If you haven’t had to tackle a renovation or redesign project recently you will likely be surprised by the takeover of luxury vinyl flooring. Most surprising is the coupling of the words luxury and vinyl in the first place. Vinyl flooring has long been associated with bargain renovation projects and tasteless patterns and colours. Now, however, luxury vinyl flooring is popping up all over the place…even in multimillion dollar condominiums. The reality is that in the last decade the quality of luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile has improved greatly and the realism portrayed in this vinyl flooring has made it desired by homeowners and designers alike.

Realism

In recent years, along with printing advancements, the realism of mimicry in LVT/LVP flooring has dramatically advanced. It’s gotten to the point where it is sometimes hard to distinguish vinyl from natural hardwood or tile flooring. Luxury vinyl flooring is available in patterns that simulate wood ranging from teak to maple or walnut and also stone like slate or marble.

Durability

With today’s active households a major concern with natural hardwood and tile flooring is the lack of durability. With LVT/LVP flooring, however, this doesn’t have to be a concern. Vinyl is water resistant, stain resistant, durable and completely suitable for high traffic areas.

Quality of Composition

Further breaking the stigma of vinyl being inexpensive and second rate, many vinyl flooring designed to mimic stone actually contains natural minerals. Some vinyl is even up to 75% natural limestone combined with 25% vinyl. Some of the LVT flooring actually needs grout to hold the tiles together – it is that realistic!

Natural Shaped Pieces

Not only are natural products used in the composition and printing of the vinyl flooring, but the actual shape of the LVT pieces are more realistic. The majority of LVT/LVP flooring comes in individual plank or tile shaped pieces as opposed to traditional vinyl flooring that is sold in room sized sheets and cut down to size.

Desirable Price Point

The price of luxury vinyl flooring is appealing to most homeowners and typically ranges from about $2 per square foot up to about $6 per square foot for high-end vinyl flooring. The quality of vinyl flooring correlates to the thickness, among other aspects. The thickness of LVT/LVP flooring ranges from around 10 millimetres to 12 millimetres and typically the thicker the flooring the more comfortable and durable it is, and the more expensive it is. It’s easy to see that luxury vinyl flooring isn’t the same as the vinyl you remember from your childhood. There are many reasons that LVP/LVT flooring should be seriously considered for your flooring renovation project ranging from the quality of vinyl flooring to the variety of style options available. If you are having trouble deciding if luxury vinyl flooring is right for your home the team at The Floor Shop can help! Contact our office today to schedule an appointment to view some flooring samples at one of our showrooms.