Everything You Should Know About Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a synthetic product favored for its durability and functionality. It's also hard to scratch or stain. Made of multiple layers, vinyl flooring is affordable, durable, and waterproof.
What is Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Plank vinyl flooring, also called luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or Luxury Vinyl Floor (LVF), is simply vinyl flooring that comes in long, narrow strips rather than traditional square tile shapes. Though similar to traditional vinyl, structurally this is a different product. Vinyl plank flooring is a multi-ply product that features four layers:
A topmost layer of aluminum oxide, designed to prevent light scratching and scuffs
A clear film layer that protects against more severe ripping and tearing
A design layer that provides the realistic look of wood or stone
A backing layer made of fairly rigid vinyl, comprising almost 90 percent of the total thickness of luxury vinyl
The overall thickness of planks is measured in millimeters. Higher quality products are at least 8mm thick. Thicker planks are usually preferred if they click together for installation. You can find vinyl planks with a heavily antiqued or distressed look, hand-scraped, dinged, scratched and peppered with nail holes. This look is more expensive since the planks need to be quite thick to handle such deeply textured embossing. Vinyl flooring planks typically are 48 or 36 inches long. With most planks, the width is about 6 inches.
Where to Use it
Because it is usually waterproof and easy to maintain, luxury vinyl flooring is a good option for wherever there are spills, kids and pets, making it a sensible option for kitchens, bathrooms, entries, mudrooms and playrooms.
Bathrooms and kitchens are ideal spaces for luxury vinyl flooring. Most luxury vinyl are moisture-friendly and can withstand spills from cleaners and chemicals. If you are using a room fairly often, such as a living room, kitchen or office you might consider a vinyl that has a cork backing on it. It helps add a little padding when you are on your feet.
Design
Vinyl flooring comes in hundreds of colors and patterns from the major flooring manufacturers. Most plank forms of luxury vinyl seek to mimic hardwood flooring, and they do this quite effectively. At a casual glance, vinyl planks can look quite similar to natural wood. Tile forms of luxury vinyl generally seek to mimic ceramics or natural stone quite effectively.
Maintenance and Repair
This is one of the easier floors to maintain. Most manufactures recommend simple sweeping daily, and weekly damp mopping with a mild detergent and mop, or with cleaning pads.
Repairs can be a little tricky. You may be able to repair small areas of damage with a vinyl repair kit chosen to match the color of your flooring. The patched area will usually not be a perfect match. Replacing entire planks usually involves disassembling the floor from one wall up to the damaged plank, installing a replacement plank, then reassembling the floor back to the wall - our preferred method.
How long does vinyl plank flooring last?
Vinyl plank flooring has a life expectancy of around 20 years if it is of good quality, installed correctly, and is properly maintained.
Vinyl flooring is an affordable, adaptable and durable option when it comes to floors. You’ll have to consider which type of vinyl flooring is right for your home and which parts of your home are the best candidates for vinyl flooring. However with a wide variety of options to choose from, you will likely end up with a floor that will be easy to care for and beautiful to look at for years to come. If you are considering replacing your current flooring with Luxury Vinyl, contact Allstate General Contractors today!
