Over the last 10 years, the flooring industry has been taken over by LVP or LVT.
Luxury Vinyl Plank (or Tile) is a water resistant product that essentially took the place of laminate flooring.
While yes, you can still find laminate flooring at most flooring stores, LVP dominates in the flooring industry.
There are many advantages to LVP flooring with some notable drawbacks.
If you are currently shopping for new flooring and not sure if vinyl planks are the best choice for you, keep on reading.
Vinyl has been a flooring option for almost 100 years due to the durability and cost effective options.
However, the LVP we know today is a far cry from the sheet vinyl’s and VCT’s we may have seen in our grandparents homes.
Today LVP primarily mimics hardwood flooring or you’ll see LVT which is meant to look like tile and comes in shapes similar to a porcelain tile.
LVP today is comprised of a series of layers:
Top layer is the wear layer and meant to protect the end use from scratches and indentations. As a homeowner a 12 mil wear layer and up will suffice for your residential space.
I have seen wear layers that go up to 30 mil and that is ideal for commercial spaces that experience high traffic, think malls or air ports.
The core is typically made of stone (SPC) or a wood polymer (WPC), due to the rigidity and low cost to manufacturer the SPC’s have really started to dominate in the LVP world.
If you are shopping for your home, you will likely be installing an LVP that is intended to float over your existing subfloor.
With floating LVP flooring, you will typically have an attached pad that helps with sound dampening and cushion under foot.
You will find floating luxury vinyl flooring that does not have a pad attached and you’ll want to source one.
There are also LVP floors that are meant to be glued down, glue down luxury vinyl is very cost effective however it shows all imperfections on your subfloor. A glue down LVP is great for a commercial space not commonly used in residential applications.
Lastly, LVP is a great option for busy families because of the wear layer on top this is a great option for those who have children or pets. While yes, this material can be scratched or dented it more resistant that solid or engineered hardwood.
Not only is luxury vinyl flooring durable, available in a wide range of finishes, it can be very cost effective.
When shopping for LVP for your home, you’ll want to confirm the following:
-That the wear layer is a 12 mil or better
-Floating floor with attached pad
-The overall thickness is over 5MM
Make sure the flooring comes with a warranty, there are many places that sell off goods. Meaning that they are selling discontinued or second/third run material that didn’t meet the manufacturer’s standards.
Confirm with the dealer that there is a warranty and confirm what is covered and how long.
You may be asking yourself, why wouldn’t I want LVP? It’s durable, various color options, cost effective.
What is there not to love?
Ultimately, the clients I have worked with over the years who didn’t want LVP felt that way because or two reasons…
First off, luxury vinyl is essentially plastic and can have a sound when you walk on it. Most of the time as the material settles you don’t notice that sound as much but that sound does exist.
The second reason people don’t go for LVP…
LVP is not the real deal, it is not solid or engineered wood. It is a look a like, a fake, a dupe if you will.
While I love LVP and have used it on thousands of projects there are very few products I have worked with that actually look like real wood. There are many products that do a great job at copying the real thing, however I can almost always tell.
With that being said there are many homeowners who will be able to tell the difference and don’t care.
If you don’t want to take the leap and cover the whole house, luxury vinyl flooring is great in a basement application. Basement’s can be prone to moisture issues, many times they are used for entertaining and most people don’t want to spend a ton in their basement. All that being said, LVP is an ideal choice for your basement.
Courtesy of CoreTec Floor
All in all, LVP flooring a durable, economical option for your next flooring project.
Are you in need of help with selecting your flooring? Book consultation now!