What Makes Luxury Vinyl Flooring So Popular With High-End Builders?
One of the most popular forms of flooring is luxury vinyl flooring. It is offered in designs that resemble stone, stone floors, and other fashionable aesthetics. Luxury vinyl tiles are widely used today.
What Exactly Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Luxury vinyl tile flooring is constructed of many layers of synthetic material. Similar to hardwood, it is available in planks, although it is mostly manufactured of PVC which is a type of plastic.
The most fundamental type of vinyl plank flooring has three layers. They are, starting at the bottom:
- a foundational core or base layer that feels well underfoot. Depending on the product, it may be hard or flexible.
- a pattern or design layer that determines the appearance and texture of the vinyl plank. This layer may make virtually any surface look like real wood, tile, stone, or another material.
- a surface or wear layer to shield the vinyl plank from harm of any type, including UV fading. It is translucent on this stratum.
The greatest vinyl flooring options frequently feature one or even two additional layers to aid with soundproofing and underfoot comfort, among other things.
Why Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Popular Among High-End Builders?
Why do builders pick luxury vinyl plank flooring over real hardwood, which has all the same natural beauty? Real hardwood flooring is beautiful and gives a space so much character and warmth. But it also causes a great deal of anxiety.
The flooring is made up of a number of layers. The manufacturer and style will determine exactly what the layers are made of and how thick they are, but because they are luxury planks, they are higher quality and nearly always thicker than conventional vinyl flooring.
Read on to find out why luxury vinyl plank flooring is popular with high-end builders.
- Moisture Resistant
Real wood flooring wouldn’t be put in a bathroom because, despite your best efforts, the floor will inevitably become wet. Wood floors and water or other liquids do not mix well.
Exposure to moisture can lead to warping, staining, and other problems that shorten the life of a hardwood floor and ruin your investment.
Unlike other tile flooring options that are referred to as water resistant, LVT is completely waterproof. So there’s no need to be concerned when the kids splash water out of the bathtub, someone enters your home wearing muddy, wet boots, or you spill anything in the kitchen.
Simply blot it up and carry on with your day. A premium vinyl tile floor is an excellent option because of its resilience to dampness.
- Scratch Resistant
Durability and scratch resistance are crucial when choosing flooring for your home’s entryways and other high-traffic areas.
LVT is significantly better at withstanding damage from scratches and scuffs than hardwood floors, as well as many other types of flooring.
LVT is better for entryways and other high traffic areas since it resists scratches better than hardwood flooring does. The flooring’s wear layer guards against damage from children, dogs, furniture, and daily use.
- Affordable
You can save a lot of money with LVT without losing style, toughness, or comfort. In particular, more expensive, exotic wood kinds, its price per square foot is significantly lower than that of real wood flooring.
For a warm, rustic appearance, you can even use LVT that looks like worn, reclaimed wood. Without the high expense, LVT is made to resemble numerous species and colors of hardwood flooring.
- Easy maintenance
One of the lowest care flooring options is luxury vinyl; all that is required to maintain them is daily sweeping and periodic mopping. Unlike real wood, ceramic tile, and stone floors, most luxury vinyl products don’t require regular waxing, polishing, or sealing.
And homeowners who choose LVP have an added advantage when it comes to hassle-free maintenance: any damaged planks can be simply removed and replaced.
- Versatile
Luxury vinyl flooring offers a wide range of possibilities that are always expanding, no matter what your preferences or aesthetic are in terms of interior design. And the best luxury vinyl is so convincingly crafted to resemble the natural material it is meant to mimic that most people cannot tell it is artificial.
Compared to traditional vinyl flooring, luxury vinyl flooring offers greater insulation, cushioning, and installation options, making it more convenient and comfortable.
Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Better Than Hardwood Flooring?
LVT and hardwood flooring can and ought to be used in almost all commercial settings. There are few exceptions, but environments like hospitality, multi-family, retail, business, and more are acceptable for both hardwood and LVT.
Hardwood is a classy and good option for almost any flooring application, with the exception of places with a lot of dampness. As a result, hardwood shouldn’t be utilized in places like restrooms or kitchens in restaurants. These locations are excellent candidates for an LVT floor.
Due to its inherent moisture resistance, LVT is ideal for use in restrooms, kitchens, and produce sections of supermarkets. It is suitable for commercial application in retail, hotel, healthcare, educational, residential, and fitness sectors because of its stability and durability during manufacturing.
When you choose hardwood or LVT, you’re using it to give your design an opulent center point. Although the costs of high-end finishes are slightly greater, hardwood and LVT are long-term investments that will add beauty and durability to any space.
Practically speaking, hardwood flooring is a little more expensive than LVT. This is because, unlike LVT, which can be produced repeatedly in a single site, hardwood is a natural resource that must be harvested, processed, and finished.
What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Two of the most widespread myths about luxury vinyl flooring are that it lacks textural depth and that its pattern eventually becomes unrecognizable. Both statements are untrue; luxury vinyl flooring can be difficult to tell apart from the real thing and can endure for many years with little deterioration.
Another common myth is that installing premium vinyl flooring is always simple. It may actually take quite a bit of preparation to work with a wavy or uneven subfloor, especially if you’re using LVP. They usually need to lie flat and line up properly before they can snap into place.
Another myth that needs to be cleared up is the benefit of long-term investments. Luxury vinyl flooring, despite what its name suggests, won’t boost the value of your house the same way as wood, stone, or ceramic flooring does.
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each flooring option at the planning stage if return on investment (ROI) is a key factor in your home improvement project.
Conclusion
An ideal option for high-end builders to use in modern homes or renovations is vinyl plank flooring.
Depending on the type, this sort of floor can simulate real wood at a far lower cost. Aside from being inexpensive, vinyl flooring is also simple to install and maintain.
