Ted Cook Author

luxury vinyl flooring in a modern living room

LVP Flooring Designs for Modern Homes: 5 Ideas to Try

By Ted Cook Oct 16, 2026

The best LVP flooring designs for modern homes start with the room around them. A pale oak look can soften black cabinets. A warm brown floor can ground a bright living room. A quieter grain pattern can keep an open kitchen and living area from feeling busy. Luxury vinyl plank gives you plenty of wood-look options, but color is only part of the decision. Plank width, surface texture, board variation, and installation direction all affect the finished space. Here are five ways to bring those ... Read more...

5 inch wide plank Hickory Natural Hardwood Close Up

Is Hickory a Hardwood? Hickory Hardwood Exposed

By Ted Cook Oct 8, 2026

So, you’re thinking about hickory flooring. Most people ask if hickory truly a hardwood while seeing all the information about the dense nature of this wood species. The answer is yes, hickory is a hardwood. But is it the right hardwood for *your* project? This post covers everything about hickory flooring, from its hardness to its character. It typically costs between $6 and $14 per square foot. We have 1st quality 3.25" hickory floors in stock but that's not the norm. Table ... Read more...

5 Simple Disadvantages Vinyl Plank Flooring Presents: A Vinyl Flooring Guide

By Ted Cook Oct 1, 2026

Vinyl plank flooring or LVP has taken the home improvement world by storm. It’s affordable, waterproof, and looks surprisingly good when compared to a real hardwood. But is it too good to be true?

If you’ve been shopping for floors, you’ve probably heard endless praise for LVP. But at Really Cheap Floors, we believe in transparency. No flooring product is perfect for every home. To make the best investment for your space, you need to know the potential drawbacks—not just the 100% waterproof floor sales pitch.

In this guide, we’ll cover the honest disadvantages of vinyl plank flooring, from durability concerns in high-traffic zones to potential installation hurdles, so you can decide if it's the right choice for your family.

5 Cheap Flooring Options: The Most Affordable Materials

By Ted Cook Sep 30, 2026

The budget flooring guide 5 Cheap Flooring Options: The Most Affordable Materials Are you looking for the 5 best budget flooring options. Saving on your flooring material and the final home installation allows you to focus on more important qualities when selecting a new floor. Sheet vinyl, linoleum, engineered wood, carpet, and vinyl plank are all popular options when searching for affordable solutions. Let’s take a closer look at each of these 5 affordable flooring options so that you can ... Read more...

a close up image of a water damaged hardwood plank

Can You Refinish Water Damaged Hardwood Floors? Hardwood Floor Water Damage Repair Tips

By Ted Cook Sep 28, 2026

So, your beautiful hardwood floor got soaked. Maybe a pipe burst, or perhaps a big storm flooded the house. Whatever the culprit, now you’re stuck looking at warped boards and wondering: can I refinish water-damaged hardwood floors? The answer is it depends. In general, it’s best to remove the water-damaged floor, inspect the subfloor for trapped moisture, and install a new floor. We cover the general hardwood floor water damage repair steps in hopes your situation allows for a full damage ... Read more...

LifeProof Vinyl Plank Flooring: Vinyl Flooring Guide

By Ted Cook Sep 23, 2026

Luxury vinyl flooring is the fastest growing segment of the flooring industry. It growing faster than my need for quick naps throughout the day. This trend has been going on for a few years now. The product design behind these floors are mainly targeted to people who want a cheaper floor that looks great. However Lifeproof try pretty hard to keep the wear layer hidden from view. It makes sense though. They look great, and install easily. Oh...and they can be cheaper than hardwood floors. ... Read more...

What Color Walls Go With Red Oak Floors: Wall Colors and Paint Ideas

By Ted Cook Sep 18, 2026

Before you buy a new tub of paint to compliment red oak hardwood lets cover some color theory. Especially if you're trying to do this without your wife's direction! Red oak can mess with ya if you're not careful! Red oak will show lots of wood grain and warm reddish-orange undertones in each hardwood plank. Balancing a natural stain or a strong stained color with a neutral wall paint is the goal to match your home decor vision. Your wall paint only needs complement the floor, it doesn't need ... Read more...

Man installing Luxury Vinyl Plank to make the floor the best waterproof option for the homeowner

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring: What is LVP Flooring

By Ted Cook Sep 18, 2026

Traveling from a special buyers meeting held by one of the largest manufacturers of flooring in the world gives me some time to think. These meetings tend to get into my head. I am reminded that LVP, or luxury vinyl plank, is still the fastest-growing flooring category in the US. If so, why don’t we know more about this popular product besides that its a waterproof one? Well, pull out our notepad, and I will tell you what I know about luxury vinyl planks. I'll share the good, the bad, and the ... Read more...

a basement with high quality waterproof flooring

Best Basement Flooring Options for 2026: Waterproof & Durable Choices

By Ted Cook Sep 18, 2026

What is the Best Basement Floor? This is a super loaded question! When someone starts a question with the “best” in mind it scares me! Everyone’s opinions, budgets, and tastes are different! However, with basements, the best answer is easier to come to. The best flooring for a basement in 2026 is Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP). Because basements are prone to moisture and humidity, LVP stands out as the top choice: it is 100% waterproof, highly durable, and features an easy floating installation ... Read more...

wood stains on display in the photo with minwax and varathane options on a white table

Popular Wood Stain Colors

By Ted Cook Sep 18, 2026

When it comes to finding a favorite wood stain colors it helps to start with looking at the most popular stains. We list agreed upon staples that stay in favor with flooring installers and DIY-ers. In this blog post, we will delve into ten of our all-time favorite wood stain tints from trusted brands like Minwax and Varathane. If you want to find a similar solid hardwood or engineered hardwood with a wood stain like these, please give us a call to match it up with our always changing ... Read more...

Newsletter Sign Up