Consumer Reports Praises Vinyl in New Report

New York, NY, July 13, 2012 -- Consumer Reports is out with its new floor buying guide and it gives glowing reviews for vinyl.

"Vinyl isn't only the bestselling flooring at retailers; it also stood up to our battery of everyday abuse better than any other flooring," Consumer Reports said.

"Our latest tests found a new top pick that blends the toughness of vinyl with the natural look and feel of slate for a fraction of the price."

The magazine singled out Armstrong's Alterna Mesa Stone Canyon Sun, which mimics real stone "right down to its dappled colors and random textures. Yet it delivers the wear and damage resistance that makes vinyl our top-rated flooring overall. And like many vinyls, it comes in tiles that are easier to trim and install than traditional sheets."

Consumer Reports said it tested more than 40 flooring products and found 11 other winners, including an oak flooring that fended off the effects of foot traffic almost as well as the best vinyls and laminates.

"But after we subjected flooring to months of scuffs, scratches, stains, dropped weights, and intense UV light, we discovered that many woods, and even some vinyl and laminate floors, can wilt under life's daily grind."