Brown vinyl plank flooring

Red, gold or neutral brown?

A brown floor gets its character from its undertone. Red-leaning browns echo cherry and older stained oak. Gold browns feel closer to natural oak and teak. Neutral, coffee-colored browns are the most flexible with mixed furniture. Hold a sample against something wooden you are keeping, such as a door, banister or cabinet, and pick the brown that agrees with it rather than fights it.

Does the finish matter on a brown floor?

More than on lighter colors. This collection is glossier than our other vinyl groups: 25 floors are satin and 23 are low-luster, with 11 matte. Satin gives a richer, more polished look that suits formal living and dining rooms. It also reflects more light, so dust and scratches show a little more. In entries and kitchens, low-luster or matte is easier to live with.

Is brown vinyl a good fit for a prewar or row house?

If you are replacing worn carpet or tired laminate and want the floor to feel right with original doors and trim, a mid-tone brown is the natural choice. Where the new floor meets original wood in a hallway, a proper reducer or threshold keeps the join tidy; see our guide to floor transitions. If old plank floors are hiding under the carpet, read refinish or replace before you decide.

Floating or glue-down?

All 59 floors can go down either way. Floating is common in homes over a sound wood subfloor or a flat, dry slab. Glue-down suits large open rooms and heavy furniture. Check each product's instructions for underlayment and subfloor requirements.