Luxury vinyl floors offer the perfect balance of style, moisture resistance, durability, and affordability. Here, we’ll quickly cover the key features and benefits of luxury vinyl tile and plank (LVT/LVP).
SPC Rigid Core Flooring
SPC rigid core flooring is a new category of waterproof products within luxury vinyl flooring. An ultra high performance floor, SPC offers excellent dimensional stability, wear resistance and stain resistance. Available in both plank and tile visuals, SPC flooring can be installed as a floating floor that clicks together – even over existing floors. Rigid core floors feature a core composed of a limestone-plastic composite (SPC) or Magnesium Oxide (MGO). These high performance cores are extremely dense, impact resistant and less susceptible to indentations.
WPC Flooring
WPC luxury vinyl flooring is a unique product option for residential application offering the look and feel of natural materials like wood and stone at a fraction of the price. Like rigid core, WPC is waterproof, can be installed over existing flooring and is dimensionally stable. The WPC core is contains a composite of wood and plastic (Wood-Plastic Composite). Because it’s slightly softer than its rigid core or SPC counterpart, it provides more comfort underfoot for active homes. Another feature of this slightly softer core is a more realistic visual since it can be more deeply embossed to mimic real wood grain looks. Typically WPC floors come with an attached cork backing for enhanced sound dampening properties.
Click or Glue Down Installation
Worried about an uneven subfloor? One benefit of rigid core is that it doesn’t telegraph minor subfloor imperfections, making it easier to install over imperfect subfloors. Your local CarpetsPlus COLORTILE retailer can help you with selection and installation options.
While many luxury vinyl floors use glue-down installation, the click method is gaining popularity. As the name implies, click floors are snapped together like a puzzle. These floors can be floated, meaning they can often be installed over your existing hard surface floors.
Versatility
LVT and LVP flooring surfaces are protected by a wear layer to prevent scuffs and scratches. It also prevents damage to the design layer and aids the core in protecting against dents and abrasive wear.
SPC rigid core luxury vinyl floors are dimensionally stable. Unlike its hardwood counterpart, it will not expand or contract during changes in temperature or humidity. This also means that environmental changes will never separate or create a ridge where the planks come together. It also eliminates cupping and warping. Direct sunlight is never a problem and no acclimation period is needed before or after installation. Use it anywhere – kitchens, bathrooms, or basements!
Another feature of WPC as well as SPC rigid core is the easy maintenance of sweeping, vacuuming and damp mopping. Simply vacuum a few times per week and mop once per week. That’s it! Just remember to use a cleaner approved for luxury vinyl when mopping.
Trendy Styles
LVT and LVP are designed to match stone and hardwood flooring, respectfully. A photographic layer captures the surface visuals of stone and hardwood in perfect detail. These visuals of these floors continue to improve with high definition printing. New luxury vinyl floors even mimic the textures of their natural counterparts.
Affordable Flooring
These floors are still a great option, especially for the price-conscious homeowner. It costs less to manufacture luxury vinyl flooring, and those savings are passed on to the consumer. But the value doesn’t stop there.
In addition to the plank or tile itself being waterproof, the click joint between planks is also resistant to water and moisture. This means that spills will not seep into the subfloor, even if they aren’t cleaned right away. This quickly eliminates one of the most common sources of mold and mildew.
Many of our luxury vinyl floors are protected by lifetime warranties. These warranties often cover wear and stains. Many are also protected by up to 10 year light commercial warranties.
