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Residential quality LVP floors are not good for wheelchair bound ppl.

Disaster Geneva
10 months ago

I bought a recently remodeled house a little bit over 3 years ago. The house was built in 2008 and the brand new floating click lock LVP floors that were just installed over the concrete subfloor looked amazing.
LVP manufacturer’s websites do not disclose up-front on their websites that wheelchair users must buy a house with Commercial Quality LVP’s if they want it to last.
But, who puts commercial LVP floors on a house when building or remodeling one?

Also, most LVP (residential) warranty documents I have been reading up to now specify that any damage due to caster wheels, office chairs, or improper rolling load’s damage won’t be covered by their warranty. Not everyone receives those documents when buying a house, though.
Being wheelchair bound, I’m a heavy rolling load going around all day on my residential floating LVP’s.

The manufacturer doesn’t cover the damage and the installer blamed me for buying a house with floors that are not ADA compliant. Although, my research results before purchasing my house did not show any issue regarding using a Wheelchair on a house with LVP floors. At the contrary, a quick google search will show you that “while traditional vinyl is considered too soft for easy wheelchair movement, today’s luxury vinyl tiles or planks must be perfect for your spaces.”
In addition, Ada.Gov doesn’t say anything regarding the type of floors handicapped people must get; only that the floors “must be level, firm, and slip resistant.”

Beware before buying new floors, or a new house if you are wheelchair bound, or using a rolling walker.
Always read the LVP Warranty documents first!
If not, you could find yourself in the middle of a battle between the installation and manufacturing companies, and being forced to pay out of pocket for the broken LVP floor’s replacement.
In addition to the stress of boxing everything and moving out of your house temporarily, in the meantime the work is being done.

Note: The broken areas in my house do not receive sunlight, and I don’t have humidity issues. The concrete seems fine on the garage, back patio, and driveway.
The broken areas are the places where I roll the most, kitchen, bathroom, dining and bedroom.
I think the residential LVP’s Warranty documents not covering caster wheels’s damage says it all.

If you know of someone living on a house with LVP floors and using a wheelchair, that have been doing great for more than 10 years, please let me know. I’m not sure what to buy next to fix this nightmare. Some people say glued down LVP could work better, but who knows without a proof?

I’m sharing my experience with the hopes that my tale would save a fellow wheelchair user from a bad experience like mine. Good luck to all!
And thank you in advance for any real life good experience of a wheelchair rolling on LVP floors.

Comments (13)

  • elcieg
    10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Sorry, I can't help you, but did find another houzz post from a few years ago, addressing your issue:

    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5680867/lvp-flooring-for-a-wheelchair

    Your photos show exactly what I tell clients...make sure you know what your buying and read manufacturer's warranty, and, remember this is not wood...as shown in your photos, the wood grain look is "made possible because the look and style of LVT is derived from a real photographic image layer between the backing and the clear wear layer."

  • Disaster Geneva
    Original Author
    10 months ago

    Thank you! I appreciate your input and sharing the link.
    I think sharing this information is key for everyone to start paying more attention when buying new floors, or a new house. My online search didn’t show anything alarming 3 years ago, so, I ended up buying a house with the wrong floors for my situation. Thank you again!

  • elcieg
    10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    There are the good, better, best rankings for LVP floors. What brand is in your house?

    One would think that the company would bend over backwards to help you. How much would it cost the company to come in and repair or replace the floor? Not as much as feeling the impact on sales should a complaint go viral? How many folks will read this post? Ones who may be torn between the cost of hardwood vs the cost of LVP.

    I had a terrible time with a cabinet company when my (too) expensive cabinets did not hold up with two years use by only two adult people. The local rep blamed us. We lived in a humid area. He chastised me for opening the dishwasher when it was running. Hello?

    I was on houzz and read a dilemma posted by a woman whose entire kitchen cabinetry failed...splitting wood, pealing factory applied paint. I joined in. Next thing we knew more folks piped in with the same issues with the same manufacturer. What I didn't realize is when a company or brand is named in a rating, a red light goes on and the manufacturer is alerted.

    Lo and behold, the chain of command called me from the mid-west, would fly into Boston and inspect the cabinets himself. Every cabinet door, every drawer front was replaced. Wow! It took me almost two years to get that attention. Then I discovered he did not fly East just for me. He had two more stops.

    Bottom line: all three of us had ordered cabinets at the same time. We all had the same "inspected by" on the paper work. That lot of cabinets all had the same issues and the same inspector.

    Companies (not all) will do what ever they can to call you out...your fault, humidity, wheelchair, whatever.

    You may find that the problem with the floors isn't just happening to you.

    Maybe the floors were a bad batch, as were our cabinets. Whatever...they sell a product boasting the durability, easy care, etc. So, what happens to a family when there is an accident and victim winds up in a chair? Family gets a double whammy? Whoops, too bad about the accident, but we don't cover the unexpected use of a wheelchair in our warranty.

    Sorry for the rant, but warranties protect the manufacturer, not the consumer. (Unless you want to pay, big time, for a better warranty.). Even then there will be a fight.

    Best of luck to you. " The onus is on you (manufacturer)".

  • Disaster Geneva
    Original Author
    10 months ago

    I enjoyed your rant! I feel the same way.
    This has been a very frustrating experience, the impotence is a heavy load to roll sometimes.
    The Flooring Companies usually requires the Installation/Selling companies to file the Warranty Claims, they don’t listen directly to the costumers. So, we are stuck between companies blaming each other.
    As you said, Warranties exist to protect them, not their customer.
    The manufacturer told me through the company who sold the floors that I must choose a certified inspector from a Website they provide me with. If the inspector finds any issue with the installation, which is a proof that their product doesn’t have a flaw, I must pay his fee; which goes between $305 and $450.
    It didn’t sound good to me!
    I think they must pay the inspection and if they found out that a bad installation caused the damage, I can post the report here and leave a nice review on Better Business Bureau.
    The installer could have made a shortcut for sure, but I cannot afford the inspection right now in addition to the new floors plus the temporary move out/in. Also, in the state I reside I can not start a small claim after three years. Anyway, I didn’t pay him, I bought the house and the previous owner is a friend of the installer guy. So, no help on that side.
    The floors I have are the Blockbuster Plus (Hollywood color) from Happy Feet International, from the box stickers they are Made in China like most, but they have a 15 years of Residential Warranty.
    I bought the house with brand new floors, kitchen and bathrooms, and my online search results gave me the confidence that the LVP floors will not only be resistant, but kind of ideal for me living on a wheelchair.
    That good is their marketing!
    LVP floors are in fashion and a lot of people think they are great, on top of being cheaper than Ceramic Tiles and Hardwood, but they are not resistant, durable, or resilient as they say. Not in my experience at least!
    Now, everyone I talk to tells me that glued down LVP is the way to go, but I don’t know anyone living on a wheelchair on those floors. And their Warranty Exceptions are the same for casters and rolling loads.
    The warranty of my HF380+ says in the section of “What is Not Covered? Indentations or damage caused by improper ‘rolling loads’... Damage caused by vacuum cleaner beater bar, caster wheels, etc.” The exceptions are the same for one of their glued down products.
    So, any handicapped person using a wheelchair will be an “improper rolling load”, isn’t that sounding discriminatory?
    Not if they make a full disclosure on their website saying that their floating products are not suitable for Wheelchair users I think. It will be just a product limitation, and they will start selling more the other stronger products they have. And that goes for every Flooring manufacturing companies. Being honest and transparent, instead of hiding their limitations/weaknesses on their Warranty Docs. will benefit their company in the long term.
    I don’t want any more problems, I just wanted their help to fix my quite new floors. But they don’t listen to me.
    I don’t have any other option than paying for new floors, but if I can save others from this nightmare, at least I will be doing something good from the bad that happened to me.
    Sorry for my rant! And thank you for your kindness and empathy.

  • Disaster Geneva
    Original Author
    10 months ago

    The LVP is over the concrete subfloor, not tile.
    I wish I could have tile, it’s much cleaner and better for rolling a wheelchair.
    Removing these broken half-loose boards, if I had tile under, is something I would do with my one arm from my wheelchair in the blink of my eye, and will solve my issue.
    Sadly, I have concrete under.
    There’s no LVP website, or any place online website that says that wheelchair users must buy a house with glue down LVP only. If I have had that info 3 years ago I would’ve not bought this house.
    Sadly, there’s no information out there yet, that is why I am trying to share my experience online.
    I agree with you that LVP adapted to wheelchair users, or comercial, is way more expensive than Ceramic Tiles, or even Hardwood. And more if you take the longer durability by sq.ft. of those traditional floors.
    My post intention is to warn others, mostly handicapped like me, that could end up living in a nightmare like mine if they trust the misleading LVP marketing information online, as I did.
    Thank you for your input.

  • PRO
    DeWayne
    10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    The need for gluedown is common knowledge with designers who have a CAPS air CLIPP designation.

  • elcieg
    10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    I have a thought. My daughter bought a cottage in a great location, but it was a absolute mess. She was, at the time living in Japan/Navy Nurse Corp, and would rent it until she came home. Our builder renovated the house and because it was so close to the beach (sand, wet feet) we decided on vinyl, glue down flooring. It came in strips just like hardwood. He ran it all through the house. It looks so great guests actually bend down to feel it because they think it is real wood. It was supposed to be temporary and when she stopped renting, she would install hardwood. 15 year later, looks just the same, so no hardwood. EarthWerks

    https://www.earthwerks.com/Reference/Installation

    If you look into it and consider it, I know she would be happy to take photos of the floor for you.

    When we moved into our downsize, we decided to do porcelain floors because the house came with a beautiful in ground pool. Love the floors, but are an expensive install. We never intended to have a pool with all the maintenance, but sure glad we have it now...on Cape Cod and no going into the ocean for us...too many seal, bring too many great whites.


  • Disaster Geneva
    Original Author
    10 months ago

    Thank you for the info elcieg. I’ll look into it.
    Sadly, common people as myself can’t hire a designer as DeWayne mentions when we buy a house.
    I think it would be a fantastic service if someone posts online that kind of info, regarding Wheelchairs and the best floors for them. I keep searching and until now, there’s no info regarding LVP’s; just ceramics.
    But as you said, it’s more expensive.
    I’m stressed trying to find an installer that is an expert, and of course searching for the best product for my situation, that way I won’t suffer this again.
    I love Houzz because it helps me find ideas, I do a lot of furniture makeover, even now after becoming handicapped.
    Thank you for your help and support!
    God bless you, and say thank you to your daughter for her service, please.

  • Disaster Geneva
    Original Author
    10 months ago

    I’m trying to change the way I write my sentence while googling, to get different results, and finally I got a window of links with a good result.
    https://www.flooringinc.com/blog/best-flooring-for-wheelchairs-ada-compliant-floor-options/
    But the problem still exists when we handicapped people are buying a new house, because who install commercial grade LVP on their residence if they are not handicapped?
    We don’t have any other option than to buy to remodel, because most houses on my budget at least, won’t have ceramic tile or hardwood floors throughout the house.
    So, the lesson here is, we handicapped must be aware that most houses for sale aren’t suitable for us if they don’t have the right floors, tile, or hardwood. Because our chances of finding a house with commercial LVP’s are very low.
    Thank you DeWayne for your comment, it triggered me to do a more specific search.
    chrome://external-file/CAPS-Mktg-Presentation.pdf
    Although this link doesn’t mention anything about specific floors, at the bottom of it there’s another link that I hope will have more information.
    I love learning new things, sadly, the lack of good information when buying my house turned out into an expensive nightmare.
    I will try to share my experience with the realtors and builders I can reach in my area.
    In the meantime manufacturers keep designing products that are not suitable for handicapped people, we will continue facing this problems.

  • HU-574454193
    9 months ago
    last modified: 9 months ago

    The AARP has a free booklet that can be helpful in planning accessible living. There are numerous other free resources out there for anyone with library access. https://www.pacenorth.org/media/uploads/aarphomefit-singles-20200812.pdf

    https://hmota.net/ada-what-is-the-best-flooring-for-wheelchairs-walkers/

  • elcieg
    9 months ago

    Talk about "duh"...me....I did interiors of two Urgent Cares. My choices were limited to certain commercial brands. This was one I used.

    https://www.karndean.com/en/commercial-flooring/explore-by-sector/healthcare-flooring/

  • CA Kate z9
    9 months ago

    Sorry I'm late to the game, but I just read this thread. Have you tried contacting the Federal and your State Agencies with your problem? They not only may have more pull with the flooring company, but may provide some financial assistance in replacing what you have for the correct flooring.

    I've found that there is a wealth of info at both levels, and many States have resources to help those disabled... both personal and financial.

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