Luxury Vinyl Plank in New Madrid, MO

Not really — no floor is chosen for earthquake resistance, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. What matters practically is that the ground here is fine alluvial soil that settles unevenly over time, so we check how level your floor actually is before recommending a rigid plank.

Carpet and sheet goods are forgiving of it. Click-lock plank is not, and laying it over an uneven base leads to flexing joints. Usually the answer is a levelling compound or an underlayment in the worst areas, which we measure and quote as its own line so you can see what it costs.

Yes. Removal, tack strip, old adhesive and haul-away are part of what we do, and we would rather take a floor out than lay over it. Laying new material on top of an unknown base is the most common reason a floor fails early.

The plank itself is, which is why it handles spills, wet boots and pet accidents without staining or swelling. Water can still get past the edges and sit on the subfloor, so a real leak still needs dealing with — but day-to-day water is genuinely not a problem.

Often, yes, provided what is underneath is sound, flat and dry. We check that at the estimate. Where there are already two or three layers down, we would usually take them up instead, because layering raises the floor height enough to make doors bind.

The core. Laminate has a wood-based core, so standing water will eventually swell it; vinyl does not. Laminate often has a crisper, more realistic surface texture and can be better value. For wet rooms we recommend vinyl; for dry rooms laminate is well worth comparing.