Trafficmaster Allure and Vinyl Wood Flooring

[John Chapman]

I'm a huge fan of durable flooring for rentals. (I won't do carpet.) My personal favorite is porcelain tile as it's practically bulletproof and aesthetically acceptable here in Texas. Sometimes, though tile is not an option (e.g. a second story with too much bounce.) I've tried laminate but it doesn't seem that durable to me and water really messes it up easily.

I just tried out Trafficmaster Allure in a new house I'm rehabbing and it seemed to come out really. It's got a 25-year warranty, seems way more durable than laminate, is waterproof, and is very easy to install (just need a utility knife). That being said, it's pricy at $1.79 square foot at Home Depot, though you can use 10% coupons and everything. (I would not use this product for a flip.)

I was wondering if anyone has used this product and what the results were. Is it as durable as it appears? Have you found that tenants like the product? Is there a product that is just as good but less expensive? Is vinyl wood flooring becoming more accepted? (I realize this probably depends on the type of rental you have.)