I have installed thousands of square feet of Luxury Vinyl Flooring (LVF) in several of my homes on Maui. It is a relatively inexpensive flooring option that most DIYers can accomplish and increase your homes value and enjoyment! If you have pets, young children, or if your property is used as a rental, LVF is durable, resistant to scratches, and is waterproof. My family checks many of these boxes, I have two teenage children, 3 cats, and a dog. As a result, my floors live a pretty tough life! So out went the carpet and in went the LVF, maybe some day to be replaced with high end wood flooring??
Our Too Cool Dog Patch with our old Bamboo Floors. These floors did scratch more than LVF.
Some Helpful Install Tips and Tools Required
Metal hammer, rubber mallet, measuring triangle, tape measure, metal yard stick, razor blade. I prefer to score with a razor blade and snap rather than cut with a saw. Sometimes, at the ends of a room you will have to use a saw to cut as snapping length wise a small sliver is hard.
Helpful Tools When Installing Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Koa Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Made by Aloha Flooring Imports
I purchased the Koa Laminate from Bamboo Maui / Maui Flooring and Deck Supply. It has a nice real wood look and has been durable. However, it was rather difficult to install and did not click into place as easily as some other brands. I have also noticed that if too much space on the edges of a room are left this flooring separates leaving a gap. Yes, I am not a professional installer but I have not experienced this problem with the other LVF brands. This flooring was my least favorite install. Also these floors below are the exact same but lighting is different, which brings up a very interesting point. Properly listing a home with professional photos and staging can make a huge difference in appearance!
Koa LVF flooring
Koa Flooring Separation
Costco Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Made by Golden Arowana / Color is Sandalwood
Costco occasionally carries LVF. If you have ever shopped at Costco then you know that they run out of the best products rather fast. You may want to buy an extra box or two incase you make a mistake measuring or cutting. It could be somewhat of a floortastrophe if Costco ran out of your flooring and you didn’t have enough to finish. There were several different brands with a little price per sq ft difference. I liked the look and feel of this flooring. It has proven to be durable in my teenage sons room and looks amazing! It was relatively easy to install with a bit of practice.
Life Proof Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Color is Sterling Oak
Life Proof is by far my first choice for look and ease of installation for flooring. This flooring slides and clicks in place very nicely, and is readily available at Home Depot. I have installed the sterling oak finish in many bedrooms. I feel its lighter color brightens a room up and pairs well with many different colors of wall paint.
Life Proof Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Sterling Oak
Whichever flooring you decide to use, I’m sure your home will look stunning! If you are considering selling or buying a home, get in touch, and let’s discuss your options. Find out what your home is worth HERE.
Aloha,
Matt
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