Those of you who’ve decided that Luxury Vinyl Tile is a perfect floor choice for your home or business probably already know how superior the Armstrong brand is. If you’re not familiar with Armstrong floors, you’re missing out on some of the highest quality flooring products in the world.

• Out of various LVT products they offer, their Alterna flooring collection has moved up in popularity. It provides the elegant beauty of stone and tile rolled into one.
• Before you buy, check out some of the Alterna collection’s most pertinent features and customer reviews from our site, Floor City.

More Comfortable Stone, Ceramic, and Porcelain

A lot of people like you dream about using a stone, ceramic, or porcelain floor in their homes. Yet, once they invest the money, they often realize the upkeep is more than they expected.                         

Then they usually find out how uncomfortable these natural floors are due to the materials used. Thanks to improved flooring technologies, Armstrong managed to create a floor that looks natural without the cold and hard feel.

The Alterna collection offers a softer feel when walking, standing, or even lying on the floor.

It doesn’t just stop with the look of stone, ceramic, or porcelain. Alterna floors give you various flooring styles ranging from marble to concrete.

We receive a lot of reviews on our site celebrating the rare combination of finding a quality floor at a good price.

For instance, a reviewer for the Fieldstone Alterna product mentions they found a lower price through us than other contacts they encountered.

Another recent reviewer noted their order arrived in a timely manner, something we always take seriously.

Superior Durability for Busy Homes

Some homes are almost (or exactly) like commercial businesses with foot traffic around the clock. Your home may be similar, especially if you have kids and pets running across your floor daily like a stampede.

This means some of those loved ones are playing on the floor more often than you want. It’s going to require a very durable floor, something Armstrong always provides without fail.

In the Alterna collection, you’re going to find a very durable floor thanks to being water, scratch, and stain repellant. Plus, the stone version is crack resistant, making it ideal if your floor gets a real workout seven days a week.

Keep in mind this durability doesn’t have to apply just to homes. We get occasional reviewers saying they use it in their commercial businesses. Avoid always taking the “residential” and “commercial” stamps literally.

Nevertheless, you need to see the reviews on Armstrong’s site that praise how well Alterna floors hold up.

A number of reviewers for the Allegheny Slate Engineered Tile in the Alterna Reserve line say they’ve already used this floor for a while. In each review, they note the floor still looks perfect after heavy use.

Most of the reviewers talk about using the floor in bathrooms, mudrooms, and even hallways.

Sound Absorption

How many floors have you had that make sound seemingly bounce around the room? No doubt you remember having experiences of feeling like you were in an echo chamber or tin can if you have a home with loud noises.

Armstrong’s Alterna floors have a thick wear layer to absorb sound so you don’t scare away guests.

If you have loud kids or continually barking dogs, you absolutely need a floor with sound control. For entertaining in your home, it’s also essential. The majority of Alterna products offer a 0.160” thickness, allowing you to control loud noises along with foot comfort.

Of course, if you use Alterna floors in a commercial business, you’ll be able to enjoy the same advantages. There isn’t anything more annoying to customers than having to endure loud sounds from crowds, live music, or nearby machinery.

Write us a review about how well the sound absorption worked for you with these floors. We occasionally hear from reviewers who appreciate what this does to give them a more enjoyable domestic life.

Finding the Right Size

Take a look at Armstrong’s other floors and you’ll see how much variety they provide in sizing.

These sizes range from 6”x36” to 8”x16”. You can even acquire a 12”x24” floor or 16”x16”. With these multiple sizes and shapes, you can tackle any shaped room.

The most commonly bought size is the 16x16 with 47 different products available. Second most popular is the 12x24 with 41 products.

We’ll even accommodate you with an 8”x8” for smaller spaces. Six different products are available in this size.

Reviewers often compliment Armstrong for their sizing diversity, especially since everyone’s home is different. In a business, floor spaces are also often unique for branding purposes.

Our staff at Floor City is available to help you make the best sizing decision. Free samples are sent out for free so you can decide which size works best.

Finding the Right Color

Because you’re getting the classic look of stone, ceramic, and porcelain here, colors are fairly basic. Stone is the most plentiful, though you can also get this floor in a standard black or white.

Other colors are in stock to help you match your interior design. Look on the Armstrong website, and you’ll find other colors like beige, dark-brown, and gray. However, brighter colors are available like red, orange, and yellow.

This is why asking for a free sample is so essential before you buy. Our service of sending out these samples for free is something you won’t find through many other sources.

Most of our Floor City reviewers shout out to our customer service team for helping them find the right color. After you find the appropriate color, you’ll have a floor you can use for years to come with proper maintenance.

Easy Install Methods

Some new customers initially tell us they worry about how long it’s going to take to install their new floor. All Armstrong floors are fairly easy to install, including the Alterna collection.

All it involves is using a specialized adhesive to put your floor pieces in place. You’re better off using Armstrong’s patented adhesives to ensure it sets properly. Our online store offers these adhesives at a discount price.

As long as you have a little experience with floor installations and flooring tools, you shouldn’t have any problems. If you have no prior experience, don’t feel it burden to hire a professional to do the install.

We can help you make the best decision based on your skills. Just don’t take a risk and install yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. You could make errors that require an expensive fix.

A lot of our reviewers mention they had professional installation, which led to quality results and long floor life. Because the installation is easier, it’s going to cost less for the professional’s labor time.

Using the Right Cleaning and Maintenance Techniques

Taking care of your Alterna floor should become a top priority to keep it looking pristine for the next decade. Fortunately, the floor is designed to make maintenance fairly minimal.

All you need to do is employ basic cleaning techniques to keep the floor protected from permanent staining.

To make this more convenient, Armstrong provides a webpage giving instructions on how to clean luxury vinyl tile.

Before you start doing any cleaning, be sure to wait five days after you install your floor. Doing so allows the adhesive to bond and the grout to harden. Afterward, you can simply use a damp mop to clean up any spills.

Cleaning stains should be done as soon as possible so they don’t set in. In a house full of pets, you’ll want to make sure it’s done quickly and using the right cleaning solutions. Again, Armstrong offers their brand of floor cleaner, designed for faux ceramic.

Of course, you could also use an automated Roomba to keep your floors clean if you’re not home very often.

Consider using non-staining polypropylene rugs in places where your floor may get the most floor traffic. These are better than latex mats that often discolor floors.

Alternative Wood Visuals

Since many of Armstrong’s floors offer the look of hardwood, they added this same option in the Alterna collection. Known as Alterna Plank, you’ll be able to enjoy various wood visuals using a 6”x36” size.

A highlight to this collection is one used on most Armstrong floors: Their Diamond 10® Technology. Using the real properties of diamonds, the floor surface is completely impervious to scratches, scuffing, and stains.

Adding this option makes Alterna one of the most comprehensive flooring collections in offering every type of natural material you’d want.

The look of reclaimed wood is a big part of this, giving the chance to reinvent the look of your home into a more rustic theme. These planks are also easy to install.

Be sure to write us a review if you think the Alterna Plank collection works well for your home.

Checking Your Warranties

Always look over your warranties, no matter what kind of floor you buy.

We’re always hearing from reviewers who say they appreciate Armstrong’s extensive warranties to help solve a potential manufacturing problem.

With many Alterna floors, you can enjoy a five-year limited light commercial warranty. For home use, you’ll receive a lifetime limited residential warranty.

Don’t let this dissuade you from using Alterna floors in your commercial business just because you have a lesser warranty. These are still generous considering how much floor traffic your business likely receives.

Remember, though, these warranties only cover manufacturing defects. Any damage brought on as a result of not properly cleaning your floor or other incidents aren’t covered.

You can still process a claim if you find out your floor has a problem. It’s always best to go to the source where you bought your floor so they can help you get a claim filed. We’re glad to help with this is if you have an issue with your floor you think falls under warranty guidelines.

Once in a while, we receive reviews from buyers who encountered a problem with their floors. Our intention is to help them solve the problem in the best way possible, even if it means finding them a suitable replacement.

To avoid any damage, always wipe up any spills immediately, and don’t use abrasive floor cleaners outside the Armstrong brand name.

Avoid Buying Alterna Floors in a Big Box Store

Have you ever purchased a new floor in a big box store like Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Walmart? If you have, you probably encountered a sales team merely existing to make a sale, including limited knowledge.

You also likely noticed you had to pay more to get a quality floor. It’s true that these stores usually charge 20% more than if you bought the floor online.

Even then, when you do a Google search for flooring companies, you’ll find thousands of them across the U.S.

Here at Floor City, we’re one of the very few online stores selling top-tier floors at a discount price. Most Alterna floors we have available are only $4.66 per foot.  Do some price comparisons online and you probably won’t find a price close to ours.

Most importantly, we have a strong sense of customer service so you get all your questions answered accurately. You can ask a question through our chat portal, by email, or by phone.

Read many of our site reviews and you’ll see most of our customers appreciate how helpful our team is in finding the right floor each and every time.

Placing Your Order and Writing a Review

Call us at (800) 898-9540 to place an order for your Alterna floor today. With shipping centers throughout the U.S., you can pick up your floor as far as the U.S. East Coast.

Feel free to write a review on our site after your purchase. We enjoy featuring reviews on our Product Reviews page so you can help other customers decide what works for their particular domestic or business situations.

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