From Old Vinyl Tile to Twelve Oaks LVT
If you’ve got a pre-war apartment on the Upper West Side, you already know the challenge: old buildings, uneven subfloors, narrow rooms, and whatever mystery flooring the last tenant left behind.
In this case? Dated, decaying vinyl scuffed, discolored, and way past its prime. Covering the floor of a bedroom that hadn’t been touched in decades.
Pink walls, a lone wooden chair, and old vinyl tile. That was the before. Here’s how it went.
Demo First
Before any new floor goes down, the old one has to come out the right way.
We demolished and carted away all of the existing vinyl tile flooring. That means:
- Full removal of every tile and adhesive residue
- Hauling everything out of the apartment and off-site
- Leaving a clean, prepped subfloor ready for the new install
This part matters more than most people realize. If you skip proper demo or leave old adhesive on the subfloor, your new floor suffers. We don’t cut corners on the prep because the install is only as good as what’s underneath it.
Why LVT Made Sense Here
The client was looking for a quick, cost-effective way to make the apartment show-ready before listing for sale. Its durable and looks nice.
We installed Twelve Oaks LVT, and it’s a strong fit for exactly this kind of project:
- Waterproof: no warping, no buckling
- Realistic wood look: Twelve Oaks is known for its depth of texture and color variation that reads like the real thing
- Durable: built to hold up in a residential space for the long haul
For apartments on the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, or anywhere in a pre-war building, LVT is one of the smartest flooring decisions you can make.
The Install
The client chose Twelve Oaks LVT in a dark walnut tone, laid in a straight pattern running the length of the room. Against white walls and original trim, the color grounds the space and makes the room feel completely different from that before photo.
A few things worth noting:
- Tight seams throughout: no gapping, no uneven transitions
- Clean cuts at the baseboard: the original molding was preserved.
- Low-sheen finish: catches natural light without looking glossy or fake
Same room, same dimensions, yet completely different look and feel.
Bottom Line
Old buildings deserve good floors. And good floors start with proper demo. Twelve Oaks LVT gives you the look of real hardwood with the waterproof stability that pre-war apartments actually need, but only if the prep work is done right.
