Vinyl and its flooring types are great options for floors, either for residential buildings or for offices. What makes vinyl great is the versatility that it offers and the wide range of the attractive attributes that it comes with. Vinyl floorings are durable, exceptionally stylish, easy to clean and maintain, and you can get all of this at a quite affordable price. If all of these features weren’t enough, they are also resistant to moisture and are able to replicate tile and hardwood.
Now that you know why this may be the right option for your home or office, it’s time to see what are the different types of vinyl flooring. Mainly, there are 2 types: LVT vinyl flooring and vinyl sheets.
Luxury vinyl tile is a multi-layered, resilient, waterproof flooring. It is designed to replicate hard surface flooring materials, as are stone and wood. Being durable and practical, LVT vinyl flooring offers a wide range of styles and designs, from classic and timeless to some more trendy designs.
LVT includes individual squares of various sized vinyl tiles. When assembled together, they usually give the appearance of stone tiles. The look they give is similar to that of marble. Having individual tiles is good because when one of the tiles gets damaged, it is easier to replace or repair it, without the need to replace the entire floor. Luxury vinyl is somewhat thicker than the other vinyl, with a sturdy, clear, aluminium-oxide coating sheets at the top which protect the floor from scuffs and scratches.
We can say with certainty that LVT flooring can be found everywhere, from schools and hospitals to airports and hotel lobbies. In other words, it is installed in commercial settings where there is heavy foot traffic, or in places where a clean and static-free environment is desired. When it comes to homes, it is often installed where a significant amount of moisture is expected (such as bathrooms and kitchens, and areas below ground level). In many cases, it is also used to replace higher maintenance flooring (like carpet), due to its easy maintenance. Plus, it is comfortable under foot and reduces noise, so people having kids or pets can find this pretty beneficial.
When it comes to the installation is relatively easy and can easily be turned into a DIY project. What is important for a successful installation is that vinyl tiles require a very smooth surface. Any flows and imperfections on the floor will show through as bumps or indentations. So, you have to get acquainted with the types of subfloors and see which one will be best for you.
LVP
Vinyl planks are made to resemble the look of hardwood boards, but without the high costs (costing half as much as wood). Being very easy to install, you can do the installation on your own. You just need a knife to trim them so that they fit the shape of your room. They are another option suitable for kitchens or bathrooms since they are water-resistant and easy to clean. LVP planks don’t scratch easily, chip or suffer any kind of major damage, which makes them suitable for pet owners.
What is better lvt or lvp?
The answer is that they both have the same benefits, regarding cleanliness, maintenance, durability, and installation. A slight difference is that LVT is softer and quieter, and this may be an additional benefit for those that have kids at home. However, the choice comes down mainly to style, whether you prefer hardwood-like floors or stone tiles with gorgeous natural colours.
The vinyl sheet flooring is a single roll usually 6 to 12 feet (182-165cm) wide. It all depends on your requirements and room size. Vinyl sheets are suitable for larger areas and there are also fewer seams to align. Since it limits the number of seams, it is a great choice for areas with high moisture.
As the printing technology has significantly advanced over the years, sheet flooring can be easily created to provide stone, marble, hardwood visuals or tile, and so, provide a realistic look to space. In addition, it is easy to clean and maintain, as are the other vinyl flooring types. It’s extremely durable, doesn’t scratch and stain easily, and due to this, this is yet another good option for homes with small kids and for pet-owners. However, being durable doesn’t mean that it is permanent. Vinyl sheet flooring is not permanent, but this makes it a good option for those homeowners who like to change up their décor style often. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that vinyl sheets are budget-friendly and you can get the style you love at an affordable price. They can be installed over existing flooring, such as tile, wood, old vinyl or underlayment.
