Pvc peel and stick floor tiles11/20/2023 ![]() Prefinished flooring also tends to be less expensive. You won’t have dust from sanding or fumes from finishing to contend with during installation, and depending on how it’s installed, you might be able to walk on the floors right away. There are plenty of reasons to opt for prefinished planks. (CR doesn’t test unfinished floors because much of what we analyze is related to the finish.) They can even be laid in the pattern of your choice, just like the real thing.īy this, we mean prefinished wood flooring, such as the nine products we test (four of which score average or better) as well as unfinished wood flooring, which gets sanded and finished on site. Luxury vinyl tiles, which tend to imitate stone, and luxury vinyl planks, which mimic wood, will deliver the most realistic look. Once again, for a less expensive (though less durable) type of flooring that’s an alternative to porcelain tile, turn to vinyl, which costs 26 cents per square foot less than tile, based on the materials we test.Īll the vinyl tiles and planks we test boast top-notch resistance to water spills and flooding. To avoid slippery-when-wet floors, choose a more textured product rather than one with a highly polished surface. Porcelain also allows for design-forward, barrier-free showers, where the bathroom floor extends straight into the shower without any curb. Tile holds up well in wet places, says John Cole, an architect in Fryeburg, Maine. If any planks get damaged, you can remove them and install replacements as needed.Įven purists who refuse anything but real wood should seriously consider porcelain tile for their bathrooms and laundry room. Therefore, keep felt bumpers on the feet of kitchen stools to protect vinyl flooring, and buy an extra bundle of planks now to ensure that you have a perfect match down the road. ![]() Today’s vinyl products are also more durable than those of the past, but some may be prone to scratching. “Customers constantly mistake the luxury vinyl planks on my showroom floor for real wood,” says Joan Slaughterbeck, founder of Slaughterbeck Floors in Campbell, Calif., who has installed luxury vinyl planks throughout entire homes in Palo Alto and other upscale Bay Area communities. Vinyl planks and tiles are also among the easiest types of flooring to install yourself. Of the vinyl flooring we test, vinyl planks and tiles come in at around $3.42 per square foot, on average, cheaper per square foot than porcelain tile and second in affordability only to laminates, at $2.82 per square foot. First, vinyl flooring is an affordable way to cover an expansive space. Sheet vinyl floors became popular with homeowners in the 1950s (sometimes with layer upon layer put down as tastes changed) for several good reasons. “It’s probably the best choice for kitchens and mudrooms, but one has to be aware that it may crack when something heavy, like a full can of vegetables, is dropped on it,” he says. Tile is also low-maintenance, requiring nothing more than vacuuming and mopping to stay clean.Ĭiufo has one cautionary note about porcelain tile: It’s vulnerable to heavy objects that fall on it. You can get small-format hex tiles for a traditional early-20th-century house, for example, or 4-foot faux reclaimed-ash planks that, when laid tightly together with a matching grout, will convincingly create the look of wood. Porcelain tile comes in a range of styles to fit any décor. For smart shopping tips, consult our soup-to-nuts flooring buying guide.Ī natural fit for high-traffic areas of the home, porcelain tile outperforms every other flooring material we test for resistance to scratching, and it resists dents from light objects like falling utensils very well, says Larry Ciufo, the CR engineer responsible for rating flooring. Follow our suggestions and you’ll have floors that will continue looking great for the long haul and hold their own against assaults from foot traffic, sunlight, moisture, and even bleach.ĬR members can explore our full flooring ratings for dozens of more options. We analyzed key areas in a typical home and chose the top two flooring materials to meet the challenges in each. Unlike the faux flooring of the past, today’s products also eliminate pattern repetition and incorporate texture for a double dose of realism. ![]() New porcelain tiles easily pass for Calacatta marble in a luxe powder room while others, with the texture and look of wood planks, work beautifully in designer kitchens. ![]() Vinyl flooring now incorporates realistic images of reclaimed barnwood, stylish enough for a den. As an example, today’s engineered wood, which is less costly than solid-wood planks, can be a great option for living rooms and bedrooms. ![]()
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