Best Plank Flooring

Today’s flooring options are so widely varied that the average consumer is easily confused by the “alphabet soup” (remember our waterproof flooring blog?) of acronym product names in just one flooring type, let alone all the distinct choices in each category.  Sometimes, it helps to narrow the focus a bit. Pare things down. So let’s do that, shall we vinyl plank flooring toronto?

Let’s talk Vinyl -- specifically vinyl plank flooring. Vinyl plank flooring is growing in popularity in both residential and commercial applications. But what are all of these acronyms? LVP? WPC? WTH? We’ll get into LVP, some SPC and some WPC for good measure, as well as the differences between them, and the pros and cons of each.

When we say “vinyl flooring” many people immediately think of the sheet/roll flooring Mom had in the kitchen of their childhood home or the stick down tiles from college – you know the ones that you ripped a hole in when you dropped stuff on them while making nachos to watch the big game?! If that’s what you’re thinking, that ain’t it.

The similarities between the great products offered in the world of vinyl today, and those of the past are pretty minimal: they’re both a synthetic, man-made variant, made to look like a natural material at a typically lower price-point.

However, vinyl flooring today is a highly engineered, robust product commonly referred to with those pesky acronyms: LVP (sometimes LVT), WPC and SPC. But what are the differences? Glad you asked. This piece will help you understand the differences between them but remember – your professional partners from The Good Guys know all of this like the back of their hand, and are available to answer any questions and address any concerns.

LVP is shorthand for Luxury Vinyl Plank. LVP covers all vinyl designed in planks, giving the look of wood floors with all the features and benefits of vinyl. You may occasionally hear people use the term “LVT,” which stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile. LVT encompasses all vinyl products designed to mimic tile or stone. Generally speaking, however, LVP is the more common and more frequently used acronym. For the purposes of this piece, let’s use “LVP” as the catch-all term, as it’s becoming in the flooring industry.

LVP is a composite product comprised of several layers, each working together to create a resilient, low-maintenance flooring. The bottom layer is a “backer board” – a flexible base made of PVC for stability. The central core is what makes most LVP “water-resistant” rather than “waterproof”, as the central core layer is often not fully waterproof, however, it does provide the strength for the flooring. On top of the core is the “vinyl layer” which is printed with the pattern and color – traditionally mimicking wood or stone. On top of it all, the most critical layer – the wear layer.

The wear layer is a thin, clear protective coating that makes the flooring scratch and stain-resistant. The wear layer thickness typically determines the usage – thinner are residential and thicker wear layer planks are used for commercial floors. Wear layer thickness varies from 6 mil on the thin end, and 30 mil on the high end. 12 mil up to 20 mil thickness are standard commercial wear layers; under 12 are rated for light commercial and residential use.

LVP is a more flexible product than some of the other vinyl products on the market, but its strength is aided by the fact that it is a glue-down flooring – permanently affixed to the subfloor with adhesive. These planks do not interlock or float like their Rigid Core counterparts.