Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Pros & Cons

Scratches, stains, and spills oh my! Homeowners often dream of refining their living rooms with warm natural hardwood floors or upgrading to sleek slate tile in the bathroom, but worry if hardwood or tile can withstand their family’s active lifestyles. Luckily, luxury vinyl flooring brings the beauty of hardwood, stone, and tile with affordable pet proof and waterproof durability.

Also referred to as luxury vinyl tile or plank (LVT/LVP), this form of vinyl flooring is made up of multiple layers that aid in the design, durability, and ease of maintenance. The next time you hear the word “oops!”, you can take a breath and relax knowing you have exceptionally durable luxury vinyl floors!

Types of Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Travertine-Look Luxury Vinyl by Flooring America/Flooring Canada

Thinking about installing luxury vinyl floors in your home? Depending on the type of room and your desired design style, choose the vinyl flooring that best fits your needs. There are three basic types of luxury vinyl flooring: plank, tile, and sheet.

• Luxury vinyl planks (LVP) are often used to mimic hardwood flooring, as the planks offer the look of natural hardwood down to knot patterns and grain detail.
• Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is often used to replicate natural stone or tiles or to create an intricate pattern.
• Luxury vinyl sheet is commonly used in areas subject to moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Sheets come in 6 and 12-foot lengths, making for very few (if any) seams when installed, and also can mimic the look of hardwood, stone, and tile with various patterns to choose from. 

How is Luxury Vinyl Flooring Made?

Wondering what makes luxury vinyl flooring so durable, comfortable underfoot, and easy to clean? This resilient flooring option is composed of four layers of synthetic materials including:

• The Wear Layer - This durable top layer acts as a protective seal to keep your floors scratch-free. Any scuffs or spills are easily removed with a quick sweep or a damp towel. 
• The Photo or Design Layer - The fun part of finding new floors is choosing the design. With LVT or LVP, products are available in multiple colorways, mimicking different species of wood and stone, with finishes to brighten any room.  
• The Rigid Core - Typically composed of PVC and other synthetic materials, the rigid core is what adds stability to vinyl flooring.  
• The Back Layer - The bottom or back layer provides the base structure and waterproofing properties to the underlayer of the flooring.

Pros of Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Oak-Look Luxury Vinyl by Flooring America/Flooring Canada

There will always be both pros and cons to any type of flooring based on your lifestyle and family needs, but we are confident that luxury vinyl flooring is a great option for all types of families and lifestyles. For example, here are some of the top benefits of installing luxury vinyl flooring in your home:

Ease of Installation

Luxury vinyl products vary in installation, however, regardless of the brand, installation is typically pretty easy. Some brands of luxury vinyl will use glue or grout, while others lock together or have peel-off backing. Whichever vinyl product you choose, we recommend entrusting a flooring expert with the installation process, so that you can have peace of mind knowing your floor's warranty is still intact.

Carefree Maintenance & Overall Durability

As mentioned above, luxury vinyl is comprised of multiple layers in which there is a clear top layer over the design that protects the floor from scratches, stains, and fading. Clean-up is easy, as you can wipe away scuff marks and spills with a damp paper towel. Luxury vinyl stands up to moisture, heavy household traffic, children, and pets, making it incredibly easy to maintain the look and lifespan of your floors.

Unlike hardwood flooring, the process of cleaning luxury vinyl planks is quick and simple. Its protective outer layer allows for it to remain like new for years to come. To clean, all it requires is a static dust broom. This quality makes luxury vinyl the perfect flooring option for high-traffic areas to keep your home bright and fresh.

Waterproof

While many floor options boast water resistance, most of our luxury vinyl products are waterproof, making them the ideal solution for all rooms, including the kitchen and baths. Now, you might be wondering —how is vinyl flooring waterproof? Thanks to its multiple layers including a durable wear layer and rigid core, luxury vinyl can withstand moisture, heavy foot traffic, scratches, and spills. Not only is its top wear layer waterproof, but the backing layer also protects the underside of your floors from moisture. When installed properly, luxury vinyl flooring provides exceptional waterproofing capabilities, leaving you worry-free the next time the kids overflow the bathtub.

Style

Luxury vinyl flooring is a great alternative to natural flooring options like wood and stone, and the best part is you can't tell the difference! LVT and LVP are available in a range of shapes and sizes to give your home that authentic style without the extra installation expenses and concern about durability. Whether you’re interested in hardwood, ceramic tile, or stone, luxury vinyl flooring gives you the timeless look you’ve been searching for, for less.

With innovative manufacturing techniques, luxury vinyl offers your home a luxurious appearance with comfortable foot cushioning-resilience. Thanks to its high-fashion designs, vinyl is ideal for both formal and casual settings, making it popular in kitchens, bathrooms, family rooms, and dens.

Long-Lasting

Vinyl floors have long-lasting durability (in some cases, upwards of 30 years of long-lasting durability). These floors can go years and still look new with the right maintenance routine. That being said, it's important to choose a timeless style —something that will make you and your family happy for years to come.

Price

If all the other benefits haven’t yet sold you on vinyl flooring, the price sure will. The cost of luxury vinyl ranges depending on the quality of the product. To put it into perspective, some vinyl products are around half the price of regular hardwood flooring. Now, you can get everything you want in a floor at an affordable price!

Misconceptions of Luxury Vinyl Tile

Washed Butternut Look Luxury Vinyl Flooring by Flooring America/Flooring Canada

The Design Will Wear Off

A majority of people believe that the design of the floor will wear off from foot traffic, but that’s simply not true. As a result of the design being on a layer that is protected by the wear layer, luxury vinyl is actually resistant to scuffs and scratches.

Luxury Vinyl Lacks Design Depth

People think that the design of luxury vinyl is printed flat and lacks texture, but because of innovative manufacturing techniques, luxury vinyl actually offers visual depth to its design.

Vinyl and Laminate Flooring Are the Same

This misconception is simply false. Laminate is a product of recycled hardwood floors, making it not waterproof, whereas luxury vinyl is a synthetic product that is both waterproof and scratch-resistant.

How to Choose Waterproof Luxury Vinyl Flooring

If you’re considering luxury vinyl flooring, contact your local Flooring America store today to learn more about waterproof luxury vinyl plank flooring, as well as the luxury vinyl tile options available. Your local sales professionals have extensive knowledge of all our luxury vinyl products and will guide you to the perfect vinyl flooring for your unique style and needs. Let our professionals handle all the tedious tasks so you can begin living on the wood-look floor of your dreams today! 

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