Is LVP or hardwood better for resale?

In the main living areas of older Bethesda-area homes, buyers expect real wood, and hardwood can be refinished for decades. In basements, kitchens and laundry rooms, LVP is the better choice because it handles water.

Can luxury vinyl plank go in a basement?

Yes, if the slab passes a moisture test and the right underlayment or barrier goes down. Solid hardwood should not go below grade.

Can you refinish luxury vinyl plank?

No. LVP has a printed wear layer that cannot be sanded. Solid hardwood can be refinished several times over its life.

Why does my vinyl plank floor click or separate?

Usually because the subfloor is not flat enough. Floating floors are only as flat as what they sit on, which is why levelling comes before installation.

Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Better Than Hardwood?

Short answer: LVP wins anywhere water is a risk: basements, kitchens, laundry rooms, rentals. Hardwood wins in main living areas, where it can be sanded and refinished for decades and where buyers of older Bethesda-area homes expect real wood. LVP costs less per square foot; hardwood lasts longer and can be renewed. LVP cannot be refinished, and every dip in the subfloor shows through it.

Where luxury vinyl plank is the better choice

Below grade and anywhere water reaches the floor. LVP handles surface water that would cup or stain wood, and it is the right floor for a basement whose slab passes a moisture test.

Its weak point is the subfloor. LVP is only as flat as what it sits on, so a dip beyond the manufacturer’s tolerance shows up as a plank that clicks underfoot or a seam that opens. Levelling first is not optional.

Where hardwood is the better choice

Living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and halls on the main floors. Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished several times, so a 2026 floor can look new again in 2050. Engineered wood gives you a real wood surface with more stability where solid wood would move.

In older homes across Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Rockville, original oak strip floors are often still under the carpet. Refinishing what is there is frequently cheaper than either new option.

Cost, in short

Washington-area material ranges per square foot (Angi, 2026): vinyl and LVP $2 to $14, engineered wood $4.50 to $16, solid hardwood $6 to $25. Prep and installation add to both.

How we decide with you

At a free in-home measure we walk every room, check the subfloor, moisture-test any slab, and look under the carpet. Then we recommend the floor for each room and price it in writing. MHIC #111971 in Maryland, Virginia Class A #2705183185, family-owned since 2005.

Get it looked at, free

We inspect across Maryland — Montgomery, Prince George's, Howard, Anne Arundel, Frederick, Carroll and Baltimore counties. Free inspection, photo report within 24 hours, and the report is yours to keep whether or not you hire us.