out there today. I don't know if this is accurate, but I can take a piece of this stuff and ROLL IT INTO A TUBE without it breaking! had to cut it off with a knife to get the sample. However, even the contractor says all vinyl sheeting today is crappy and the reviews all include consumers who say theirs ripped from every day use, very very quickly (less than a year). I also have a relative who had this happen to her. I do not know where to go from here.

I need my kitchen put back together but it's going to be super hard to convince the insurance company to pay for a different kind of floor unless I can explain/prove that what's out there today just isn't the same.

Meanwhile, if it were available, I'd prefer vinyl sheeting because it's softer and easier on the joints plus no cracks in the floor means I don't have to worry about food getting in the cracks when this old house settles. (it's from the 50s and the floor is not level anymore, and especially now that they are rebuilding a joist and one corner of the kitchen is jacked up!)

My wife and I just closed on our first house. We are doing some work in the kitchen and wanted to replace the existing curved ceramic tile flooring. We are trying to decide if we should go with luxury vinyl plank/tile, ceramic tile, or wood.

We don't have kids yet, but we want kids (and maybe a dog) in the near future. We would like something that is waterproof and highly resistant to scratches, dents, humidity, etc.

Based on my preliminary research, it seems like luxury vinyl plank/tile is the way to go. However, our contractor recommended going with ceramic tile or wood. I'm not sure why. Ceramic tile looks nice, but apparently it's more prone to breaking if something hard falls on it. I think our contractor is going to be putting the new flooring over the existing flooring, so it would need to be leveled first.

We are already putting luxury vinyl plank in our bedroom. It is 7.5 mm (22 mil wear layer) with a cork back. The luxury vinyl plank that we liked for the kitchen is only 5 mm (12 mil wear layer) with a foam back. I don't know if that lower thickness and different material back will cause any issues in the kitchen.

What are your thoughts?

The internet is telling me they’re all fine, but I’m curious about real experiences. I’m replacing an old vinyl plank floor with insurance money after a slab leak (cement slab, old copper pipes), and was originally planning to just replace it with new vinyl plank. I’m second guessing my decision now that it’s time to make a purchase, and wondering if I should have looked at tile or wood instead. I don’t like the hardness of tile and how the grout always looks dirty, but is it actually the best thing in a kitchen? I love the feel of wood (would get engineered) but worry about something like a dishwasher leak ruining it.

Before this house, I’ve always had tile in the kitchen and complained about the hardness and anything I dropped shattering on it. My husband and I both had foot problems off and on from our tile that have since gone away after living in our current house for a year, that has vinyl in every room. But now I’m wondering if maybe tile is still the right choice for wet areas despite these faults, and we just need to always wear good shoes in the kitchen and buy quality anti-fatigue mats for all standing zones. Even though the vinyl is waterproof, you still have to pull it up if water gets underneath it through any gaps or if water comes from underneath…which is why we’re here having to buy a new floor haha. I’m really torn. Thanks for any opinions!

We are remodeling our whole home, and I am interested in vinyl sheet flooring for a few reasons for the bathrooms and kitchen.

1. Inexpensive

2. Better water protection than some other options like click-together boards

3. The old vinyl flooring from the 70s looks amazing, just slightly discolored (longevity seems good)

4. Easy to install

But I am worried about resale value. I also have found some really cool-looking pieces that have some character/personality, but maybe that's bad for resale too.

One of the options I like

another I like

Another maybe

Or maybe something more bland and regular

another basic option