Luxury vinyl flooring: What you need to know about LVP and LVT

Need to redo those old floors? We’ve got the ultimate guide on luxury vinyl flooring. We’ll explain the differences between luxury vinyl plank and tile, and offer the top 5 reasons you should choose it.

What is luxury vinyl flooring

Vinyl flooring has been on the scene for decades, who doesn’t remember that tacky brown and orange sheet vinyl in their grandmother’s kitchen?!
In recent years, the flooring world has experienced a major shift in popularity with the introduction of luxury vinyl flooring. This innovative flooring system allows homeowners to enjoy the classy appearance of wood and stone floors, without all the drawbacks.
This beautiful material is broken down into two basic categories, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP), which looks like wood planks. And Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) which resembles tile slabs.

The benefits of luxury vinyl flooring

Here are the biggest benefits of choosing luxury vinyl flooring for your next project.

Affordable. Real wood and stone are pricey! Luxury vinyl allows you to have the look of natural materials, at a fraction of the price.
Comfortable and quiet. Luxury vinyl is composed of several layers of material. This provides more give, and adds more cushion underfoot than normal hardwood and stone. As an added benefit, the multiple layers act as insulation, helping reduce sound and regulate temperature in your home.
Strong. The thicker the vinyl, the more resistant the flooring. Although it has a similar appearance as standard vinyl, luxury vinyl packs a bigger punch when it comes to strength and resilience. The thickness of luxury vinyl makes it harder to damage, giving it a longer lifespan. This makes it ideal for homes with high foot traffic, children and pets.
Low maintenance. Say goodbye to special maintenance! Unlike hardwood and stone, luxury vinyl is easy to maintain, leaving more time to admire your floors and less time taking care of them.
Simple installation. Love a good DIY project?? The interlocking tongue and groove system is user friendly and easy to install. It can even be applied over most existing flooring.

It’s also waterproof! If you’ve always wanted wood floors in your bathroom but are afraid of the water damage, you’re in luck! Some LVP is fully waterproof!

Types of LVP

LVP, similar to wood, is cut as individual planks. It can also be purchased in sheets. This beautiful material doesn’t require cutting down trees, and comes in a variety of different colors, grains and textures. Here are some examples of the different species available.

Maple
Oak
Hickory
Ebony
Bamboo

Vinyl plank — Luxury vinyl plank makes a gorgeous choice for bathrooms

Types of LVT

LVT comes in multiple shades, sizes, textures and finishes. This material is typically chosen for bathrooms and kitchens, but can be used for any room of the house. Here are the different stone varieties you can consider for your project.