What Is Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Redoing your flooring certainly offers a range of options, from hardwood to tile to vinyl to carpet. Of course, renovating on a budget means weighing the pros and cons of each flooring type and finding the one that sits at the intersection of affordability, durability and aesthetics. Vinyl flooring often meets those three requirements, which is why it’s such a popular choice for homeowners. Though, as with any material you use in your home, vinyl comes with its own set of benefits and frustrations.
Vinyl plank is designed to resemble hardwood, and it comes in strips. You can find this product in a number of styles, each mimicking a specific type of wood, from oak to hickory and beyond. Because vinyl plank imitates hardwood, you’re sure to find a version that matches the rest of your home’s decor. Additionally, vinyl is the budget-friendly choice for renovators who want the look of hardwood without the challenging installation and cost.
Pros and cons
Purchasing wood vinyl flooring can be a smart investment, but you’ll only know whether the material is right for your home by weighing the pros and cons
Pros:
Many models of vinyl plank are backed with a felt product. When installed, this feature translates to a softer floor with more give. The top will look like hardwood and have that strong feel, but standing on vinyl for long periods of time is easier than standing on real wood. Additionally, objects are less likely to break when dropped on vinyl, which is good news for glasses and mugs.
Vinyl flooring is water resistant, making it a great choice for both bathrooms and kitchens. In fact, vinyl is better at sealing against water damage than laminate and hardwood. What’s more, some vinyl options are totally waterproof.
Vinyl plank can be installed directly on top of your subfloor, making the process quick, cost-effective and easy (given that the subfloor is in good condition). When you remove your old flooring, inspect the subfloor to make sure it’s in good shape before adding vinyl on top.
If you don’t want put a lot of effort into maintaining your floors, vinyl plank is a wise choice. The product is long-lasting, requiring only routine cleaning (i.e., sweeping and occasionally mopping) to keep it looking like new.
Vinyl is a long-lasting flooring product and can last up to 20 years. Once it’s down, you’ll have a great floor for years to come.
You can install in-floor heating beneath a number of vinyl flooring options if you’re looking for ways to increase luxury in your home.
Cons:
Vinyl products have a tendency to warp to any particles left beneath them during installation. For instance, a trapped bit of dust could eventually become a bump in your floors. As such, you must take extra care during installation to ensure absolutely no particles are left on the subfloor. This can be tedious, but the cleaning is well worth the final product.
While vinyl will hold up for many years, you can damage it. Dropping a glass or moving heavy furniture can result in scuffs and gouges that are difficult to remove. If you do rearrange furniture, be sure to cover the feet with felt, or lift the piece off the ground before moving it.
Unlike hardwood, vinyl does not add much resale value to your house. So, if you’re renovating in order to increase the value of your home, vinyl may not be the best option.
Best Ways to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring
You’ve just been handed the keys to your first real home (complete with vinyl plank throughout, of course). There’s nothing in the world that could dull your sparkle right now. Little did you know when you bought the house that not properly taking care of your shiny new vinyl plank floors could easily dull their sparkle.
If you’re feeling a sense of panic sit in, don’t worry. Vinyl plank flooring is actually one of the lowest maintenance flooring types you can install in your home. With some daily love and care, your shine can be easily be upkept by following a few guidelines unique to your new flooring type.
What is vinyl plank?
Vinyl plank is a super versatile flooring option that has surged in popularity over the last few years. The durability of vinyl compared to classic wood has made this flooring newcomer a staple in new home construction and renovations.
Nowadays, vinyl plank is a great choice to install in rooms such as bedrooms or living rooms (AKA rooms where you would traditionally find solid wood floors). The real beauty of vinyl is that you can also install it in places like kitchens and bathrooms where you can’t install wood without having warping.
Everyday Cleaning:
If you leave dust and debris on your floor, you run the risk of seriously damaging and scuffing the finish on it. You may be wondering: how does this damage happen from just a little bit of dirt on the ground?
LUXURY VINYL FLOORING
Get the natural look of wood and stone flooring with the added day to day advantages of luxury vinyl flooring (LVT). Stunning wood and stone effects are painstakingly recreated across our ranges with beautiful depth of colour. Our Impress collection even includes a registered emboss texture which allows you to see and feel grains, grooves and knots just like real wood.
The easy maintenance of luxury vinyl flooring (a simple weekly mop or brush keeps the floor looking as good as new) together with great sound and heat insulation properties ensures that luxury vinyl flooring is a great, cost effective alternative to the real stone or wood flooring.
luxury vinyl flooring is:
Moisture-resistant – perfect for slippery areas such as kitchens or bathrooms
Scratch and scuff resistant – due to a unique Protectonite PU wear-layer
Slip resistant – featuring a top R10 rating
Easy to clean and maintain – just a simple brush or mop
Great at sound and heat insulation – no more cold stone under your feet
Easy to install – thanks to CLICK technology; no adhesive, no fuss
Dependable and durable – with a 20 year guarantee available
Environmentally friendly – made with 50% recycled materials with major eco-credentials
Designed to reflect unique textures and patterns found in natural wood and stone flooring – be sure to view Impress which features a unique registered emboss texture
You can be assured of our meticulous attention to detail to recreate and bring all the authenticity and elegance of real wood and stone into either your home or business. All Moduleo® luxury vinyl flooring uses a unique printing technique to make our designs razor-sharp together with a structure press to accurately re-create the subtle textures found in wood grains and stone grooves. Impress goes one step further with an actual registered emboss texture which brings real knots and grooves into the flooring
Inspirational vinyl floor tiles
rovides endless creative possibilities to design your own floor, with varying sizes, tiles, patterns and textures available to make your space a masterpiece. Our luxury vinyl flooring takes inspiration from natural wood and stone finishes including exotic, endangered woods such as Wenge.
Vinyl Flooring – All You Need To Know Before Buying
Vinyl Flooring vs. Laminate Flooring
Vinyl flooring has made alot of improvement in the last few decades and stands today as another top choice. It is stylish, durable and affordable. Previously we discussed laminate floors which have alot in common with vinyl floors. Let’s talk all about vinyl flooring starting with a comparison to laminate.
With advances in technology, both vinyl and laminate have come a long way. Today both are rival alternative choices to more expensive natural materials like hardwood, stone and tile. Vinyl and laminate are today made to very realistically resemble these materials. No longer are these types of flooring just a cheap looking imitation that last a few short years. Improvements in construction have greatly increased the durability and longevity for both types of flooring. These materials are today made with a wear layer that on quality products is highly resistent to scuffs and scratches.
Both come in planks and tiles which are relatively easy to install for most do it yourself homeowners. Luxury vinyl (high quality solid vinyl) like laminate, is constructed of several layers with a durable clear coat wear layer over a design layer. The wear layer on each stand up well to heavy traffic and sunlight. The photographic design layer on both materials can look just like real wood, stone or ceramic. Both are available in a huge variety of designs, options and quality grades.
Vinyl & Laminate Flooring – Today’s Most Popular Flooring Choices
Each has available products which are FloorScore certified for air quality, as well as products which are antimicrobial for infection control. Both cost about the same being considerably less than wood, stone and tile. And both laminate and vinyl are relatively low maintenance.
What is the difference between laminate and vinyl ? Laminate is thicker and is rigid just like planks of wood . It is largely composed of wood fiber. Laminate’s construction allows for more depth in the design layer giving it a slightly even more realistic appearance. Walking on laminate can be just like walking on hardwood. Vinyl has a soft, cushioned, resilient surface which is quieter to walk on. It is made out of flexible pvc plastic. And that’s where it’s main advantage lies. It is impervious to water damage. Laminate on the other hand, cannot withstand under a puddle of water for very long without damage. Still laminate flooring will add slightly more value to a home for resale, where vinyl floors will do little to increase a home’s value. Hardwood, stone and tile add the most value to the sale price of a home.
BENEFITS OF VINYL
Everyone loves the look of hard-surface floors. wood, for example, is beautiful and comfortable, conveying a natural, easy luxury. tile and stone floors have the same appeal
For decades, consumers seeking an alternative to natural wood, tile, and stone surfaces didn’t have a great many stylish choices. vinyl and laminate products were, in the past, popular for their budget friendliness and ease of installation, but no one claimed they were as fashionable as real wood or tile
Luxury vinyl tile (lvt) and Vinyl sheet flooring have evolved into sophisticated products that high-end clients are choosing over wood and tile, because the new products look so similar to the natural surfaces they mimic. they perform extremely well and cost less.
Benefits of Vinyl
Available in a fabulous assortment of designs, colors, and textures, Vinyl flooring brings you exciting new styles that create beautiful rooms.
this type of floor is moisture resistant, impervious to most stains, and easy to clean.
Vinyl flooring doesn’t need to be waxed—its top layer is made to stay shiny.
heavy traffic is no problem, because these floors not only handle lots of activity, they’re actually resistant to scratches.
Vinyl flooring is … Vinyl. It’s flexible and comfortable underfoot, and there’s less breakage when items are dropped.
The price tag is usually a very pleasant surprise.
You can choose from several alternatives in look and construction. There’s direct-glue sheet flooring for durable performance and seamless appearance. Or you may prefer luxury vinyl tile or luxury vinyl planks in either direct-glue or floating constructions. Ask one of our sales staff to help you decide which of these options will best suit your space.