Need New Floors? Try Luxury Vinyl Tile!

SHOPPING FOR A NEW FLOORING OPTION?

 If it’s time to replace a worn out linoleum floor and you are in a quandary after visiting flooring show rooms. We have some flooring facts for you about Luxury Vinyl Tile or “LVT.”

LVT has been on the market for several years and it’s popularity has been increasing every year due to the manufacturers ability to closely mimic the look of natural materials, such as wood or stone. It accomplishes this by a surface layer that has a very realistic photo-created image, combined with textures that resemble that of the real materials.

 

Luxury Vinyl Ratings and Reviews:

Themes you find with higher-rated luxury vinyl include thicker wear layer; thicker overall dimensions; more realistic imaging; deeper embossing.

 

Composition:

Luxury vinyl is typically either 100% vinyl or a vinyl/limestone mixture. Any wood-look LVF will be made of all vinyl. Stone-look LVF often will contain minerals

 

Composition of the Layers:

There is no difference in the number of layers between traditional and luxury vinyl tile–only the thickness of these layers. Both have four layers, starting at the top and going down:

1. Aluminum oxide: This topmost aluminum oxide-based layer prevents light scratching and shoe scuffs.
2. Clear film: This layer protects against harder damage, such as rips and tears.
3. Design layer: This is the photo-realistic print of stone or wood.
4. Backing layer: The bottom layer is the real “meat” of the flooring, giving the product structure and solidity. The backing layer comprises 90% of the product’s thickness.

 

Size and Thickness:

LVF usually comes in either plank or tile form.

A typical plank size is 48 in. x 4.5 in. A typical tile size is 16″ x 16″. Sometimes, as with Mannington Adura, you can find unusual shapes, such as rectangles sized at 12″ x 24″.

Thicknesses range from 10mm to 12mm ( about 1/8″). Ordinary vinyl flooring can be as much as 10 times thinner, with bargain tiles coming in at 1.2 mm. Burke Flooring offers a product that is 20 mm thick.

Prices:

Prices ordinarily range from around $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot, but they can range up to $10.00 per square foot at the very top end.  By comparison, ordinary vinyl flooring, prices can be as low as $.50 to $1.00 per square foot. When you get into the higher prices, you are almost always looking at LVF.

 

https://www.thespruce.com/how-does-luxury-vinyl-flooring-differ-from-standard-vinyl-4119903

 

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