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Split-level homes put multiple flooring levels within a few steps of each other, so sound transfer between levels and moisture-resistance near lower/basement-adjacent floors matter more than in a single-story house. Below are 10 real flooring products spanning waterproof LVP, engineered hardwood, porcelain tile, a stair runner, and a sound-dampening underlayment, with 2026 pricing checked this session.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COREtec Originals Premium Luxury Vinyl Plank | $3-$5/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Shaw Floorte Pro Rigid Core LVP | $4-$6/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Mohawk SolidTech Luxury Vinyl Plank | $3-$5/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Lifeproof Luxury Vinyl Plank | $2-$4/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Karndean Luxury Vinyl Flooring | $5.50-$7/sq ft | Amazon |
| 6 | Pergo Engineered Hardwood | $3-$7/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Bruce Engineered Hardwood | $3.50-$6.50/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | MSI Porcelain Tile | $3-$10/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Mohawk Smoke Screen Stair Runner | $13-$30/sq ft installed | Amazon |
| 10 | QuietWalk Underlayment | $0.40-$0.55/sq ft | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
COREtec Originals Premium Luxury Vinyl Plank
Widely considered the class-leading waterproof LVP line, with an attached cork underlayment that helps dampen footstep noise between levels.
- 100% waterproof WPC core
- 30 mil wear layer
- Attached cork underlayment for sound and comfort
- Realistic wood and stone visuals
- Attached cork backing is a genuine advantage for split-level sound transfer
- Fully waterproof, safe near stairwells and lower-level entries
- Costs more per square foot than basic LVP lines
- Premium/specialty COREtec lines run even higher than the Originals price shown here
Shaw Floorte Pro Rigid Core LVP
Shaw’s high-density SPC rigid-core line, built for households with heavy foot traffic between multiple levels.
- High-density SPC rigid core
- Commercial-grade wear layer
- Waterproof construction
- Wide range of wood-look and stone-look finishes
- Rigid SPC core resists dents better than softer WPC cores
- Good fit for households with kids or pets moving between levels constantly
- No attached cork underlayment like COREtec, so pair with a separate sound barrier
- Rigid core can feel harder underfoot than WPC options
Mohawk SolidTech Luxury Vinyl Plank
A budget-friendly rigid-core LVP line from Mohawk, a solid mid-tier choice for stretching a split-level flooring budget across multiple levels.
- Rigid SPC core
- Waterproof construction
- Wide range of finishes
- Mohawk’s established retail and warranty backing
- Lower cost per square foot makes multi-level projects more affordable
- Backed by Mohawk’s wide retail network for easy matching later
- Wear layer and core density trail the COREtec/Shaw premium lines
- No attached acoustic underlayment
Lifeproof Luxury Vinyl Plank
Home Depot’s house-brand waterproof LVP, the cheapest full-waterproof option in this roundup.
- Waterproof rigid or WPC core depending on line
- Budget price point
- Wide color and finish selection
- Sold and stocked through Home Depot
- Lowest price per square foot among the waterproof LVP options here
- Easy to buy in-store for same-day pickup when phasing a multi-level project
- Wear layer thickness and long-term durability trail COREtec and Shaw
- House-brand warranty terms are typically shorter than name-brand lines
Karndean Luxury Vinyl Flooring
A premium British LVP brand positioned above COREtec and Shaw, for split-level homeowners prioritizing top-tier finish over price.
- Premium wear layer and print technology
- Realistic wood and stone visuals
- Waterproof construction
- Design-focused premium positioning
- Widely regarded as one of the most realistic-looking LVP finishes available
- Strong reputation among design-focused buyers and installers
- Most expensive LVP option in this roundup
- Narrower retail availability than Shaw or Mohawk
Pergo Engineered Hardwood
Pergo’s engineered hardwood line, more dimensionally stable across humidity swings than solid hardwood, a common pick for split-level main living areas.
- Engineered multi-ply wood construction
- More humidity-stable than solid hardwood
- Range of wood species and finishes
- Suitable for most above-grade rooms
- Real wood look and resale appeal, unlike LVP
- Engineered construction handles the humidity swings a split-level’s varied levels can see
- Not waterproof like LVP, avoid near lower-level entries or bathrooms
- Installed cost runs meaningfully higher once labor is added
Bruce Engineered Hardwood
A long-established American hardwood brand’s engineered line, suitable over radiant heat or in moisture-prone areas where solid hardwood isn’t recommended.
- Engineered multi-layer wood veneer construction
- Suitable for basements or over radiant heating per the maker
- Wide range of stains and wood species
- Long-running, well-known American flooring brand
- Enhanced stability makes it a safer choice than solid hardwood for a split-level’s varied levels
- Costs less than solid hardwood without sacrificing the real-wood look
- Still not waterproof, so it’s not a fit for every level of a split-level home
- Installed cost adds meaningfully to the material price
MSI Porcelain Tile
A direct-import porcelain tile line offering large-format tile for the seamless, continuous look that helps visually connect a split-level’s staggered floors.
- Porcelain construction, highly durable and water-resistant
- Large-format tile options for a seamless look
- Direct-import pricing model
- Wide range of stone and wood-look finishes
- Most durable and water-resistant material in this roundup, ideal near lower-level entries
- Large-format tile helps create visual continuity across a split-level’s multiple floors
- Labor cost for installation is the highest of any option here
- Cold and hard underfoot without supplemental heating
Mohawk Smoke Screen Stair Runner
A stain-resistant SmartStrand Silk stair runner, relevant for split-levels since they typically have more interior stairs connecting levels than a single-story home.
- SmartStrand Silk fiber construction
- Stain-resistant finish
- Custom-cut lengths for stair runs
- Multiple color options
- Split-levels have more stair transitions than most home layouts, making a durable runner a practical add
- Stain resistance matters more on stairs, which see more concentrated foot traffic
- Custom sizing means pricing varies a lot by exact stair run length
- Adds a separate line item most flooring quotes don’t already include
QuietWalk Underlayment
A felt underlayment with sound and moisture barrier properties, directly relevant to a split-level’s biggest flooring challenge: noise carrying between close-together levels.
- Sound-absorbing felt construction
- Moisture vapor barrier included
- Compatible under LVP, laminate, or engineered hardwood
- Sold in 100 sq ft and 360 sq ft rolls
- Directly addresses the footstep-noise-between-levels problem specific to split-level layouts
- Cheap relative to the flooring itself, an easy add to any of the products above
- Not needed under products with pre-attached underlayment like COREtec
- Doesn’t eliminate impact noise entirely, just reduces it
Buying tips
- In a split-level, prioritize waterproof flooring (LVP or tile) on the lowest level and any level with an exterior entry, since that’s where moisture and dirt tracking are most likely — save hardwood for the main living level.
- A sound-dampening underlayment like QuietWalk matters more in a split-level than a single-story home, since levels sit closer together and footstep noise carries between them more noticeably.
- If you’re running the same LVP or tile across two or more levels for visual continuity, order all of it in one batch — dye lots can shift between production runs, and a split-level’s open sightlines between levels make a mismatch more noticeable than in separate rooms.
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