I like the Luxe planks. I installed Kinston Walnut (Best) in a closet. These planks are 1/8" thick and have a 20 mil wear layer. They look fantastic.

The planks were my first attempt at flooring and were very easy to work with. The glue is pressure sensitive, so you can reposition the planks to get a very tight fit, unlike Konnecto and other similar products. I used a large pair of snips to cut the planks and that method worked well. I also undercut the door frames for a professional look and finished the room off with stained-to-match shoe molding.

Make sure you allow the planks to acclimatize to the room before you install them. There was a slight vinyl odor while my planks were acclimatizing, but none when I installed and none since. And the flatter the floor, the better it will look, so take the time to prep the floors properly. I installed over a concrete slab, so after removing the carpet, I cleaned the slab well, then filled holes from the tack strips and other imperfections. I used a Henry's pre-mixed product that I got at Home Depot.

There are several helpful DIY clips on YouTube: a flashy one for installing Luxe planks, one for installing Konnecto that I found helpful, and also a few for undercutting door frames. The instructions that come with the planks are also good.

One drawback to the Luxe is that it is somewhat expensive for a DIY plank, if you go with one of the Best patterns. The Best patterns are also slippery for dogs. All in all, I'm very happy with mine!

which of the planks wouldn't be slippery for dogs?

I just had Armstrong Luxe vinyl plank flooring installed throughout my house. I love it. Most people who visit think it is real wood. Since I had the flooring installed, I can't say much about the installation. But here's what I do know. The surface that I installed on was concrete. It was a mess--very uneven and cracked. My installer commented that it is good I got a floating floor, which does a better job of hiding imperfections. Also, I am told that it is critical during installation to roll over the floor with a 100# roller.

My floor is a bit more "delicate" than I had hoped for, but then, I started out looking for a heavy industrial grade product. I just couldn't find anything that I liked in that grade of flooring, so I got the best line in the Armstrong vinyl plank. The floor is beautiful and I love it. My dogs do slip on it, however.

Despite a bad experience where Armstrong did not take care of a problem with Armstrong Solarian, I am considering Armstrong vinyl plank flooring, and I need some current information on the Luxe line, installation, durability, etc. I'll appreciate any information. Thank you.
August 23, 2013

Idouthit, I have been shopping flooring for some rentals and I really like what is in my son's rental apartment in Massachsuetts. It's Armstrong vinyl plank flooring. It looks great, and is on concrete. It's glued down.

I'm considering it for our sunporch on Cape Cod where we have very little clearance.

I would like to advise anyone considering this type of flooring to think twice. My daughter replaced all my flooring as a Christmas gift and the armstrong vinyl plank flooring has been a huge disappointment. It's very expensive and does not wear well. At a little over $5.00 a square foot you would think it would wear well. It is beautiful when first installed but two weeks after showed numerous scratches and when pulling a dining chair out (which had felt on bottom of chair legs) the finish came completely off. Now I have babied this floor and bought a special dyson stick vacuum designed for hard floors and the wheels even scratched this floor. I use armstrong cleaner and satin keeper to keep this floor looking nice but it doesn't cover the scratches. I don't wear shoes in the kitchen and dining room were this flooring is installed, I go barefoot or wear socks. If you wear heels ,forget it.
I'm thankful the rest of the house is carpeted. There are no children here, all grown so it's not like there is a lot of traffic. I do have pets but clip their nails every 3 weeks and now keep the floor covered with a quilt. I have never worked so hard trying to keep this floor up.
I was told that this floor was extremely durable and easy to keep, not so. Should have gone with sheet vinyl which was what was replaced after 15 years and held up much better. Anyway that's my experience.

Oh dear. I was about to purchase Armstrong's luxe luxury vinyl plank "Best" Timber Bay Hickory Barnyard Gray because it got the best rating in Consumer Reports. Looking for more recent experiences with this flooring. Seems that there are complaints for any LV planks I research. HELP!!!

7 year old post.

Cancork, I understand this is an old post but was hoping someone had a recent experience with Armstrong Luxe Plank. Down to final decision between Armstrong Luxe Plank and Floorte Modin.

I love this floor, and we have worked it! We had Armstrong Luxe Plank installed in the upper floor of our split-level lake house six years ago (downstairs is tile), in the barnwood that is a light taupe tone. We had to have our oak floors in our old house refinished because of our dogs, so our priorities were, in order:

a good-looking, tough, waterproof floor. We have two one hundred pound dogs with dribbling beards and furry (sometimes mud-laden) feet, a little mutt, and three cats with claws. Now, after six years our floor looks virtually unchanged! The only big scratch was when I stupidly dragged the refrigerator out against the grain.

I just took this picture with the floor unwashed or vacuumed in morning light. This is the doorway that my dogs have primarily used for six years. Not even one discernible mark.

We are moving to be near our kids to a house with cherry floors, and I know what they'll look like in a couple of years, not to mention the water drop trails every day. When they have to be replaced, this is the way I'll go.

As addendum, I forwarded this thread to my friend who manages a wholesale flooring company, and she made a clarifying point that is important here:

"Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad you're happy with yours. Some posts refer to Armstrong plank vs Luxe. There are many cheaper Armstrong planks sold in the box stores. There are 5 grades of Luxe Plank. You have the Best grade, Prestige. Makes me wonder if they actually had Luxe & if so, which grade."

triggstudio24 , could you please post a link to the exact flooring in your picture? With the mixed reviews I want to make sure I get once that is reliably durable. I also love the look of the flooring in your photo. Thanks!

@ triggstudio24 - thank you for pointing out (via the quote from your flooring friend) that there are MANY levels of "Armstrong Vinyl"...and that you Luxe Plank is the top of the top. Too many people forget that what you see in a big box store isn't the same quality as what you see at "fine flooring stores" locally run by the owners.

There can be huge differences in quality when it comes to big name "off branding" to the big box stores. It is very confusing for people shopping for flooring.

I think this will get you there, on Armstrong website, Luxe Luxury Vinyl Planks, Prestige: http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/luxury-vinyl/luxe-plank.asp

and this: http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/luxury-vinyl/timber-bay-barnyard-gray-resilient-vinyl-tile-A6861/floor-117510.asp

I purchased mine through my installer who had an account at ProSource wholesale flooring.

Thank you, very helpful! Wanted to make sure what "level" product yours was (Good/Better/Best) so your link points me to "Best". Appreciate the help!

Best!

I am looking at purchasing the Armstrong luxe vinyl plank, but the style-acacia and color-cinnabar only come in better grade. The consumer reports review was on the timber bay barnyard gray which is the best grade. Looking for some more current reviews of the lower grade product.

@triggstudio24, do you have area rugs down anywhere on your Armstrong floors? I noticed the specifications specifically warn against using any rugs with latex or rubber backing.

I had the “Best“ grade and was never told anything about not using any kind of rugs. I did use large vinyl backed mud mats for all seven years and there was no problem. Can’t imagine why that would be said; the stuff is tough and certainly not reactive.

You might contact Armstrong to make sure you are getting the Best grade, only available through flooring stores that are Armstrong dealers like ProSource, not the level offered at big box stores.