# Lowes Surface Source Vinyl Plank = excellent!



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Please report back in 5 years (or even one) with an update.


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

n/m

Obviously not welcome here


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

tinan said:


> n/m
> 
> Obviously not welcome here


I apologize, you're absolutely welcome here. :thumbsup:

I just have doubts about the longevity of .80 sq.ft. flooring.

Your install looks great... I'll shut up now.


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

Obviously longevity is not the first priority for everyone. As I said in the threads where I asked questions about vinyl plank only to have people try to "sell" me on engineered wood, which was out of the question due to cost. We just need something to make the place liveable for the next few years. You may have noticed what we were starting from, and that this is not a luxury custom home. We may not even live here in 5 years. This flooring is entirely appropriate for our gOals. 

Also we had Shaw engineered wood in a previous condo it scratched and dented very easily, and a stray ice cube that escaped and melted in a corner caused damage it could not tolerate any moisture at all. So that's what you get for $8 per sq ft.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

tinan said:


> Obviously not welcome here


don't think that way. he was just being blunt, but not rude.



tinan said:


> Obviously longevity is not the first priority for everyone. As I said in the threads where I asked questions about vinyl plank only to have people try to "sell" me on engineered wood, which was out of the question due to cost. We just need something to make the place liveable for the next few years. You may have noticed what we were starting from, and that this is not a luxury custom home. We may not even live here in 5 years. This flooring is entirely appropriate for our gOals.
> 
> Also we had Shaw engineered wood in a previous condo it scratched and dented very easily, and a stray ice cube that escaped and melted in a corner caused damage it could not tolerate any moisture at all. So that's what you get for $8 per sq ft.


 i know where you are coming form. i used to hate laminate. thinking it was ugly and not durable. but these days, they are making both a lot better. when i do my floors, laminate is what i am going to look into and probably use.


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## Rainyday (Aug 4, 2012)

I would love to see the original post about the Lowes Surface Source planks. I have looked at them but don't know anyone who has tried it.

Edited to correct: I have looked at something called Project Source vinyl planks at Lowes. I don't see anything called Surface Source. Is it the same thing?


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

THe product is here:

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=327268-18441-LP466181&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3175531&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

Surface Source 6"W x 36"L Classic Chestnut Floating Vinyl Plank

Here are the photos of my install, I did it all myself - first flooring job ever. I removed the carpet, pulled up tack strips on the wood subfloor upstairs and scraped off the glue residue on the concrete slab downstairs. That was the hardest part. Sealed the concrete with DriLock, then put down the floor. It was super easy to install, just keep lots of sharp exacto knife blades on hand - a sharp blade and a metal square and measuring tape are all you need. Oh, and gloves - after a while the edges of the cut planks will rough up your hands.

https://picasaweb.google.com/tina.noyes/HomeDuring?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKDMy_PYr6miKQ&feat=directlink

Rainyday, I don't know if they have a different name but these are definitely called Surface Source and are a Lowes brand. I tested samples of this along with Home Depot Allure and Armstrong etc, this one was the cheapest and yet the hardest to scratch. We have been living on it about 2 months now and there is absolutely no damage or problems. I did install the floor when it was 75-80 degrees out and I recommend installing it in warm weather and getting the seams very tight. The floor may expand and contract a bit due to temperature and I think people have had buckling if they fit it in too tight in colder weather.

I liked the fact that these planks have a tape-like adhesive system, rather than the overlapping vinyl layers like Allure. I am sure it is much cheaper to use this tape system but I think it is also less likely to cause buckling or curling up. If any corners come up, I plan to simply glue them down but so far so good.

I did the 1500 sq ft townhouse for less than $1000.


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## Rainyday (Aug 4, 2012)

Wow that looks really good. Thanks for the link. I am seriously considering this now.


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

I have had a lot of people actually think it is wood. It looks better than most laminates, and it doesn't make any snap crackle noises.


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## bigmike203 (Aug 6, 2012)

looks good ... i am in the process of buying a house and going to have remodel the basement to be my home office, and that was the exact floor i was looking at. Thanks for posting pics, great to see them install and get someone feedback on them.


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

I would be a bit cautious in using a floating vinyl floor in a basement though - be sure to have it moisture tested at the wettest time of year first. I have read stories of mold growing underneath, because moisture can be trapped. If the concrete is dry, I would still seal it first with something like Dry-lok like I did, to make sure no moisture weeps up through the concrete. This is the stuff I used, if it was a basement I'd probably do multiple coats:

http://www.ugl.com/drylokMasonry/masonryWaterproofer/latex.php


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## 2244mac (Mar 7, 2013)

*surface source*

:nuke:


tinan said:


> never mind


 Its the worst flooring ever.. read consumer reports on this junk flooring BEWARE=BEWARE do not put your installer through the hassle over this cheap 89 cents pr sq ft garbage.. Not the installers fault when it buckles up on you and you trip on it in the middle of the night.. PLEASE DONT CHOOSE THIS FLOORING.


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

Well, it's holding up great in my house, and I installed it myself as my first flooring job. Many people have remarked that it looks pro. I installed 1500 sq ft of it in our townhouse with 4 (long) days of work with no previous flooring experience at all. So if you "don't want to put your installer through that" I don't know if your installer is worth his or her pay. 

Hey, I realize half of you sell expensive flooring for a living, so keep on doing that, but I am happy with my less than $1/sq ft floor with no extra costs for installation, tools or underlayment.

We've had it in for almost a year now, through hot summer and through winter and no warping, peeling lifting or any problems whatsoever. I simply followed directions and made careful calculations to install it properly and have a perfect floor as a result.

It's very durable, haven't made a scratch on it moving furniture around, cats running on it with untrimmed claws, everything sweeps and mops right up to brand new with my steam mop. I painted the kitchen and got some flecks on the floor, was able to scratch them off with a scrubby sponge and no marks left behind.

Care to name any reasons that the review you read states it is so bad? Lots of hearsay going around, but I seem to be the only person here who has actually installed and lived on this product.

It is excellent, and unfortunately no longer available, I may have gotten it on clearance. In any case I don't think you possibly beat it for value for money. I would not hesitate to use a similar products again. A quick no special-tools install (and no noise and dust either - nice for a townhouse to not make your neighbors hate you before moving in) and this durability and price? You really can't beat it.

I'll put back up my photos for anyone who actually cares for a personal experience with the product instead of just hearsay. If you choose to insult my home and my hard work on it, please think twice before being an ass.

During install upstairs over elderly plywood subfloor all I did was remove protruding nails. I did not remove baseboards because they were already "carpet height" and had adequate clearance to slide under and allow for expansion, though I installed in 80 degree weather so I fit the seams as tight as I could knowing that it was already max expanded. Some people may prefer some quarter round but I don't like the look myself and don't mind the 1/8" gap between planks and baseboard. If you put in quarter round fix it to the baseboard and ensure some expansion space is left, no attaching it to the floor through the planks.










I undercut the door jams to slide under with no pressure on the flooring. With planning and calculations I was able to get a continuous install throughout all rooms with no ugly transitions.










Downstairs it went in over concrete slab (ground level) which I sealed with Dry-lok first as a precaution.



















Nearly done









powder room, new baseboards not yet caulked and finished









NOW...


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## ThatDaveGuy (Dec 31, 2010)

I understand and appreciate the input here from those that strictly recommend top end products, a contractor gets held accountable to a way higher standard than any homeowner would hold himself to, but for a lot of us, it's a case of "do it cheap or do without". I just did a laminate floor, yes I know it was "cheap" stuff but it beats the hell out of the mess that I had before, and it buys me some time. I can consider something longterm and pricier later at my leisure, not just live with the crappy floor we inherited when we bought the house, and when I tear this one up and toss it I am only out $150, I won't be worried about whether or not I got my moneysworth.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ThatDaveGuy said:


> but for a lot of us, it's a case of "do it cheap or do without".


amen brotha :thumbsup:. there are those that do not understand that.


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## 2244mac (Mar 7, 2013)

*Project source, Surface source flooring.*

YUP!!!!!!! It looked good from a distance or in pictures JUST BEFORE it BUCKLED,LIFTED,SEPARATED, within ONE year of install. I know of a DOZEN homes ruined by this (junk) garbage flooring.. But please buy it and have the installer give you a guarantee (thats not worth spit) that it wont do the same for you.. Please buy a whole house worth and push this product on your friends and family..(ha ha) LET ME KNOW HOW your all making out in a YEAR.. Project Source and Surface source will be calling this flooring ANOTHER NAME within the next couple years. Tell my clients its an excellent product ,and they will tell you something back that against DIY rules..............................love and kisses


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## 2244mac (Mar 7, 2013)

you go girl...............


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## 2244mac (Mar 7, 2013)

HA HA HA HA HA give it a little time.. get back to us after you trip over it in the middle of the night.. careful now..:thumbup:


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## #1installer (Apr 5, 2013)

*surface(junk)source(garbage)flooring*



tinan said:


> never mind


:whistling2:Ummmm,all i can say is dont buy it if you clean your floors.dont buy it if you have house plants.dont buy it if you have one of those floor steamers(omg)dont buy it unless you own a skateboard.dont buy it if your temp changes in your home or office.dont buy it unless you want to trip over it in the middle of the night.dont buy it unless you take all your advise from flooring rep scammers.dont buy it unless you have money to throw away.dont buy it unless you want the flooring installer moving in your home.dont buy it unless you like dusty and debris from constant install problems.dont buy it because you cant afford something better.dont buy it unless you like filling up the local landfill with this type of flooring.dont buy it unless your getting kickbacks from the home owners you scammed into buying this crap-flooring.. DO BUY IT IF YOU THINK THE INSTALLER IS CUTE AND YOU DONT WANT HIM LEAVING YOUR HOME..AND YOU WANT TO MARRY HIM! DO BUY IT IF YOU LIKE MAJOR MIGRAINE HEADACHES. thanks #1 installer:wink:right on man:thumbup:


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

Well I have had the floor for over a year now and have had no problems at all with it. It still looks as good as new. I am very happy with it - too bad this particular product is now discontinued. I would not hesitate to use a similar product again and do it myself.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

tinan said:


> Well I have had the floor for over a year now and have had no problems at all with it. It still looks as good as new. I am very happy with it - too bad this particular product is now discontinued. I would not hesitate to use a similar product again and do it myself.


thanx for the update.


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## nismo972 (Sep 23, 2013)

How did it do in the bathroom?


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## tinan (Apr 4, 2012)

I didn't put it in the full baths because the existing tile-look vinyl in there was fine and it saved me the labor of peeling up the existing vinyl and cutting planks around toilets and tubs. But I used it in the kitchen and powder room and everywhere in the house it is fine. Water pools on top, the joints between boards are tight, I've spilled in the kitchen a few times. I actually wish I had put it int he full baths too as it would have looked nicer than the tile-look stuff there, but I was pressed for time and now I can't buy more of this flooring.

The floor was installed June 2012 so it's been well over a year with it now so just wanted to report back as requested! For less than $1000 for the whole house, and an easy DIY install, you bet I would do this floor again in an instant.


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