Luxury Vinyl vs. Hardwood: Which Makes More Sense for Your Home?
Which is better, luxury vinyl or hardwood?
Neither wins everywhere. In most older North Shore houses, hardwood makes more sense in the living areas, and luxury vinyl plank makes more sense where water, a concrete slab, or building rules get in the way. Plenty of homes end up with both, and that's usually a sound plan.
I'm Jim, and we install both, so I have no reason to push one over the other. I'd rather you pick the one that suits the room and the subfloor under it.
How do they compare on wear, water, and feel?
Wear: Hardwood dents and scratches from dogs, heels, and dragged furniture. Over decades that character is part of its appeal, and the wood can be sanded and refinished. We don't do refinishing, but we can point you to someone we trust. Vinyl plank has a protective wear layer that shrugs off most daily abuse. A deep gouge can't be sanded out, but a damaged plank can often be replaced.
Water: This is where vinyl pulls ahead. Wet boots, pet accidents, and a damp basement are far easier on vinyl plank. Hardwood can cup or stain when moisture sits on it. For kitchens, mudrooms, laundry rooms, and basements, I lean vinyl.
Feel: Hardwood is solid and warm underfoot, and the grain is real. Good vinyl plank looks convincing and is a little softer to stand on, but someone who knows wood can usually tell. Bring samples home and look at them in your own light. Our showroom has take-home samples for exactly that.
What works in a Chicago bungalow, an older home, or a condo?
Bungalows and older homes in Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, and Glenview often have oak under old carpet. If your floor is sound, keeping it is usually the smartest move. Sanding it is a different trade, so ask us and we'll give you a name. If it's too far gone, new hardwood installation is a good match for the rest of the house.
Older floors are rarely flat. Vinyl plank is thin, so it shows every ridge and seam beneath it. Subfloor prep, meaning leveling, patching, and re-fastening, decides whether either floor looks good in five years.
Condos have their own rules. Many boards require sound underlayment, limit work hours, and want approval first. Concrete slabs need a moisture check before anything goes down. Vinyl plank is often the easier fit, but engineered hardwood can work if your building allows it. Check your association rules before you order anything.
What order does the work go in, and how long does it take?
Here is the sequence that keeps you from redoing steps:
1. Decide which rooms get which floor, and what's staying, before demo. 2. We measure and check the subfloor and moisture. 3. Old flooring comes out and the subfloor gets repaired and leveled. 4. Hardwood is delivered early and acclimates to your house. 5. We install. 6. Trim and transitions go in, followed by a walkthrough. Do your wall painting and any heavy work first, and floors last, so nothing lands on a new surface.
As a rough guide, vinyl plank in a few rooms often takes a few days. Hardwood takes longer, mostly because of acclimation and the finish and cure time for some products. Subfloor problems can add days, and I'll tell you up front if I see them.
What affects the cost of each?
I won't quote numbers in a blog post, because the floor you're standing on matters more than the one you choose. These are the things that move an estimate: the material and grade, solid versus engineered hardwood, square footage and layout, stairs, removing what's there, subfloor repair or leveling, transitions and trim, and moving furniture.
Prep is usually the biggest unknown, and the one most estimates gloss over. We look at it in person and write it down so you aren't surprised halfway through.
Get a free estimate
One person handles your job from the first visit to the final walkthrough, and we answer your questions along the way. We've been local for more than 100 years, we use materials that have proven themselves in North Shore homes, and our work carries a 1-year craftsmanship warranty. [Get a free estimate](https://dalliafloors.com/contact).
Want to read more first? See our [hardwood installation](https://dalliafloors.com/residential/hardwood) and [LVT / vinyl plank](https://dalliafloors.com/residential/vinyl) pages.
Questions people ask
Can vinyl plank go over my existing hardwood?
Sometimes, but I usually don't like burying a real wood floor. If the boards are cupped or uneven, the vinyl will show it. We look at the floor first and tell you honestly whether to go over it, pull it up, or keep it.
Is luxury vinyl plank really waterproof?
The planks resist water well, which makes them a good choice for basements, kitchens, and baths. But water can still get under the seams and into the subfloor during a flood. If you've had water damage, we handle flood and water-damage floor replacement, and we fix the cause first.
Does hardwood still matter for resale on the North Shore?
Buyers in older North Shore houses often expect hardwood in the main living areas. Vinyl plank in a basement, laundry room, or kitchen rarely hurts. I can't promise a resale result, but matching the floor to the house is a safe approach.
Can you sand and refinish my old hardwood floors?
No, we don't offer refinishing. We can point you to someone we trust. If the floor is too damaged to refinish, we can talk about replacing it.