Does this flooring look ok for a laundry room/mudroom?

[zannej]

As many of you know, I'm trying to renovate and the flooring in my laundry room & guest bathroom are terrible. It's right at the back door so it's a mudroom too. Much of it is just the plywood substrate right now and the cheap vinyl sheet is full of tears.

I'm looking for something I can put down that won't tear, pit, gouge, etc as much. We don't want actual tile and we prefer something easy to install.

I saw this TrafficMaster vinyl sheet at HD and it has some good reviews. From what I understand, it doesn't need to be completely glued down. It can have some sort of double-sided strips used on edges and some points in the middle.

Does this look like a good option? I'd need about 8ft of it for the laundry room and could go with 6ft for the bathroom (if we chose to get the same type for bathroom).

I alternatively considered vinyl plank for the laundry room and this for the bathroom. Trying to get something that can handle water but also handle all of the traffic, laundry baskets being dragged, etc.

Editing to add: I'm also considering something like this wood pattern for the laundry area and the other stuff for the bathroom.
What do you think?

 

[Floorist]

I have installed Flexitec in the same circumstances. If this is similar, it should work.

 

[zannej]

I have installed Flexitec in the same circumstances. If this is similar, it should work.

I'm not familiar with flexitec. Is it vinyl sheet?

 

[Floorist]

I'm not familiar with flexitec. Is it vinyl sheet?

It is sheet vinyl made for DIY installation. Easy to install. Thick and tough.

 

[zannej]

Hmm. I'll have to look in to it. Thanks!
I'm trying to google it but my internet is incredibly slow.
How much does it tend to cost per sqft?

I'm looking at 6'x6' for the bathroom and 8'x10' for the laundry room and back door.

 

[Ernesto]

I'm looking for something I can put down that won't tear, pit, gouge, etc as much. We don't want actual tile and we prefer something easy to install.

Not a one resilient manufacturer will warranty those.

 

[highup]

Might look for an Armstrong sheet vinyl with the "Tough Guard" surface. It feels more durable than a lot of todays sheet vinyls.

 

[zannej]

Thanks, Highup. I think Armstrong will be easier to find. I know they carry it in a lot of stores.

When I replace the subfloor and substrate, I will use some of the parquet kitchen floor scraps as a guide to the height of the door threshold so if someone wants to install thicker flooring later on, it will be high enough. I am hoping I can salvage some of the parquet that isn't totally ruined and come up with some project for the good pieces. Not quite sure what though, but the hoarder in me plans to save some of it.

 

[highup]

Thanks, Highup. I think Armstrong will be easier to find. I know they carry it in a lot of stores.

When I replace the subfloor and substrate, I will use some of the parquet kitchen floor scraps as a guide to the height of the door threshold so if someone wants to install thicker flooring later on, it will be high enough. I am hoping I can salvage some of the parquet that isn't totally ruined and come up with some project for the good pieces. Not quite sure what though, but the hoarder in me plans to save some of it.

You can do a simple check to compare different brands of sheet vinyl flooring. Check the wear layer and material density and hardness by putting hard pressure on the material using your thumbnail. Push hard into the material to see how easily it dents. Once pressure is removed it will spring back, but pay attention to how deep a dent it makes and try to scratch across the material too. You can't actually scratch it with your fingernail, but doing this in side by side comparisons will give you some idea how one product compares to another.
Avoid ones with a lot of soft foam in the middle.
What I see today are a lot of materials that are a bit on the soft side. They look fantastic. They may actually wear very well, but if something heavy is slid or moved, remember that the softer and thicker the floor, the more that stationary furniture can 'settle in' and dent the material and make sliding an appliance tear the floor.
Not supposed to slide stuff on vinyl flooring anyhow, but you catch my drift. You're supposed to put Masonite, hardboard, plywood, Formica or some other hard surface under appliances when you need to move them.
About that parquet.......... make some end table or coffee tables by gluing the pieces to a sheet of 3/4" plywood.

 

[zannej]

I don't really have fingernails to speak of. LOL. My mother does though. Might have to get her to use her fingernails for me.
The soft foamy type stuff is what I got for my bathroom and my mother's bathroom. We bought it years and years ago though. I'm sure there's better stuff available now.

What is the minimum mil layer and thickness you would recommend?

I saw that HD didn't seem to carry Armstrong vinyl sheet, but I think Lowes might. I saw Congoleum, LifeProof, Tarkett, and TraficMaster brands.

 

[highup]

OK......... use a car key. The stuff made 10 years ago is same as today. Soft is soft. They may wear fairly well from just walking on them. Just need to be more careful about scooting or sliding things on them.
Do some googling on tarkette versus armstrong vinyl durability.
I'm not up on the wear layer mil stuff.

 

[zannej]

Thanks!
I'll google and do comparisons. I wonder if my mother's consumerreports account is still active and if they review flooring.

 

[Nick]

I think they review everything ..

 

[zannej]

The only problem I seem to recall about them was that their reviews were outdated and they didn't always have reviews on newer things. But it's been awhile since I looked.

I'm trying to decide if I want modified loose lay or grip strip. Adhesives and I do not get along well. I always seem to fumble with tape & getting things lined up properly. I don't want to do a full glue-down and I'm trying to figure out which of the former two options is better. I'm not sure I fully understand what each one entails.

I was looking it up and some flooring things say they need 1/4" for expansion but the LifeProof brand says it's flooring does not expand/contract (for the kind that does grip strip/modified loose lay). I've heard people saying they installed a lot of Tarkett with loose lay. I was thinking a wood pattern would be cool, but then realized that in order to get the best bang for $ the faux planks might be going in the "wrong" direction since it's about 8'x10' so I would use the 12' width to cover the 10' and get the sheet cut to 8' (which leaves a little room for error since it isn't quite 8'. I will have to notch it for the wall that will hold the washing machine plumbing.

 

[TUFFY]

I think the tarkett would look killer.

 

[zannej]

I just saw this at Samsclub on display. They had a display up with several planks together. I tried to scratch it with my key but it didn't leave a mark.
Not sure if it would withstand other scratches and such though.
Anyone heard of this brand? https://www.samsclub.com/sams/engin...arrel-oak/prod22070556.ip?xid=plp:product:1:2

Anyone heard of Select Surfaces brand before? Or know if it is any good?

 

[zannej]

I've ruled out the Samsclub stuff. Shipping was $10 and the sales tax added another $24. I also realized it only has a 12mil wear layer.
But, I found something I like better at HD. MSI Herritage Mahogany (aka MSI Prescott Braly at the MSI website). It's currently on sale at HD, is waterproof, has built-in waterproof underlayment, and has a 20mil wear layer. It also would only require 5 boxes instead of the 7 the other one required. Even with tax it comes in cheaper than the stuff from Sam's. The trim pieces are not carried by HD & there are no dealers in my area, but I saw a website (tiledirect) that sells the trim pieces in 94" lengths but it's expensive. I'm not too picky about the transitions though. I can take a scrap piece to the store and look for something that looks close enough or just use metal doorway transition strips. It was recommended that I use something to reduce vibrations from the washing machine & dryer to protect the click-lock system from coming apart.

More of the sites are now listing wear layer thickness so I can compare them better for the bathroom floor. I like the Traffic Master Quarry Stone Slate but it would have to be shipped & it is 13.2ft wide which is more than double what I need. I'd basically have a whole room's worth left over. But it has a 15mil wear layer. I'm going to have to see what is actually in stock in the stores.

 

[highup]

Some vinyls come in 6 foot widths and may leave you with less scrap, but you will have seams. Think of the total cost rather than how much material you will have left over. Often it's still not all that expensive. If the 13.2 is affordable, forget the amount you might have leftover.

 

[zannej]

I don't think I would have seams if the floor space is only 6'x5'-1' so I would get 6'x6' if I could find it). My main issue right now is finding something in stock that wouldn't have to be mailed. I'm ok with getting the vinyl plank mailed or delivered to the store because it can fit in boxes more easily. Although, the people who actually deliver out to my house tend to be very rough on my stuff-- I get torn & crushed boxes. I may just go with something with a thinner wear layer for the bathroom and not be so picky.

I'm also debating whether or not to wait until January to see if the flooring goes down anymore in price but I'm worried the "special buy" sale might end and that it will go up.

 

[zannej]

So, I was playing around trying to see how to lay out the planks in the space. I'm debating on which corner/wall to start the flooring on. Three of the corners would have it starting in a doorway/threshold. The one corner where there is no doorway is a spot that will likely be covered by furniture and not be visible. If I start at the northwest corner next to the closet and kitchen entry, I would end up with the boards on the east side having a couple of inches shaved off. Might not be so obvious given there will be the exterior door threshold, bump in for electrical, & washing machine + dryer on that side. Although, if I cut one of the boards in half lengthwise (to about 3.5" since they are about 7") I would have symmetry, but I don't know if it is worth the effort (and risk of screwing up). I'm leaning toward doing it the lazy way. I'm not sure it will be obvious if the boards next to the interior wall are trimmed just a little if I decide to start near the exterior door (I like the idea of the first board in front of the door being one piece and not having a gap (if that makes sense).

From the north wall to the red square on the right (east wall) is about 46". The boards are about 48" long. Here are two of the pattern ideas (this is not exact, I just got lazy and repeated the pattern to fill out the rectangle- it would be more random when being laid out)

Anyone have any thoughts or advice?