Luxury Vinyl Floor Guide

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Luxury vinyl is a popular choice for all fans of beautiful floors, regardless of skill level. Whether it’s chosen by professional contractors or DIY weekend warriors, luxury vinyl flooring offers the look, durability and cost-effectiveness that has cemented its status as a popular alternative to more expensive floor options.

Even though luxury vinyl is no longer a newcomer when it comes to popular flooring options, consumers still have questions about its qualities and uses.  Here are some common questions and quick answers to help customers make a more informed decision about luxury vinyl.

What is luxury vinyl flooring? How is it different from regular vinyl?

The earliest instance of vinyl flooring is sheet vinyl. Sheet vinyl is cost effective and water resistant, but many people remember vinyl flooring as just cheap. Luxury vinyl has some similarities with sheet vinyl, but the main differences are in its appearance and durability.

Luxury vinyl is much thicker than sheet vinyl, made up of multiple layers to enhance its look and resilience. The most popular aspect to luxury vinyl is its ability to mimic a wide range looks and patterns: natural materials like wood and stone to ornate patterns and tile. Basically, if you can dream it up, it can be done with luxury vinyl. 

What’s the difference between LVT and LVP?

Luxury vinyl comes in different form factors to best give customers the look they want. When people talk of luxury vinyl flooring, they mostly refer to it as LVT or LVP. LVP is luxury vinyl plank and LVT is luxury vinyl tile—the properties are the same between the two, all that’s different is the way the vinyl is cut out.

Where can I install LV flooring?

Since luxury vinyl flooring is durable, moisture resistant, easy to install and can have any look customers want, it can be installed virtually anywhere. Popular places to install LVP or LVT are in any high traffic areas, kitchens, bathrooms and basements.

What should I look for in good LV flooring?

All luxury vinyl flooring has the same basic components. What separates budget LVP from top quality LVP can be summed up in three major areas.

• Wear Level Thickness. The top layer of luxury vinyl is the protective wear layer. This layer protects against scuffs, scratches and other physical damage. The thicker the wear layer, the higher the quality.     
• Overall Thickness. The thickness of the entire plank or tile will give you a sense of its durability. Thinner luxury vinyl is very pliable and bends easily. Thicker luxury vinyl is more resilient and is closer to a wood floor plank in terms of thickness.        
• Core/Bottom Layer. The middle layer of luxury vinyl flooring is its core. The core gives the luxury vinyl its durability and can increase moisture resistance to the point of being totally waterproof. The bottom of layer of luxury vinyl can have an underlayment to make it more comfortable to walk on or reduce sound.

How expensive is LV flooring?

The major benefits of LVP and LVT flooring are that they can provide customers the look of natural materials like stone and hardwood with the durability and price of vinyl. When it comes to cost, the range can be from $2 - $7 per square foot. Some budget luxury vinyl can even be had under $2 a square foot and high end LVP and LVT can get closer $9 a square foot. The middle price point of $4 a square foot can give customers a wide range of options without sacrificing quality.

Can I install LV flooring myself?

Many customers are drawn to luxury vinyl flooring because it can be easy to install. With the different ways to install luxury vinyl, customers can decide for themselves if they want to make the installation a DIY project or get it done professionally.

• Interlocking. Pieces connect using a tongue and groove system. Interlocking luxury vinyl can be installed as a floating floor.        
• Peel and Stick. Flooring has an adhesive backing for easy installation. Simply apply pressure to set the vinyl in place.
• Glue Down. To keep vinyl flooring attached to the floor, especially in high traffic areas, glue down luxury vinyl is an option. Once set, however, glue down luxury vinyl can be hard to remove.             
• Loose Lay. The simplest method of installation, no glues or locking systems required. Loose lay luxury vinyl has a backing that uses friction to keep the floor in place. Pieces are easy set and easy to remove, making this a popular installation option.

How do I clean and maintain LV flooring?

Luxury vinyl flooring is easy to clean and maintain. Just like laminate and hardwood floors, daily dusting and weekly mopping are enough to keep it looking its best. While luxury vinyl floors are durable, they can still get scratches and scuffs. They can’t get refinished like other wood surfaces, so be sure to find the right type of LVP or LVT that meets the needs of your home.

The Bona professional website has lots of helpful resources and information to keep flooring contractors up to date on product info and industry best practices. Learn more about our resources for professionals.