February 13, 2021 •Brian Hogan
When deciding which type of flooring is best for your space, you don’t have to choose between beauty and durability — there are plenty of innovative flooring products that offer the ultimate combination of stylish appeal and enduring resilience.
Luxury vinyl is one of those modern, game-changing materials, and it’s quickly becoming one of the most in-demand flooring products for a variety of popular home remodeling projects.
Attractive, hardwearing, and affordable, luxury vinyl flooring is an ideal choice for an updated mudroom, an enclosed porch addition, or a reimagined multipurpose space. It’s also the perfect pick for a newly finished basement.
Forget the standard sheet vinyl of yesterday; today’s luxury vinyl flooring withstands heavy-duty wear and tear and looks good doing it. Here’s why it’s a best choice for so many homeowners.
Luxury Vinyl Flooring 101
Like the old-school vinyl flooring that gained popularity in the 1950s, luxury vinyl flooring is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a durable material that’s easy to install and maintain.
But luxury vinyl flooring is distinct from its predecessor in two major ways: superior engineering and outstanding design that can imitate the appearance of wood, ceramic, marble, stone, and other materials to near perfection.
From surface to subfloor, luxury vinyl flooring is made up of the following layers:
- Clear protective coating (a durable wear layer, sometimes with a thicker wear layer for improved scratch resistance and increased durability)
- Designed print film layer (wood, stone, ceramic, etc.)
- Vinyl core layer (PVC, sometimes wood plastic composite or WPC)
- Backing for added quiet and comfort
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT)
Also known as LVT flooring, luxury vinyl tile comes in the shape of a traditional square tile. It offers many designs and different sizes to simulate stone, ceramic, or even wood floors. Given its shape, LVT is often used to replicate a stone or ceramic tile floor (it can even be installed with grout for a more lifelike look). Many people compare vinyl vs ceramic to see which is a best choice for their home. One reason many homeowners choose luxury vinyl flooring in tile form is the easy installation and the option of DIY installation with a tongue and groove system.
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)
As its name indicates, LVP is shaped like hardwood flooring planks or semi rigid planks. Just like real wood, LVP comes in a wide range of colors and woodgrain patterns, and it can even show simulated cracks for extra realism.
Engineered vinyl plank (EVP) is a thicker, more cushioned form of LVP that’s remarkably similar to engineered hardwood or most laminate flooring. Unlike these more expensive materials, however, install luxury vinyl planks or tiles and you’ll get superior water resistance, heat resistance, and better sound blocking properties.
Beautiful, Durable, and Versatile
Luxury vinyl flooring has many invaluable qualities that help it stand shoulder-to-shoulder with pricier solid hardwood or tile. Attributes that homeowners love most include:
Affordable
Arguably the most significant advantage of this top quality luxury vinyl is that it allows you to attain the look of wood, ceramic, or stone floors that mimic real wood or tile but at a lower cost.
Although your total high costs or savings vary depending on the style you’re going for, understanding that hardwood floors can be much more expensive helps illustrate why this material often has more resale value than standard vinyl but doesn’t necessarily rival true hardwood in real estate value.
This material is also typically much simpler — and often cheaper — to install. If you prefer a professional installation, you’ll find it’s still a lower cost option compared to many traditional materials.
Hardwearing
Known for its exceptional durability and longevity, luxury vinyl is protected by a well-designed, thicker wear layer that provides stain resistance and improved scratch resistance. Even with high foot traffic, it resists a damaged surface far better than standard vinyl flooring.
Waterproof
One of the biggest benefits of this type of vinyl is that it’s completely water resistant. Whether you’re dealing with direct exposure to moisture in a finished basement or direct sunlight in a sunroom, this material holds up with water and heat resistance that many other floors lack. Because these planks interlock securely, you get a solid surface that offers sound blocking properties and easy maintenance with mild soap and water mixed for cleaning.
Easy Upkeep
Luxury vinyl is among the most low-maintenance flooring choices available: daily sweeping and regular mopping is all it takes to keep it in good condition. Unlike certain flooring that may require sealers, standard vinyl flooring and lvt flooring typically only need gentle care. This can be especially appealing if you live in a high traffic household.
If one plank (or tile) sustains damage, it can usually be popped out and replaced. Even sheet vinyl options are easier to maintain compared to older floors that felt hard underfoot or cold underfoot.
Versatile
No matter what your style, lvt flooring and LVP offer many designs for standard sheet vinyl or planks or tiles that can replicate hardwood, ceramic, or even solid surface looks. Some of the newest forms of standard vinyl and LVT even include a thin layer of cushioning underneath to feel softer underfoot.
Because you can find LVT flooring in planks or tiles, it’s easy to match virtually any design scheme. This versatility can increase home appeal, although it may not substantially improve real estate values like authentic hardwood or stone.
Misconceptions & Clarifications
Two big myths about luxury vinyl are that it lacks textural depth and that its design pattern wears off over time. Neither are true; it can be hard to distinguish from the real thing, and it can last for decades without visible wear.
Another widespread notion is that this material is always straightforward to install. In reality, a wavy or uneven subfloor may require extensive prep work before planks or tiles can snap together. Even though many folks like diy installation, some opt for professional installation to avoid issues.
Despite its name, luxury vinyl flooring won’t necessarily boost your home value or real estate value in the same way that genuine hardwood or tile does. If return on investment (ROI) is a major driver of your renovation plans, it’s important to weigh each option’s resale value before making a final decision.
A Final Word
Whether you prefer standard vinyl or a higher-end line of LVT flooring, these flooring products offer water resistance, heat resistance, and a protective coating that creates increased durability. Many homeowners feel it’s the best choice for style, easy maintenance, and one thousandth of the headache compared to costly hardwood. Plus, it can simulate stone or real wood affordably for more resale value. If you’d like to install luxury vinyl to save on time and lower cost, consider whether you want professional installation or a DIY installation approach. Either way, you’ll enjoy the benefits of a solid surface that stands up to normal heat, direct exposure to moisture, and high foot traffic.
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