Who wants boring, basic floors that feel outdated the moment new design trends emerge? Not you. Ordinary vinyl flooring might have sufficed for past generations, but your humble home deserves better. Why settle for less when stunning luxury vinyl– resistant to wear and tear—- alluringly calls?
Imagine waking up and setting foot on gorgeous luxury vinyl planks or tiles resembling weathered oak or smooth Travertine, but blessed with supernatural durability. No telltale scratches or scrapes sullying the surfaces over their 25-year lifespan. Spilled glasses of juice and playful furry friends pose no threat to these super-resistant floors either! Even flooding incidents leave luxury vinyl utterly unphased thanks to its 100% waterproof composition.
Tired of sacrificing great style for rugged practicality – or vice versa? Settle for a compromised, boring floor no more. This guide unveils how luxury vinyl floors merge stunning aesthetics with legendary durability through proprietary technologies and techniques.
Luxury vinyl flooring (LVT/LVP) has exploded in popularity among homeowners in recent years. With advancements making vinyl more realistic, durable and waterproof than ever, it offers stylish options replicating premium finishes for a fraction of the cos
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about luxury vinyl’s desirable benefits, available product types, proper installation, care and maintenance, along with revolutionary innovations that will shape its future.
Key Benefits: Why Homeowners Love Luxury Vinyl Flooring
In 2021 alone, over 12 billion square feet of vinyl flooring was sold representing a 15% increase from 2020.
What’s driving this surge in demand? Luxury vinyl flooring checks all the boxes homeowners desire:
- Gorgeous— Hyper-realistic Aesthetics
That beautifully replicates high-end finishes like hardwood, natural stone, ceramic tile, and more. Advanced printing technologies allow the most delicate wood grains, subtle mineral streaks, and varied stone textures to be replicated down to the finest detail. Luxury vinyl captures the full visual essence of materials that would cost exponentially more.
- Extreme Durability
To resist the scrapes, scratches, stains, dents and fractures that can quickly ruin real wood and stone. A transparent wear layer protects the vinyl surface while the rigid polymer core prevents indentation. Luxury vinyl stands up to active families, pets, heavy furniture, and high-traffic areas year after year.
- 100% Waterproof Construction
Makes luxury vinyl ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, basements, laundry rooms or anywhere prone to spills, flooding or excessive moisture. Water simply beads up while the floor remains completely protected against swelling and warping. By contrast, natural woods are highly vulnerable to water damage.
- Softer and Comfortable
More comfortable underfoot than tile, stone or even some solid hardwood floors. Attached cork, foam or felt padding creates a quiet, supportive walking surface. This cushioning also helps absorb sound rather than amplifying footsteps or impact noise.
- Cost savings
50% or more cost saving compared to genuine stone, ceramic, exotic wood and other premium flooring options. Luxury vinyl provides the same refined visuals and a more durable build at a fraction of the investment. Installation expenses are lower as well.
- DIY-Friendly Installation
DIY-Friendly Installation helps you also to save money. Many luxury vinyl flooring products are designed for easy installation like glue-down, click-lock, or loose-lay installation methods.
For stunning looks bordering on indistinguishable from the real thing along with rugged resilience against busy households, luxury vinyl leads the industry. It outperforms comparable floors across every desirable attribute while maintaining affordability. With this unbeatable combination of beauty, toughness and value, it’s no wonder luxury vinyl is today’s fastest growing flooring segment.
For beauty that lasts decades with simple care, LVT and LVP lead the way.
Types of Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Planks vs. Tiles
The market contains two main vinyl flooring categories:
Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVPs)
LVPs resemble strip hardwood floors with long, wide boards. Modern rigid core LVPs make up today’s vinyl sales thanks to its exceptional resistance to moisture, temperature fluctuations and indentation.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVTs)
LVTs offer a classic tile shape in stone, ceramic and wood aesthetics. The best contain solid polymer cores rather than less durable foam. Popular options include:
● Glue Down LVT affixed entirely to subfloors using specialty adhesives.
● Floating LVT click-locked over underlayment or attached cushion pads.
● Loose-lay LVT with friction backings enabling a glueless floating installation.
Subtle differences in wear layers, core layers and pads distinguish types, brands and price points. Consult an expert flooring dealer for recommendations on your setting and needs.
Proper Installation: The Critical Starting Point
Improper installation triggers a variety of problems. That’s why getting set up right makes all the difference in achieving luxury vinyl’s 20+ year lifespan. Key steps include:
Acclimating Boxes
Leave vinyl flooring boxes at room temperature for 48 hours pre-install. Drastic temp changes risk later contraction or expansion issues.
Subfloor Prep
Floors must be structurally sound, smooth, clean and dry first. Address cracks, holes and moisture migration. trailhead may apply sealers or primers if needed.
Floating vs. Glue Down
● Floating systems involve click-locking planks/tiles so no adhesive touches planks. Best for concrete.
● Glue down fastens planks/tiles across the entire floor over wood or concrete. Ensures ultimate durability.
Expansion Gaps
Always leave 1/4” gaps where floors meet walls, thresholds and fixed objects to prevent buckling.
Following manufacturer guidelines for every step results in a worry-free installation built to last.
Maintaining Your Flooring Investment
With proper acclimation, subfloor prep and installation, luxury vinyl floors should offer at least 25 years of service life – far greater than the average carpet (6 years) or hardwood (15 years). To achieve this exceptional ROI by protecting your flooring investment, incorporate:
● Daily cleaning to prevent dirt, dust and debris accumulation that can scratch floors over time. Dry dust mop floors thoroughly once per day. Use a mop with vinyl-approved cleaners whenever grime builds up. Prompt cleaning of spills. Sweep or vacuum debris outside doorways to reduce the amount of tracked-in particles that can act like abrasive sandpaper.
● Protective measures in heavy traffic zones where abrasions likely occur. Area rugs in high foot traffic spaces cushion impact while concealing inevitable wear patterns. Furniture leg pads similarly disperse weight evenly. Never slide or roll furniture or appliances across floors to avoid scratching. Avoid steel-tipped heels or dragged sharp objects that could potentially puncture the wear layer.
● Professional repairs for addressing more severe scratches, gouges and stains penetrating through the clear protective top layer. Unlike surface damage, deeper issues require expert intervention. But luxury vinyl’s resilience means damage rarely penetrates the wear layer with proper precautions.
● Avoid abrasive cleansers like powders, scouring pads or harsh multipurpose chemicals. While well-intended, these slowly strip away luxury vinyl’s durable surface over time. Neutral pH cleaners specifically formulated for urethane-coated floors properly eliminate grime without eroding longevity.
Apply preventative daily and weekly care along with addressing problems immediately as they arise, and your floors will remain pristine for 25 years instead of requiring replacement every 5-15 years like alternatives. Proper maintenance preserves both the appearance and performance of your flooring for decades to come.
Exciting Innovations in Luxury Vinyl Flooring
● Manufacturers constantly enhance luxury vinyl with cutting-edge improvements including:
● Digitally replicated wood grain and stone patterns achieving new levels of realism.
● Revolutionary waterproof floor cores unphased by flooding emergencies.
Antimicrobial components inhibit bacteria, mold and microbes.
Technologies like these will enable LVT and LVP performance to scale new heights in the years ahead while retaining the inherent benefits homeowners already know and love.
Conclusion
Tired of choosing between practicality and style? Luxury vinyl’s compelling combination of both catalyzes a seismic shift in flooring. Withstanding what shatters or shames more delicate materials, its distinctive designs endure beautifully preserved for 20 to 25 years through busy households. Kids grow up and move out while luxury vinyl floors stay right where they belong – gracing homes with comfort, character and timeless aesthetic appeal no matter what life throws their way.
Resolve to treat your feet to the softest yet strongest, most resilient yet remarkable floors available today!
FAQs
- How long does luxury vinyl flooring last?
With proper installation and care, LVT and LVP can realistically last 20 to 25 years or longer before replacement becomes necessary. Proactive maintenance preserves longevity.
- Can you install vinyl flooring in bathrooms or basements prone to moisture?
Yes – vinyl construction is 100% waterproof, so it can withstand damp bathrooms, basements, laundry rooms and other vulnerable areas. But careful subfloor prep remains vital.
- Does vinyl flooring increase resale value?
While less impactful than stone or hardwood, luxury vinyl’s affordability, durability and realistic visuals still appeal greatly to prospective home buyers. So it makes homes more sellable while avoiding reduced valuations.