Ultimate Flooring Buyer’s Guide

When it comes to durability, tile flooring is generally the top performer. Because it’s permanently bonded to the subfloor, it resists water intrusion, avoids expansion and contraction issues, and can last decades with proper care.

That said, it’s important to understand that any hard surface floor will scratch. The differences come down to:

• How visible the scratches will be (light floors or textured finishes tend to hide them better).
• How much pressure it takes to cause damage (for example, laminate’s aluminum oxide coatings resist scratches better than vinyl or hardwood).

As for lifespan, it depends largely on how much traffic and abuse your floor sees.  As a general rule of thumb, higher- end floors tend to have better durability features like thicker wear layers and more robust coatings. Think twice before grabbing the cheapest floor you can find—it often won’t hold up as well over time, costing you more in the long run. 

To keep your floor looking its best, it’s essential to follow floor care best practices.

Hardwood flooring is the clear winner when it comes to boosting resale value. According to a survey of real estate professionals (NWFA, 2006):

• 99% said homes with hardwood are easier to sell
• 82% said they sell faster
• 90% said they sell for more money—sometimes up to 10% more

Hardwood is timeless, sustainable, and the only flooring that can be sanded and refinished multiple times, making it a true long-term investment.

ANY type of flooring can perform well in Hawaii’s humid climate if it’s installed correctly. Rarely does flooring fail because of ambient humidity. Problems usually arise from poor installation practices.

Key best practices include:

• Providing expansion gaps for floating floors (laminate and vinyl) to allow natural movement
• Proper moisture mitigation on concrete subfloors before installing hardwood, vinyl, or laminate
• Prepping the floor and using quality pro-grade self-leveler, adhesives, and tile-setting materials

Carpet, laminate, and luxury vinyl are generally the most budget-friendly flooring options. Carpet and click-lock products are especially affordable when you factor in installation costs, since they go in faster and with less labor than hardwood or tile.

• Carpet: $3–$6 per square foot (materials only)
• Laminate: $3–$6 per square foot
• Vinyl: $3–$7 per square foot

That said, it’s important to think beyond the initial purchase price. The total lifecycle cost of your floor depends on how long it lasts before it needs to be replaced or repaired. Cheaper floors may wear out faster, scratch more easily, or show damage sooner, meaning you could end up replacing them more often.

Pro tip: Hardwood may not be the cheapest upfront, but it’s a true lifetime floor because it can be refinished in place instead of replaced. And in general, higher-quality floors with thicker wear layers and stronger finishes often save money over time by lasting longer and performing better—making them the more cost-effective choice in the long run.

Installation methods vary by flooring type, and each has its pros and considerations:

• Carpet: Requires minimal subfloor prep but does need specialized techniques and tools (stretching, seaming, tack strips). For that reason, carpet installation is almost always best left to professionals.
• Hard Surface (Floating/Click-Lock): Floors like laminate and many vinyl planks “snap” together and are installed floating over the subfloor. Since they’re not glued or nailed down, they’re allowed to freely expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. This is the fastest, cleanest, and most budget-friendly installation method. However, the subfloor must be properly prepped, and an expansion gap is required around the perimeter. That gap is usually covered with moldings at transitions to adjacent floors or vertical surfaces like walls, cabinets, and doors.
• Hard Surface (Glue-Down or Nail-Down): Hardwood, some vinyl, and rubberized floor coverings are secured directly to the subfloor with adhesives, nails, or both. This method requires more skill and labor, but it provides the most solid sound and feel underfoot. If moldings aren’t your thing, a skilled installer can often create seamless transitions to adjacent floor coverings for a cleaner look.

Floor thickness can influence your decision, but thicker isn’t always better.

In many cases—especially in new construction—thickness doesn’t matter much because the entire floor system can be designed around the material you choose. However, in remodels and replacements, thickness becomes much more important.

For example, if you’re replacing an existing sheet vinyl or luxury vinyl floor, sticking with a similar product category and thickness often makes sense. This helps avoid issues with door clearances, transitions, and built-in appliances like dishwashers or under-counter refrigerators.

Subfloor conditions also play a role. Very thin floors—such as 2.5mm glue-down vinyl—can telegraph imperfections in the subfloor. Slightly thicker floating floors like quality LVP or laminate often include stronger locking systems, which can help bridge minor unevenness and improve overall performance.

Thickness can also help when transitioning to other flooring materials. Tile installations typically sit about 1/2" to 3/4" above the subfloor, so choosing a thicker laminate or engineered wood floor can reduce height differences and create smoother transitions between rooms.

While many manufacturers have introduced thicker products in response to consumer demand, thickness alone isn’t the best indicator of quality. It’s more important to focus on the overall construction—core material, locking system, and wear layer.

As a general guideline, it’s best to avoid extremely thin products, such as:

• Laminate under ~8mm
• Hardwood under ~1/2"
• Vinyl under ~4.5mm

These thinner floors are more likely to show subfloor imperfections and may not perform as well over time.