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If you’re looking up “the best luxury vinyl flooring UK,” you’ve come to the right place. Luxury vinyl flooring (LVT) is nothing like the dated floors of the seventies. Instead, this modern flooring type comes in almost infinite options, styles, and prints of vinyl flooring.
Of course, this variety can make your choice a rather difficult one. After all, you have to consider your budget, the location where you’ll install the flooring, the anticipated amount of foot traffic, and other factors.
This is why we, at All Floors Trade Centre, have made it our mission to help you. So, without further ado, here’s our comprehensive guide on choosing the ideal luxury vinyl flooring for you.
This type of flooring is found in multi-ply planks and tiles. And it’s made of PVC vinyl.
Moreover, luxury vinyl flooring contains six to eight layers of materials. To elaborate, this includes a clear topcoat layer for lustre, a transparent wear layer for a protected design, a design layer with the print, a cushion foam layer for added comfort when you walk, a fibreglass blocking layer, and a PVC backing layer for sturdiness and rigidity.
Furthermore, if you opt for stone-look luxury vinyl, it might have pulverised limestone or some type of ground mineral.
In addition, its wear layer can be anything from 2mm to 8mm thick. As a result, it’s much more rigid and thicker than standard vinyl.
Firstly, vinyl plank assumes the appearance of hardwood floors with various wood colours, grains, and textures. It’s better than real wood in that it’s water-resistant, stain-resistant, and easier to maintain.
Secondly, where a vinyl plank resembles wood, a vinyl tile resembles stone. It’s available in multiple sizes, colours, and patterns. If you have a small space, vinyl tiling can fit in easily. Also, it’s easy to replace in case of any damage.
As for the third type of luxury vinyl flooring, that’s vinyl sheeting. It’s a roll that can be 12’ wide. So, you can spread it over large spaces. Not to mention, it’s durable and budget-friendly, which probably explains its popularity. Also, if you already have flooring, you can easily lay vinyl sheets over it.
In terms of build material, there’s no difference between LVT and LVP. But let’s cover the pros and cons of each so that you can make up your mind.
If you love the luxurious look of stone or ceramic tiling, LVT is your best bet. It’s effortless to install, thanks to its interlocking or “floating” installation. And it’s water-resistant or even proof.
Nevertheless, we have to note that LVT doesn’t exactly feel like real stone. Also, it’s more expensive than porcelain and ceramic tiles.
Otherwise, if you learn towards the classic look of wood, LVP assumes its appearance. It’s also comparable to laminate flooring and is ideal for small spaces. And like LVT, it’s easy to install, meaning that you can certainly DIY your way through it. Moreover, it requires little maintenance with water-resistant and even waterproof specs.
On the downside, LVP doesn’t possess the texture of solid hardwood. Also, it may be more expensive than laminate options.
Luxury vinyl plank flooring requires less upheaval in installation than tile flooring. Otherwise, the latter will probably necessitate professional installation.
With luxury vinyl flooring, you can buy a quality product for a reasonable price. Alternatively, tiles, stone or ceramic, are costly. Furthermore, LVT is sturdy and can handle most of what might hit it. But tile flooring is likely to crack under weights, and it’s also more expensive to repair.
There’s no clear-cut answer to this question. But luxury vinyl plank flooring is a solid option. To illustrate, it’s durable, affordable, and easy to install and clean. It also doesn’t scratch easily. Not to mention, it has a comfortable underfoot. And with its water resistance, you don’t have to worry about damaging it with wet mopping or spillage.
These are all perks you need in a high traffic room because they enable your floor to remain undamaged and clean.
Luckily, luxury vinyl flooring needs little maintenance. Adjust your steam mop to a low setting, and use it to clean your vinyl. But if you want to clean off a stain or spill, you can merely sweep the floor with it.
Also, note that applying abrasive scourers on vinyl floors is a no-no, as it can damage your floor.
If you want to install luxury vinyl, here are the materials you need:
Now, let’s go over the steps of installing luxury vinyl. Before you can lay the vinyl flooring, you should check the floor to ensure that it’s flat. In other words, you need to remove any nails, concrete lumps, humps, and dips if they’re over 2mm in a 1metre run.
Then, you can acclimatise your LVT. That means leaving the closed boxes with your flooring in the room you’ll install it in for 48 hours before you lay it. Note that the heating conditions should be regular and the temperature should be 18 to 28 Deg.
Afterwards, you should place an LVT underlay or a self-adhesive vinyl tile underlay. This foam layer provides your flooring with sufficient support. Also, make sure to roll out the underlay at a right angle to the floor installation’s direction.
Finally, you can install your LVT floor over the underlay. To elaborate, start against a straight wall with 7-10mm spacers. This way, the gap between the LVT board and wall is even. Then, switch up the direction of the flooring at least every 7m as well.
Experts recommend that you order more flooring than you need. But how much extra flooring exactly do you need? Luxury vinyl planks and tiles only require an additional 5 to 10%. That’s because your planks will probably not fit exactly, with some cut edges and loss of material.
For instance, you might have a 200 square feet space. In that case, you should get 210 or 220 square feet of luxury vinyl flooring.
Generally, vinyl flooring of 2mm thickness tends to be low-quality. Otherwise, good vinyl flooring products are 8mm thick or more. Thickness is even more critical if you’re buying a particular type of luxury vinyl, click flooring.
After all, the thickness makes installation more manageable if you’re buying the best vinyl click flooring. So, tiles should be at least 5 mm thick.
Tip: You don’t want to disrupt the transition between rooms by installing flooring in one room that’s noticeably higher than that in another.
To begin with, you can install luxury vinyl flooring with underfloor heating. It’s a good idea because this flooring type will expand or contract to accommodate the room’s temperature. Nevertheless, make sure the temperature of your LVT flooring doesn’t exceed 27c.
Tip: A thermostat with a floor sensor can keep the temperature in check, ensuring that you don’t damage your floor surface.
If you’re looking for the best vinyl flooring (UK 2021), we’ve got you. Here are the best vinyl flooring brands, UK, that you should check out.
Whether you’re looking for residential or commercial flooring, Amtico vinyl flooring can help. Its 50 years of experience are evident in its durability, practicality, and quality. Down below are some of its top-quality vinyl flooring options:
Moving on, Karndean isn’t any less established among LVT flooring brands than its predecessor with 40 years of experience. Karndean flooring services residential and commercial settings. Examples of the brand’s collection include:
Another notable brand is Quick-Step Livyn, making use of brilliant technologies.
As for a leading force in LVT flooring, that’d be Kahrs, as it’s been around for over 160 years.
Finally, Bentley has been creating LVT flooring products for 40 years with a versatile collection. It includes:
Portofino Rigid Core: You’ll appreciate the Rigid Core collection if sturdiness and safety in flooring is your priority. It features Bfl-s1 fire resistance, wear resistance, and more.
There’s no straightforward answer to this question. But you’ve read our luxury vinyl flooring reviews UK, in which we’ve discussed the best LVT flooring, UK. Still, we might say that it’s a tie between Karnean and Amtico. So, we’ll tackle a couple of aspects that showcase their slight differences to help you make a decision.
For one, if your priority is thickness, Karnean flooring is impressively thick, with wear layers up to 0.7mm thick. Amtico’s products aren’t as thick with 0.55m wear layers. They’re still thick, though. In terms of warranties, Karndean offers a 20-year warranty. But Amtico provides a lifetime warranty on its signature range.
For luxury vinyl planks, we’ll go with Proximity Mills’ products. We love how Proximity Mills provides what’s probably the best value LVT flooring. The brand cuts down on intermediaries to keep its products budget-friendly. Also, it’s run by the manufacturers of some of the most expensive vinyl flooring brands, so we trust its quality.
In other words, the brand combines quality with affordability. Last but not least, it’s enthusiastic about sustainability and environmentalism.
For luxury vinyl planks, we’ll go with Proximity Mills’ products. We love how Proximity Mills provides what’s probably the best value LVT flooring. The brand cuts down on intermediaries to keep its products budget-friendly. Also, it’s run by the manufacturers of some of the most expensive vinyl flooring brands, so we trust its quality.
In other words, the brand combines quality with affordability. Last but not least, it’s enthusiastic about sustainability and environmentalism.
Overall, luxury vinyl flooring is an ideal flooring type if you choose wisely. So, consider what your priorities are, whether that’s water resistance, easy installation, easy maintenance, durability, patterns, or else.
Then, compare luxury vinyl flooring options we’ve recommended and others to see which aligns best with your priorities. Despite how overwhelming the process may seem at first, this guide will help you narrow down your options and choose the best vinyl floor covering for your space.