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Exploring The Pros & Cons of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
The world of general, kitchen, and bathroom remodeling in Rancho Penasquitos is ever-evolving, and the level of innovation the world has seen in the past several years has truly been extraordinary. In the realm of flooring, luxury vinyl has emerged as a true game changer. It’s stylish, modern, durable, and adorable, and an option that easily rivals many high-end materials.
But as with any choice, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. To help you make an informed decision, we’ll introduce you to luxury vinyl flooring and discuss its benefits and drawbacks below. Keep reading!
What exactly is luxury vinyl flooring?
Although it’s similar to standard vinyl flooring, the luxury variant stands out because its appearance can look close to that of natural materials like stone or wood. To achieve this, luxury vinyl flooring is usually thicker and has a surface layer with photo-realistic images and textures that resemble that of natural options.
Below we outline the different types of luxury vinyl flooring available for you to choose from for your kitchen, bathroom, and beyond.
1. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT)
This variant stands out as a favorite among luxury vinyl flooring options. Its appeal lies in its range of design options and a remarkable ability to mimic the appearance of natural materials like stone or wood – all without the hefty price tag or upkeep demands of the real thing. LVT has several layers: a tile backing layer, a vinyl core, a print film layer, a clear, protective ‘wear’ layer, and, finally, a polyurethane coating.
2. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)
Another popular choice in the luxury vinyl flooring world is the luxury vinyl plank (LVP). Just as the name suggests, it’s designed to recreate the look and feel of genuine hardwood planks. Unlike sheet vinyl, these are individual pieces, which is part of how they achieve that authentic appearance. LVP comes in a variety of colors, textures, and finishes that make it a versatile option that can complement a wide range of interior design styles.
3. Engineered vinyl plank (EVP)
A subset of LVP that deserves a separate mention, engineered vinyl plank is the most similar in look, feel, and form to engineered hardwood or laminate flooring. Compared to other options, it’s much more versatile and resilient and has the added benefit of being waterproof.
It’s typically much thicker than the typical glue-down vinyl. EVP is usually about 8mm thick and constructed in layers, where the top is vinyl, the middle is a high-density core board, and there’s a back underlayment for more cushioning. In recent years, it has become a very popular alternative to pricey hardwood options and plain vinyl or laminate flooring.
What are the pros and cons of luxury vinyl?
Like any other material, luxury vinyl flooring comes with a list of pros and cons. Let’s take a look at the most important ones below.
Pros of luxury vinyl flooring
There are many “pros” of choosing luxury vinyl flooring, from affordability to multiple design options and so much more. Here are some of the things we love about vinyl flooring:
1. Affordable
Perhaps the biggest advantage of luxury vinyl flooring is that it achieves the exact aesthetic of a hardwood for only a fraction of the cost. Hardwood is an amazing choice for any space, but it’s also one of the most expensive ones with an average cost between $8-$25/square foot. But luxury vinyl is somewhere between $2-$5/square foot. It achieves the look of hardwood with only a photo of the genuine material placed between the clear wear layer and backing.
2. Waterproof
Another clear advantage over many other materials is that luxury vinyl is fully waterproof. Because of this, it’s a great option for moisture-prone areas where you still want your flooring to look good, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms, and kitchens. Engineered vinyl plank is a preferred option for waterproof flooring, especially compared to laminate or engineered hardwood, both of which can get ruined by moisture, let alone a floor or water leak.
3. Easy maintenance
Natural wood, stone, and any other hard-surface flooring are known as particularly difficult to maintain, but luxury vinyl flooring stands out for its low maintenance requirements. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT), for example, doesn’t need any polishing or waxing due to its protective layer. You only need to clean and mop your floors to keep LVT looking fresh.
And if you damage any planks, you can just pop them out and replace them. Depending on how thick the wear layer is, your LVT flooring may last up to a decade before needing a replacement. While other options, like vinyl composite tile (VCT), can be a bit more demanding in terms of upkeep, sweeping and mopping are usually enough to keep luxury vinyl floors in good shape.
4. Multiple design options
Luxury vinyl flooring comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. And since this material is only growing in popularity, the number of design options to choose from is still growing every day. Whether you’re looking for a modern gray or weathered woods and farmhouse looks, there are endless luxury vinyl flooring options to choose from. It can even mimic some of the texture of natural stone or wood because the patterns can be embossed into the tile to give it a more realistic feel.
One of the most common misconceptions about LVT is that the design will wear away through use. But the design is printed onto the film layer of the tile, and protected by the clear “wear” layer, which guards against scuffs and scratches and protects the printed design layer against walk-off.
5. Mimics natural materials
If you want the look and feel of real wood, but don’t want the upkeep, luxury vinyl flooring is your best option. Luxury vinyl, especially engineered vinyl plank, looks so much like real wood that many of your guests will inevitably mistake it for hardwood. Also, since the planks are thicker and more rigid, luxury vinyl feels more like a real wood floor.
6. Everyday comfort
Another area where luxury vinyl, particularly engineered vinyl plank, truly stands out is comfort. When it comes to how comfortable it is to walk on, this flooring material It’s a noticeable upgrade compared to other, less expensive alternatives. Plus, it offers the additional advantage of temperature and sound insulation. So, not only is it more comfortable to walk on, you also won’t have to worry about chilly floors or noisy footsteps.
7. Flexible installation
Although the ‘glue-down’ form was the only available option for luxury vinyl flooring much has changed in recent years. Before, this material could only be glued to a surface below, either concrete or plywood. This isn’t ideal simply because luxury vinyl is still too thin to provide the right feel and cushioning when glued down directly to a subfloor.
Nowadays, though, there are options available for “floating” luxury vinyl flooring. This means that luxury vinyl now doesn’t have to be glued down, and it can instead just lay on top of the subfloor. This makes LVF much easier to install and, when the time comes, remove and replace.
In addition, the development of engineered vinyl plank has advanced the flexibility of this material’s installation. EVP is thicker than other luxury vinyl options and is installed by clicking together individual pieces. So, not only do they provide more cushioning and insulation than other vinyl floor types, but they also stay firmly in place.
Some brands do use glue or grout, but many others have peel-off backing or simply click together. In every case, though, the installation is fairly straightforward. In general, luxury vinyl flooring is very easy to install and carries the added benefit of being easy to place on top of almost any surface.
Cons of luxury vinyl flooring
This option is affordable, durable, and looks great, but as with any product, there are some drawbacks you should be aware of. Here they are:
1. Not impossible to damage
While luxury vinyl flooring is incredibly durable, it’s not completely impervious to damage. It can scratch or scuff, which often happens with heavy furniture or appliances. On the positive side, luxury vinyl flooring is still much harder to scratch than natural wood and if you choose vinyl planks, replacing pieces is fairly easy if they ever get damaged.
2. Extensive preparation
Some luxury vinyl types are more sensitive, so if your subfloor is uneven, it may need a lot of preparation before anything can be installed on top. Engineered vinyl planks, for example, won’t line up well if you try to place them on an uneven surface. If you’re dealing with a particularly unruly subfloor, you may need to invest in a self-leveling mix – which is an added expense – or choose glue-down installation instead.
3. No long-term value
Despite the name of the product, luxury vinyl flooring won’t improve the value of your home in the same way that hardwood or tile does. If investment value is an important factor in your floor choice, you won’t want to overlook this consideration in the planning phase. This is an easy remodeling mistake to avoid.
4. Potential safety risks
While the uniform, smooth look of luxury vinyl flooring is generally a benefit, it also comes with the downside of being more slippery, and therefore more of a fall risk compared other floor choices out there. Unlike carpet, hard flooring won’t absorb moisture away, so the surface automatically becomes slippery in case of spills or very high humidity. Still, luxury vinyl tile may be more slip-resistant than some other hard surface floor coverings, so it’s still the best option if your next flooring installation specifically requires hard surface flooring.
Who do I reach out to for top-notch kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Rancho Penasquitos?
Whether you’re looking to refresh a single room with new luxury vinyl flooring, upgrade your countertops with stunning leathered granite, or start a full-scale home remodeling project, Remodel Works is your trusted partner.
We’re a full-service remodeling company with years of experience, ready to handle any project, big or small. Our dependable team brings years of industry experience and proven methods, and we’re dedicated to providing top-quality work, clear communication, and exceeding your expectations.
No matter where you are in Rancho Peñasquitos or the surrounding areas, we’re equipped and ready to help. Contact us today and let’s turn your dream home into a reality!
