When it comes to picking a flooring type for your home, you certainly have many options before you. From natural stone tiles to marble-effect porcelain, as well as classic carpet and wood flooring options, there’s plenty to consider before settling on what material is best suited to your needs.
However, if you find that you’re on a tight home renovation budget and want to stick within the funds you’ve set aside for your next project, then you might feel like floor tiles are a touch too expensive – which is exactly where LVT flooring comes in.
Luxurious enough to capture the shining and natural appearance of genuine floor tiles, while also being hard-wearing enough to handle daily wear and tear, LVT is an excellent flooring option for those with limited money to spend when relaying their floor.
But what is LVT flooring, and how do the different types of LVT flooring compare to each other? Read on to find out more about this versatile flooring option!
What does LVT stand for?
LVT stands for what’s known as luxury vinyl tiles, making it a subcategory of tiling overall, but one that’s created in a distinctly different manner to more traditional tiling materials and types.
As the name suggests, this versatile flooring type is made of vinyl, enabling it to present a high-end, realistic look,and feel, all while allowing you to replicate the appearance of natural materials, such as wood or stone, in a stylish and affordable manner.
What is LVT flooring made of?
Being made of vinyl, LVT is formed of multiple material layers joined together, rather than being a rigid, singular material piece that’s been cut or shaped from a larger object.
What exact materials are used will vary between types of LVT, but for a standard sheet of LVT, these layers of vinyl typically include the following:
- A protective layer at the very top that prevents the material from being scratched, stained, or damaged in other ways.
- A main internal, wear and tear layer that is one or two layers deep to maximise the floor’s strength and slip resistance.
- A design layer, which gives the tile its distinct appearance.
- An acoustic layer on the base that minimises surface sound when walked upon.
In the case of certain LVT brands, you may also find that their flooring has an additional cushioning layer for extra comfort underfoot, though a more traditional flooring underlay can deliver much the same effect.
What are the different types of LVT flooring?
Much like wall tiles and floor tiles, there are various types of LVT flooring out there for you to choose from, each designed to suit your home, lifestyle, and chosen installation method in different ways. Below are just some of the most popular LVT flooring types currently available:
Glue-down LVT
Perhaps the most common form of LVT available, glue-down LVT is formed from multiple individual LVT planks or tiles that are glued directly to the subfloor using a specific LVT adhesive.
Glue-down LVT is designed to provide a stable and permanent installation for your floor, making it particularly well suited for high-traffic areas, though it can also work for offices and commercial settings.
Click LVT
Also called floating LVT, click LVT is another popular form of LVT flooring and uses a simple locking mechanism that allows the planks or tiles to be clicked together during installation.
This type of LVT doesn’t require adhesive, which makes it a popular choice for DIY projects or for renters who are looking for temporary home improvements. It can be installed over various subfloor types, including concrete, wooden floorboards or existing tiles, and is perfect for use in living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and more.
Self-adhesive LVT
Self-adhesive LVT is similar to glue-down LVT but differs in the fact that it comes with a self-adhesive backing already installed that allows the tiles or planks to be attached directly to the subfloor.
Self-adhesive LVT is very convenient for DIY installations and offers many of the same benefits as glue-down LVT, but proper cleaning of the flooring surface before installation is crucial to ensure a secure bond to the floor.
WPC ‘rigid core’ LVT
As the name implies, WPC (or wood-plastic composite LVT) is a material that typically combines wood fibres or wood flour with plastic polymers for a strong and supportive underfloor surface.
WPC flooring is particularly well known for its dimensional stability, as well as its water resistance and comfort underfoot, making it the sort of LVT that’s ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.
SPC ‘rigid core’ LVT
Similarly to WPC, SPC (or stone-plastic composite LVT) is a material formed from an exceptionally tough core layer of stone-plastic composite, which often includes limestone powder blended with plastic polymers.
Like WPC, SPC flooring is known for its rigidity, durability, and water resistance, again making it a great choice for use in bathrooms. However, its higher levels of durability also make it a suitable choice for use in kitchens and hallways.
LVT with attached underlay
Although LVT can be laid with an underlay beneath it, like self-adhesive LVT tiling, some LVT products do come with an underlay already integrated into their design for installation convenience and added comfort.
And as an additional bonus, such cushioning further reduces noise transmission when stepping on the LVT. Plus, you don’t need to have separate underlay fitted prior to laying the LVT, which may make it a more affordable option.
Grout-able LVT
Last, but not least, grout-able LVT is designed to almost directly mimic the appearance of real porcelain tiles or stone flooring by incorporating elements of standard tile grouting into its design and installation.
As a result, this form of LVT has bevelled edges, allowing for the application of grout between each tile, which, when dried, provides an even more authentic tile appearance than other forms of LVT.
What are the benefits of LVT flooring?
Given the clear flexibility of LVT as a flooring option, you’re no doubt unsurprised to hear that this material comes with plenty of advantages over other types of floor installations, including:
- High durability – thanks to its multiple layers designed to prevent wear and tear, indentations, scuffs, scratches, and water stains, LVT flooring is hard to damage, making it perfect for all kinds of residential and commercial settings.
- Underfloor heating compatibility – unlike certain types of flooring, click LVT is a great choice if you have underfloor heating in your home. Thanks again to its durable construction, you don’t have to worry about it melting or warping under low levels of heat.
- Easy maintenance – due to its protective top layer, LVT flooring is very easy to clean and maintain, requiring little more than a wipe to look fantastic for many years to come. It’s also hygienic, as it doesn’t absorb bacteria nearly as easily as other types of flooring.
- Quiet underfoot – built with their cushioning layer at the base, LVT planks or tiles are designed to soak up sound, resulting in a more peaceful living environment and less creaking when walked upon.
- Simple installation – LVT flooring, particularly the click and self-adhesive varieties, are designed to be very easy to install. This makes them popular with DIY enthusiasts and people working within a budget, as it removes the cost of hiring a contractor to lay and adhere your LVT flooring.
- Good heat retention – as well as adding a warm texture to the surface of your floor and the colour of your rooms, LVT is usually warmer underfoot than stone and porcelain tiles, being far better at retaining heat over longer periods of time due to how its layers join together.
- Low cost – finally, as we’ve noted several times already, LVT flooring is incredibly cost-effective and affordable as a flooring option, letting you transform your home without the hefty price tag.
What are the disadvantages of LVT flooring?
Although there is a lot to love about LVT flooring, that’s not to say that LVT doesn’t come with a few downsides that you need to be aware of. And depending on the type of LVT you choose, these may include any of the following:
- Artificial looks – while higher-end LVT can certainly mimic the look of other forms of tiling, at the end of the day, the similarities are only superficial. If a genuine tile feel is what you’re after, then LVT probably isn’t for you.
- Hard to repair – LVT flooring may be tough, but that doesn’t mean that it’s indestructible. And should your LVT be damaged in a way that breaches the protective top layer, then you may find it hard to repair without replacing the affected tile entirely.
- Tricky to remove – excluding click LVT, other LVT types require some form of adhesive to be used to lock them into place. This adhesive is particularly strong to prevent accidental movement, but this also means that LVT tiles are hard to remove individually without damaging other tiles.
- Discolouration – for the most part, the best LVT on the market will include a UV protection layer to slow the rate of discolouration your tiles may experience over time. However, this layer will not prevent discolouration, and eventually, your tiles will lose their original shades and tone.
- A shorter lifespan – LVT tiles are thin by their nature, and while this means they’re a lot cheaper to produce, it also means that they have a shorter lifespan than other traditional tiles, making them ill-suited for anyone seeking to renovate their floor and then leave it untouched for a decade or more.
- Non-sustainable – and to wrap up, LVT flooring is not considered an environmentally friendly flooring options on the market. This is because the materials used in their construction are non-biodegradable and need to be disposed of by other means once pulled up.
Take a look at our range of LVT flooring
And there you have it; now you know exactly what LVT flooring is, the different types of LVT flooring available, and the pros and cons of LVT flooring for anyone looking to use it in their home.
Naturally, if you’re on a tight budget, then LVT is going to be a much better option than more expensive and traditional tiling. However, if you’re after that real tile feel, then proper stone or porcelain tiles are a must – either way, you can find all of these tiling materials and more in the Stone Superstore range!
Start browsing today to see what we have on offer or book a visit to our showroom to see all of our tiling options in person. And don’t forget that you can visit our tiling inspiration blog for more guides like this one.
