What’s Luxury Vinyl & Is It Waterproof?

Guide to Luxury Vinyl Waterproof Flooring

Luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) is designed to mimic the appearance of natural stone or wood. It is a highly durable, versatile, and low-maintenance option for people who want a cost-effective alternative to natural hardwood or natural stone flooring. At Elegant Floor Services, we offer a wide range of colors, styles, and designs for luxury vinyl plank in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of this flooring, and then call us to request a free estimate.

What Is Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

Luxury vinyl flooring is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a plastic manufactured from crude oil. The planks are constructed of many layers: a foam or cork backing, a PVC layer, a glass fiber layer, a print layer, and a wear layer or top coating. LVF can be manufactured into planks or tiles in a wide range of colors, textures, designs, and finishes that mimic the appearance of more expensive hardwood or natural stone flooring.

Are There Different Types of Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

There are many different types of LVF. The type you choose will depend on where it will be installed, your home’s architecture and decor, your budget, and your personal aesthetic preferences:

• Stone Plastic Composite – Made from limestone and stabilizers to create a rock-solid core that is highly durable and flexible. Perfect for areas with heavy foot traffic or that could sustain a lot of impact, such as living areas, kitchens, and bathrooms.
• Wood Plastic Composite – Made from wood pulp, plasticizers, and a foaming agent to create a lightweight yet dense core. Ideal for enhanced comfort while still maintaining durability. WPC is 100% waterproof and can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, living rooms, bedrooms, laundry rooms, and utility rooms.
• Loose Lay – Manufactured in thicker planks with a special adhesive backing for grip and easy installation. There is no need to use glue, nails, or click-lock methods. They can be easily replaced if damaged and are ideal for use in rental properties.
• Glue-Down – Thinner planks or tiles that require adhesive for installation on the subfloor. They are more permanent and less expensive, making them ideal for commercial spaces or areas that get heavy foot traffic.
• Rigid Core – Manufactured with a dense core that enhances firmness, rigidity, and durability. It can be used in almost any space for any application and is highly resistant to dents or impact damage.
• Interlocking – Uses a click-lock system for ease of installation. Planks or tiles can be easily clicked into place without the need for glue or adhesive.
• Embossed in Register – This is a finishing technique used to improve the surface aesthetics of the flooring. It can add a premium texture that mimics wood grain or natural stone marbling for enhanced beauty.

How Is Luxury Vinyl Made?

LVT is made from layers of raw materials that are mixed, melted, and fused together and fed into an extruder, which forces them through a die to create a sheet. The sheets are then cooled, stabilized, and stacked on top of each other, then fed through continuous lamination equipment, like a rotocure machine, or large heat presses, like a static press. This equipment heats and presses the layers together to create multi-layered sheets of flooring and a polyurethane top coating is applied to enhance durability. These sheets are then cleaned, cooled, and cut into smaller sections called slabs. The slabs are cut into tiles or planks.

Benefits of Installing Luxury Vinyl

There are many reasons that more and more people are choosing to install luxury vinyl flooring. The biggest benefits are:

• It mimics the appearance of more expensive flooring, such as ceramic tile, porcelain tile, natural stone flooring like marble or terrazzo, or hardwood flooring.
• Is pet-friendly and kid-friendly.
• Can withstand heavy foot traffic without sustaining damage.
• Is waterproof and unlikely to develop stains or discoloration or cause mold or mildew growth in damp or high-humidity areas.
• It is resistant to scratches, stains, gouges, and other damage.
• It is low-maintenance and doesn’t require any special products or tools to care for or clean.
• It is highly versatile and can be installed in almost any environment and over any type of subfloor.

Care & Maintenance of Luxury Vinyl

With proper care and maintenance, your flooring can last for decades before it needs to be replaced. Here are some tips for cleaning and maintaining luxury vinyl flooring:

• Sweep or vacuum your flooring regularly to remove dust, dirt, rocks, pet hair, and other debris.
• Clean up spills right away with a soft mop or soft microfiber cloth.
• Use a non-abrasive, no-rinse floor cleaner that is designed for use on LVF.
• Avoid using excessive amounts of water and only mop with a damp mop.
• Do not drag heavy furniture over the floor.
• Use furniture sliders or protective mats to reduce damage to flooring from furniture, athletic equipment, and other heavy items.

Call Our Vinyl Plank Flooring Installers

At Elegant Floor Services, we have over 40 years of experience as vinyl floor installers in the Washington Metropolitan Area. We specialize in flooring for commercial and residential installation, and we also offer kid and pet-friendly flooring options. Call us now or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our flooring contractors and get a free estimate for professional installation of luxury vinyl plank or luxury vinyl tile flooring.