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LVT Flooring Meaning And Reasons Why It’s Perfect For Home Use

If you are refurbishing your home and changing the floors you must have wondered by now about what is vinyl flooring since it’s one of the most popular options for long term, resistant floors for home and office. In this article we’ll delve into LVT flooring meaning including the LVT flooring construction definition and the wider, commercial uses of this product category. We’ll also compare LVT vs VCT (Vinyl composition tile) as those terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

What Is Vinyl Flooring?

Vinyl flooring is a synthetic flooring material that has risen to fame due to its durability, practicality and ease to install. It is composed of several layers of different types of synthetic materials, usually topped by a UV protection layer that will ensure the color won’t change due to sun exposure over the years. It comes in several formats which use the same materials but different manufacturing methods to achieve totally different results:

LVT or Luxury Vinyl Tile
Roll Vinyl
Peel and stick vinyl

Overall, vinyl flooring is incredibly resistant to scratches and stains, suffers no water damage and (provided you choose a high quality product) will remain unchanged by sunlight or day to day life for years. Unlike laminate, vinyl doesn’t have wood or other organic elements so it won’t expand and contract due to humidity. It’s also more flexible, thinner and lighter than laminate or real wood, so easier to install for a non-professional.

Vinyl Flooring is mostly composed of different layers of PVC and as such is totally inert and can come in any pattern or design you can imagine, including some very realistic wood and stone options! Both luxury vinyl tile and roll vinyl can be used in areas where you expect moisture, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms or kitchens. And peel and stick vinyl can also be used on walls and even to build your own countertops. As you can see, vinyl is incredibly versatile.

LVT Flooring Meaning

The LVT flooring construction definition is a type of resilient flooring composed of several layers:

Backing layer: Sound absorbing and with a texture to grip to the sub-flooring
Fill layer: Thicker layer that provides denting resistance
Print layer: This is a thin layer where the design is printed to imitate hardwood floors such as wood, stone or ceramic
Top coat: A clear coating that provides protection and prevents the vinyl from scratching or fading

Luxury vinyl tile is designed to imitate hardwood floors, and as such comes in a variety of patterns that can be easily confused with the real thing. The difference is that instead of a heavy plank of wood or stone you have a few millimetres flexible PVC plank that can be clicked into place without the use of glue or other adhesives. Funnily enough, the meaning of LVT flooring is just Luxury Vinyl Tile, but it usually refers to planks as opposed to roll vinyl which is more similar to a carpet and comes in rolls.

So, LVT flooring standards for Luxury Vinyl Tile. Let’s look at it in detail, word by word.

Luxury: LVT flooring meaning includes the word luxury, and people tend to get fixated on this and assume it’s going to be really expensive but that’s not always the case. Why luxury? Well, to start with the feeling of LVT is something else: It’s a high quality flooring and unlike laminate it’s noise dampening, and warm to the touch. It’s very comfortable to walk on barefoot, which makes it perfect for home use. It can also be used to install underfloor heating as it’s heat conductive and impervious to moisture. And you can use it on kitchens, bathrooms and other rooms where water spills are a possibility.

Vinyl is self explanatory, as the planks or tiles are made of PVC or vinyl, a material that has been with us since the beginning of last century (Chicago Word Fair in 1933 is officially its birthday!) but it has evolved greatly ever since. Modern vinyl plans are around 5mm thick and fully waterproof, as well as incredibly strong and durable.

Tile: Funnily enough, most people see planks when purchasing LVT and not tiles. However, tiles that imitate stone and ceramic are also a very popular format and widely used on kitchens and bathrooms. Since it’s a man-made material, the sky is the limit in terms of sizes and formats. The reason why the word Tile is used is because by definition planks are just a form of rectangular tiles.

lvt flooring meaning — Wondering about LVT Flooring meaning after seeing it at a store?

LVT vs VCT

Often people confuse LVT vs VCT and are surprised by the price variation. However, Vinyl Composite Tiles aren’t actually 100% PVC and include other materials such as limestone in the mix. VCT is more porous and requires maintenance but they also look more organic and can deal better with scuffs and marks by disguising them as part of the pattern.

Most households will be better served with an LVT product, while VCT is mostly relegated to large commercial spaces and institutions, with high traffic areas where lower costs are an important factor.

SPC Vinyl Plank Flooring Meaning

If you have been doing your research into lvt flooring meaning, you have no doubt come across about SPC vinyl planks and wondered about SPC vinyl plank flooring meaning. SPC is a new product whose main defining characteristic is a signature rigid core that is practically indestructible. It’s slightly cheaper than your typical LVT, but due to its hard rigid core is also less flexible, colder and harder to walk on. It is however more resistant than LVC so it’s frequently used in areas such as kitchens which get heavier use.

SPC is often cheaper than LVT, though the price ranges for both types of floor surfaces are wide enough that they overlap.

In terms of similarities, there are many. Both types of flooring are offered commercially as click vinyl planks, which means you can install them yourself without the need for glue or specialist knowledge. Both are waterproof and moisture proof, when installed correctly. And both come in a variety of styles and patterns that imitate any stone or hardwood you can think off.

Garage Vinyl Tile Flooring

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When thinking about garage flooring options, the main requirements are for a material that is water, flame and stain resistant, slip-proof and durable even in the semi-outdoor conditions of a garage. Vinyl garage floor tiles are a cheap and easy way to fulfil all those requirements, and they also allow the homeowner to be creative and give the garage its own personal twist. Garage vinyl flooring is not your delicate domestic vinyl, though. To be able to endure the heavy usage expected of garage use, industrial vinyl flooring that is manufacturer to be extra resilient is the best alternative.

Domestic Vinyl Flooring tiles are made of three layers: a felt or fiberglass backing that can be glued to the substrate, a vinyl filler and a texture or pattern layer which gives vinyl its looks. On top of the design layer, which is very thin, there is often a protective layer of clear acrylic sealant, which makes vinyl resistant to stains and water and can be treated to be resilient to scratches. However, this treatment is not enough for the features required of garage vinyl flooring.

Vinyl garage floor tiles don’t have a pretty design layer. Instead, they are made from a single thick sheet of polyvinyl, treated to be slip resistant and extremely durable. Garage vinyl flooring can be purchased as a sheet that can be rolled over the existing concrete floor, or interlocking tiles that are more difficult to install but often provide a better visual appeal.

Benefits of Vinyl Garage Floor Tiles

The main benefit of installing vinyl tile flooring on your garage is that is non-porous and as such it won’t be affected by anti-freeze fluids, battery acid or even road salt brought in by the car wheels. Vinyl tile flooring for garages is also designed to be easy to install, and doesn’t require glue. Instead, it is simply laid over the existing garage floor and can be removed as necessary to either replace broken tiles or to clean it using a hose. There are many different finishes available, of which anti-slip is probably the most popular one. Industrial vinyl flooring doesn’t come with a decorative layer, so the patterns available are limited, however you can buy it in many different colours.

Disadvantages of Garage Vinyl Tile

The main disadvantage of garage vinyl tile flooring is the chemicals involved to make it resilient, fire-resistant and slip-proof. Some of them, such as cadmium and lead, are known toxics and associated with a higher risk of cancer. Paraffin, also in garage vinyl tile as fire retardant, is also a known toxic and there have been accusations that the chemicals used to make PVC flexible and suitable as garage flooring have caused asthma, obesity or even insulin resistant diabetes. While this is probably not a major concern for somebody who only uses the garage to store items and vehicles, it may be an issue if you expect to spend more time there, such as those using the garage as a workshop. Research your garage vinyl tile flooring options thoroughly and look for those with an acceptable level of potential toxic chemicals even if they are marginally more expensive.

Pros and Cons of Wood Plank Vinyl Flooring

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Vinyl wood planks are a hybrid between vinyl sheet flooring and pell and stick vinyl square tiles. Resilient as the first, but as easy to install as the second, it also avoid the checkerboard effect vinyl tiles can produce. Wood plank vinyl flooring has a similar format to hardwood laminate flooring, and comes as planks joined together with a tongue and groove cut. Each vinyl flooring wood plank is joined to the others using a click mechanism, and so the surface is much smoother and you don’t need to use vinyl glue to install, making it perfect for quick jobs.

One of the major benefits of wood plank vinyl flooring is the ease of installation and removal. The installation system is also very similar: vinyl wood planks are backed with a rubberized material that extends past the long edge on one side of the plank. This extension is treated with vinyl plank glue so it’s sticky. When you install vinyl plank flooring each plank is laid down overlapping that sticky bit of rubber, creating a staggered texture and a smoother surface. Unlike vinyl tiles, vinyl planks aren’t glued to the subfloor, removal is also easy and doesn’t require the use of glue solvents or other toxic substances to remove the leftover adhesive residue.

Wood vinyl flooring planks get that name because they look like hardwood, and have a similar texture but finding vinyl wood floor planks that can fool somebody into thinking they are real thing can be an expensive challenge. While the pattern may look like hardwood, it still has a plastic sheen to it that is difficult to hide. It comes in a large variety of colours and patterns, resembling all styles of wood, from oak and beech to exotic woods. But it also can be made to look like stone, marble or any other material imaginable. That makes it extremely versatile and suitable for a variety of home decoration projects.

Floating vinyl plank flooring is very durable. Is water resistant, and it won’t chip or warp when properly installed, which makes it extremely valuable for households that have pets or small children. However, the acrylic coating will scratch with normal foot traffic, and after a few months you may start noticing a fine web of scratch marks. You can solve this by using suitable products designed to restore vinyl coating but if you are after a long lasting floor that can endure heavy usage you may prefer to install laminate or hardwood flooring instead. You can reduce the damage by avoiding using outdoor shoes indoors, and sweeping regularly.

Vinyl wood flooring planks are perfect for children’s rooms and task oriented rooms, as the feeling under the feet is much softer than laminate or hardwood and it also has good sound-reduction capabilities. Unlike stone, it has a warm feel to it, which makes bathroom vinyl flooring a very sought after offer as it is a room where you want a floor that is warm and comfortable on naked feet, but wouldn’t install wood due to the risk of water damage. They are also easy to install and remove, and cheap enough that remodelling the floor as your need change over the years is affordable. However, it is not hardwood, and it shows.

The primary disadvantage of wood plank vinyl flooring is just that, the fact that is vinyl and not hardwood. It looks like vinyl, though some luxury versions have their own beauty and can pass for laminate flooring easily. Vinyl is also not suitable for high traffic areas, because it will soon get noticeably scratched, unless you invest on extra-durable vinyl that is coated with a hard wearing protective layer, usually designed for commercial spaces and schools.

Before installing floating vinyl plank flooring, weigh the pros and cons and consider the usage you want to give that new room. Ask for samples and shop around until you find the right texture and pattern that suits your home decoration at a price you are happy to pay. While wood plank vinyl flooring is durable and has its own style of beauty, if you are after a floor that closely imitates hardwood you may feel disappointed after you install it.

Why Choose Vinyl Kitchen Tile Flooring

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The kitchen floor is usually one of the areas of the house that needs more cleaning and has higher requirements in terms of hygiene. After all, nobody wants to make dinner in dirty environment fill of bacteria! Choosing vinyl flooring for kitchen has become a very popular option because is easy to clean and resistant to bacteria growth. Vinyl kitchen tile floors come in a large variety of colours and patterns, and can be installed by the homeowner, making them a very attractive choice of flooring for any kitchen.

Vinyl Kitchen Tile Is Versatile

Unlike wood or natural stone, vinyl tiles come in all the colours of the rainbow, and as such they can be matched to any decorative style. From checked black-white vinyl flooring to vinyl flooring that looks like wood, you can spend hours just deciding which pattern you like the most. And what’s more, you can create your own unique designs on your kitchen combining different vinyl square tiles to form a totally different geometric pattern, or to visually divide a room in different areas.

Vinyl Flooring For Kitchens Is Cheap

Prices for vinyl flooring are a fraction of those of marble, granite or even hardwood, and you can learn how to install vinyl floors in order to lower them even more. This makes vinyl an affordable choice for cash-strapped homeowners who want to redecorate and add value to their homes, or for those who enjoy changing how their kitchen looks every few years and don’t want to invest in more costly flooring materials that would need to be removed later on.

Vinyl Is Pet and Kid Friendly

If you have children or pets you’ll love to know that installing vinyl kitchen tile flooring is great for them too. Vinyl is soft to the touch and very comfortable to walk on, besides being bacteria resistant. Cleaning vinyl flooring is easy and quick, and any pet related accidents are not likely to leave a permanent stain, unlike carpets or wood. Worst case scenario, if a section of your kitchen vinyl floor tiles is damaged you can simply pull it out and replace the scratched or broken tiles with new ones.

Vinyl Tiles Resist Water and Chemicals

When choosing to install any other flooring instead of vinyl tiles, kitchen environment should be taken into account. Water spills are frequent on a kitchen or bathroom, which can damage wood or laminate unless they are mopped up quickly. Chemicals such as vinegar or some cleaners can leave marble or granite floors lifeless and dull after just a few years, and resealing them is costly. However, vinyl kitchen tile floors are resistant to both water and chemical damage, and while it can be dented if a heavy object falls on it, damaged tiles can be replaced easily.

Consider all of the above reasons when choosing vinyl kitchen tile floors for your new kitchen. Vinyl floor tiles are cost effective, low maintenance and will let you enjoy the kitchen design you like the most, without breaking your bank.

How to Clean Vinyl Flooring

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If you hate the idea of scrubbing your floors to keep them shiny, you should consider installing vinyl tile floors. How to clean vinyl flooring? Cleaning vinyl tile floors is easy and quick. You don’t even need a special vinyl tile cleaner, mild soap and warm water will do just fine. In order to keep your vinyl floors in perfect condition keep in mind the following:

Keep Vinyl Tile Flooring as Clean as Possible

If you want your floor to look as new for years, vinyl tile cleaning is all about cleaning regularly but with low intensity methods. Make sure you sweep and vacuum regularly, to avoid dust settling on the vinyl and potentially scratching the finish away.

Prevention Goes a Long Way

One of the best ways of keeping your vinyl looking great is making sure you don’t walk inside the house with a lot of dirt on your shoes. A mat on the front door will go a long way towards keeping your vinyl looking pristine for longer. Dirty and small stones can scratch the vinyl surface, and the more scratches the more dirt that will accumulate in them.

Cleaning Vinyl Tile

To clean vinyl tile flooring, the best tools are a mop and warm water. Make sure you don’t let the water form pools, as they could get into the cracks between the tiles and affect the glue. If you want to clean vinyl flooring more deeply, a mild solution of floor cleaner and warm water will do the trick. Another option is mixing a bit of water and vinegar, and using laundry detergent and water for in-depth cleaning once a week.

How To Clean Vinyl Tile That Is Really Dirty

Most of the time you should be able to clean your vinyl floor with just a bit of water. For very stubborn dirt, try mixing a bit of ammonia with warm water and use that to clean the entire floor, or spot clean particularly dirty areas with a more concentrated mix. However, make sure to use water to clean the floor afterwards, and always do this with the windows open as ammonia fumes are toxic. You can also use bleach instead of ammonia.

Wax Is Not Going To Help

Waxing vinyl floors is, in most cases, a bad idea unless your vinyl manufacturer recommends it. But what people forget is that many mop-and-go type of products actually have some wax in them to add shine. The only result you will get from using those products for vinyl tile cleaning is a layer of dirty waxy residue dampening the shine of your vinyl flooring.

Protect Vinyl Tile Flooring With Vinyl Floor Sealer

If your vinyl floors are very dirty, they probably have lots of small scratches that are like tiny dirt magnets. A commercial acrylic finish can be applied once the floors are totally clean and left to dry, giving you a glossy floor that stays clean for longer and looks much better.