Hardwood vs vinyl: the waterproof claim
LVP marketing leads with waterproofing. Toronto condominiums still ask for genuine hardwood, an acoustic IIC/STC package, and an alteration approval. Floors Toronto does not sell LVP.
What the board still asks
A waterproof label does not answer a corporation that specifies genuine hardwood. The questions on the alteration form are the species, the acoustic package, and whether the work is approved.
Some corporations accept a floating LVP package. Others specify a hardwood assembly with a documented IIC/STC path. Confirm the written rule before ordering either category. Floors Toronto engineered oak is glue-down or float per those bylaws. It is not sold as a waterproof floor.
Climate still applies to the oak once it is in. Unmanaged indoor RH often swings from 20–30% in winter to 60–70% in summer. The occupied target is near 35–55%.
Where vinyl still gets asked about
Wet rooms
True wet rooms may still use tile. A living area marketed as a hardwood amenity stays real oak, not an LVP stand-in.
A tight budget
Narrow the oak first, for example to 7½ inch Grade AB, before substituting vinyl. Lifecycle and resale usually favour engineered oak.
Pets
A deep scratch in an LVP print is permanent. This oak can often be screened or refinished within the wear layer, typically one to three cycles.
After the brochure
Value-engineering meetings introduce luxury vinyl after a suite was already promised as hardwood. Yorkville and King West specifications should protect that claim. Oak that can typically be refinished one to three times often outperforms vinyl replacements over a decade. If the job is still oak, the formats are straight plank at 7½, 9¼, and 10¼ inches, herringbone 5×25, and chevron 5×25½, all at 3/4 inch.
| Compare | Oak | Vinyl plank |
|---|---|---|
| Water claim | Not sold as a waterproof floor. A true wet room stays tile | Marketed as waterproof |
| Board path | A hardwood assembly with a documented IIC/STC path, plus an alteration approval | Some corporations accept a floating LVP package. Others do not |
| Underfoot | Hardwood mass and sound | Resilient flex |
| A deep scratch | Screened within the wear layer, typically one to three cycles | A deep scratch in the print is permanent |
| Lifecycle | Refinished one to three times, often outlasting a decade of replacements | Replaced rather than sanded |
3/4 inch European white oak, stain match when you order, supply from $4/sq ft.
Questions on this comparison
Does Floors Toronto sell LVP or vinyl plank?
No. Floors Toronto focuses exclusively on European white oak engineered hardwood flooring for Toronto and GTA projects, not LVP or vinyl plank.
Does a waterproof claim replace a hardwood specification?
No. LVP marketing often leads with waterproofing. Toronto condominiums still care about corporation rules that specify genuine hardwood, acoustic IIC/STC packages, and alteration approvals.
Do acoustic boards treat floating LVP and a hardwood assembly the same?
Some corporations accept floating LVP packages. Others specify hardwood assemblies with documented IIC/STC paths. Confirm the written rules before ordering either.
Can a scratched vinyl print be refinished?
No. Vinyl wear layers are not sanded back to wood. A deep scratch in an LVP print is permanent. This oak can often be screened or refinished within wear-layer limits, typically one to three cycles.
When does a wet room stay off both oak and vinyl plank?
True wet rooms may still use tile. Living areas marketed as hardwood amenities should stay real oak, not an LVP stand-in.
What happens when value engineering introduces LVP after a brochure promised hardwood?
The claim changes: touch, sound, refinishing, and the resale story. Oak that can typically be refinished one to three times often outperforms vinyl replacements over a decade. LVP colours stay on factory print SKUs. Narrow the oak, for example to 7½ inch Grade AB, before substituting vinyl.
Related reading
(07) — Start your project
Tell us about your space.
What do you need?
Supply and install. Our oak, then our crew: measure, moisture, method, and a written 5-year workmanship warranty.
- Reply within 1 business day
- Stain match included when you order
- Itemised, no-obligation quote
- Insured crews, 5-year workmanship warranty
The quote request is in.
We reply within one business day. If the job includes install, the reply separates supply from the method and the subfloor. If you want samples, we send them on the real oak. If a site measure is needed, we book it from that reply.
If you chose a colour photo, email the file to tymur@floorstoronto.ca with your name so the match can start. The form stores the file name, not the picture.