Luxury Vinyl Plank comes in several different styles, including wood, stone, and tile. Wood-look luxury vinyl plank looks very similar to engineered or solid wood flooring on the surface. It was developed as a more inexpensive and extremely durable alternative to natural wood. Though it may look like real wood, LVP flooring cannot be refinished and will need to be replaced once the wear layer has been worn through.

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Luxury vinyl plank is created by using a high-resolution image of actual wood that's extremely detailed and highly realistic. The image is printed and glued to a high density fiberboard core made of melted layers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). LVP is then covered in a clear wear layer (usually aluminum oxide) to prevent scratches and dings. Higher end LVP is embossed to give the LVP a natural wood grain look and texture, making it look and feel closer to standard wood flooring. However, due to the visible wood-look layer being a high-resolution image and not natural wood grain, there is a repeat pattern of about every 6-10 planks, depending on the manufacturer. This repeat pattern is more noticeable on some LVP than on others.

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LVP is, in general, a waterproof flooring. The aluminum oxide wear layer and rigid core are both completely waterproof. LVP is a great choice for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens due to the waterproof inner core. However, there can be "micro-gaps" between the planks where water can seep beneath and cause damage to the subfloor. These same gaps are also found where the planks meet walls.

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Though LVP flooring is a beautiful and less expensive alternative to traditional wood flooring, it will not generate the same return on your investment as wood. Generally, buyers will pay a premium for natural wood. That being said, any solid surface floor, including LVP, is preferred by prospective home buyers over carpet. In fact, many buyers (especially those with kids, pets, or in commercial spaces) will love the addition of a durable, waterproof, and scratch resistant floor. Taking into consideration that LVP has come so far in the last few years and is considered to be much higher quality than ever before, LVP is still a great investment.

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     LVP flooring is not subject to the same expansion and contraction that wood flooring experiences, so there is no need to have LVP delivered well in advance of installation. This makes LVP an excellent choice for fast flips, and DIY-ers with time constraints. Luxury vinyl makes a great flooring for

DIY-ers due to the fact that it snaps together and uses no nails or glue.

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     We've created a printable PDF of our care and maintenance guide that was written by flooring installers with decades of experience. Following the maintenance rules in our comprehensive guide will help you to protect your flooring investment, keeping it looking timeless and elegant for years to come. 

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If you have any questions, please contact us, either by calling our store or filling out a contact form for a flooring representative to discuss options.