LVP vs. Hardwood in Lebanon, Ohio: Which Holds Up Better?

Modern luxury vinyl plank looks remarkably like real hardwood, costs less per square foot installed, and survives Ohio basements and busy kitchens that hardwood struggles with. Hardwood still wins on resale value and the warmth of a refinishable, solid-wood floor underfoot. The right pick depends on the room, the slab below, and how long you plan to stay in the house.

Should I install LVP or hardwood in my Lebanon, OH home?

For most rooms, LVP is the safer pick. It is fully waterproof, dent-tough enough for kids and dogs, and forgiving of the seasonal humidity swings every Warren County home goes through. Choose hardwood when the floor will live in a formal dining room, primary bedroom, or upstairs hallway where moisture is low and you want the long-term value of refinishing.

What is the real difference between LVP and hardwood?

Luxury vinyl plank is a multi-layer waterproof plank with a printed wood photo bonded to a rigid core. Hardwood is solid wood (or engineered wood over a plywood core) milled into planks and finished on site or at the mill. LVP locks together; hardwood is nailed, stapled, or glued to the subfloor.

• LVP wear layer: 12–22 mils of clear vinyl over the wood print, the scratch-resistant surface that does the real work.
• Hardwood finish: typically aluminum-oxide factory finish; can be refinished 2–6 times across its life.
• LVP plank widths: 7 to 9.5 inches, lengths up to 60 inches.
• Hardwood plank widths: usually 3.25 to 7 inches; longer-and-wider planks read more contemporary.

How does LVP hold up in Ohio’s freeze-thaw cycles?

LVP is the more stable of the two through Ohio winters. The rigid core handles humidity from 25 to 75 percent without gapping or cupping, and it does not need a long acclimation period before install. Hardwood needs 5–7 days of acclimation in the room before installation, plus a humidity-controlled house year-round, or boards will move with the seasons.

Is hardwood worth the price premium for resale value?

Yes, in the right rooms. Real hardwood on the main level still adds measurable resale value, and a home with hardwood downstairs tends to sell faster than the same home with LVP. The premium becomes harder to justify in basements (where moisture rules out solid hardwood entirely), bathrooms, and high-traffic mudrooms — LVP is the better long-term call there.

What does each cost installed in Lebanon, OH?

Pricing depends on square footage, subfloor condition, and the specific collection — we quote every floor free in person. As a general range across our service area:

• LVP, installed: mid-budget to premium, depending on wear layer and plank width.
• Engineered hardwood, installed: roughly 25–60 percent more than LVP for a comparable plank size.
• Solid hardwood, installed: higher still, plus the cost of subfloor prep and site-finishing if you choose unfinished planks.

Where can I see LVP and hardwood samples in person?

Our Lebanon showroom carries 10 LVP collections (Cyrus, Prescott, Laurel Reserve, XL Plank, Studio, Anodover, Wayne Parc, Ashton, Smithcliffs Rigid Core, and Tricento LVT) plus a dozen wide-plank hardwood lines. You can also browse every collection online and request samples for your free in-home consultation.

Which LVP and hardwood lines does Nova install?

Browse the full set on the products page:

• All Luxury Vinyl Plank collections — 241 colorways across 10 lines.
• All Hardwood — engineered + solid, oak, hickory, walnut.
• Glue-Down LVP — for basements and high-traffic commercial-grade rooms.

Tag the ones you like and a Nova designer will bring physical samples to your free in-home consultation. Lebanon and the surrounding cities are our home turf — we do the measure, the order, the install, and the trim ourselves.