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Are you looking for durable and practical flooring that doesn’t lack the pleasing aesthetic of natural materials? If so, it’s time to look into the different types of LVT flooring.
Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) flooring combines the elegance of natural materials and the durability and ease of maintenance of artificial ones. It’s a golden solution for industrial and commercial facilities and places where moisture is common. Nowadays, LVT floorings are quickly rising to the top of the market with their favourable qualities.
To learn more about the different types of LVT flooring and which one is suitable or the best for you, read on!
We’ve all heard about vinyl floorings before, but what is LVT flooring, in particular?
LVT flooring means luxury vinyl tiles flooring, and it’s a type of flooring that looks like real wood or stone but is much thinner and more practical. It’s often manufactured from many layers that add to its durability, and it’s a dream for DIY enthusiasts for how easy it is to install it.
LVT flooring can be installed by glue fastening or snapping its tiles together. In addition, its tiles are extremely thin, making it more favourable for people with shallow floors. This way, they won’t have to add depth to their floors before installing new tiles.
On top of that, LVT floorings are more durable than real wood and more resistant to scratches and wear. Not to mention, they’re water-resistant, making them a perfect alternative to laminate floorings.
After giving you a brief introduction to LVT flooring, it’s time to dive into more details regarding its types. There are four types of LVT flooring, and we’ll give you a brief roundup of them.
As their name refers, self-adhesive vinyl tiles and planks don’t require glue for installation. Instead, they have adhesive layers on their backs that stick by pressure. So to install them, you’ll only have to remove the protective layer on each tile, position it correctly, and press it down on the floor.
Removing self-adhesive tiles is equally easy. You can first use a blow-dryer to heat each tile and melt the adhesive. Then, you can cut the tiles into small chunks and remove each piece.
Installing glue-down LVT flooring is a bit more challenging than installing self-adhesive tiles. This is because, this time, you’ll need a type of glue that can stick vinyl floors.
While less suitable for DIY lovers, glue-down LVT floorings are more durable than self-adhesive tiles and less likely to move under your feet. This is especially the case if they’re installed by a professional.
To install glue-down LVT tiles, apply the glue to the ground first. Then, press each tile in its proper place till it’s glued to the floor. Removing this type of LVT flooring is challenging and calls for a professional’s help, mainly because the glue doesn’t melt easily.
Unlike the previous two types, interlocking vinyl tiles don’t require any adhesives for installation. Instead, they have complementary designs that allow each two tiles to join. In other words, you’ll only need to click the tiles together in their proper places to install your new LVT flooring.
While removing interlocking tiles isn’t particularly challenging, you’ll have to remove an entire row if you want to remove a specific tile. This is because the entire row is connected.
Loose lay vinyl planks were specifically designed to provide easy installation. They don’t require adhesives and don’t have locking systems. Instead, they adhere to the floor by friction.
The high friction between their bottom layer and the floor causes them to grip the subfloor tightly, leaving no chance for the tiles to move beneath your feet. To ensure the planks don’t roll, you can use adhesive in the room corners.
The best part about loose lay vinyl planks is that they’re reusable. So you can easily remove and install them somewhere else. On top of that, they don’t leave any residues behind. So generally, they’re one of the best types of vinyl flooring.
There are many vinyl flooring types on the market, but why is LVT flooring special? Here are four reasons why you should install LVT flooring in your house.
What makes LVT floorings more appealing to customers is that they’re moisture-resistant, unlike many other flooring types.
The pros of LVT floorings is they are manufactured from PVC, which gives them a very high water resistance. As a result, you can install LVT tiles in your laundry room, basement, bathroom, or kitchen.
Of course, the degree of moisture resistance depends on the flooring’s installation. For instance, if the installation is faulty and there are open seams between every two tiles, water will seep into your subfloor, which will eventually damage the entire floor.
Also, if you accidentally pour any liquid on your floor, you should be quick to wipe it, even if your floors are water-resistant.
The part where LVT floorings shine among other types is their unprecedented durability. While real wooden floors are more attractive aesthetically, they don’t last as long.
More so, LVT floorings are always a winner when kids and pets are around, and generally, in high-traffic rooms. Even if your pet likes to scratch the floor with its nails, you won’t see a scratch or any signs of wear.
Floors that aren’t water-resistant are often challenging to clean because how can you efficiently clean a floor without water? However, this isn’t the case with LVT floorings. Instead, you can clean them in whatever way you like.
For instance, you can use a vacuum, mop, or water and soap. You won’t have to worry about water seeping through the floors and damaging your subfloor. However, it’s fair to warn you that you shouldn’t put too much water on your floors, no matter how water-resistant they are.
The constant advances in the floors industry have made differentiating between real wooden floors and types of floor vinyl extremely challenging. They’re equally elegant and have high-end finishes, so you might not notice the difference.
Not to mention, LVT floorings are available in many attractive designs and colours. For instance, you can choose a floor that looks like stone, wood, marble, and the like. To sum it up, they satisfy every taste.
Many types of vinyl floorings are available on the market, and many people confuse LVT and LVP floorings. For starters, LVP flooring, also known as luxury vinyl plank flooring, is manufactured in the shape of planks to resemble real wooden floors. Meanwhile, LVT floorings are manufactured in the shape of tiles.
Both types are water-resistant, making them popular among other flooring types. They’re manufactured from multiple plastic layers, making it impossible for water to seep through them and reach the subfloor. You can install either type in any room you want, even if it’s susceptible to moisture.
LVT and LVP are available in many colours and designs, and they greatly resemble natural materials like wood and stone. They’re also equally easy to install, clean, and maintain.
There isn’t a definite answer to this question; however, we can clear things up a bit for you. First of all, LVP flooring looks more like hardwood than LVT flooring. So if you’re going for the authentic wooden look in your house, you’ll love how it looks.
On the other hand, LVT flooring looks like stone and bamboo floorings because it’s cut into smaller pieces.
Other than that, there are nearly no differences between the two types. They share the same pros and cons. For starters, they’re both durable, water-resistant, easy to install, and affordable.
But unfortunately, they’re also non-biodegradable, can fade when exposed to sunlight for long hours every day, and can cause health problems for people with breathing problems. But how?
Vinyl floorings, in general, emit pollutant gases known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Although these gases aren’t harmful to healthy people, they might cause some health issues for people with lung or breathing conditions.
Yes, LVT floorings are entirely water-resistant, unlike other types of flooring that are only partially resistant to moisture. This is because they’re manufactured from a durable wear layer, rigid core, and attached underlayment. The multiple layers, combined with the durable manufacturing materials, ensure that water doesn’t damage the floor.
The best LVT flooring type depends on your needs. If you want your floor to look like real wood, then you should get LVP flooring. But if you want a stone-themed aesthetic, you’ll do better with vinyl tiles. Finally, if you want to install new flooring in your bathroom or kitchen, you should consider WPC flooring, also known as waterproof plank flooring.
Installing LVT flooring costs about £20 to £60 per meter square. However, this price is only for purchasing the tiles. Installing them will also cost you money if you hire a professional to do it. It might cost you anywhere from £5 to £20 per meter square. Any issues with your subfloor might cause the price to go up.
Choosing new flooring for your house is always a dilemma between settling for a higher price and a more elegant look or an affordable price and a low-quality finish. However, you can say goodbye to this dilemma with LVT floorings.
They’re durable, affordable, water-resistant, and look elegant. They’re also very easy to install, clean, and maintain. All in all, they’re a good choice for high-traffic and water damage susceptible rooms.
If you want to install LVT floorings, contact us now!