There are so many different products today for hard surface floors. For years, real wood was the dominate option, but today there is another option, that looks like wood but is much different!
This newer floor is known as LVT, which stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile. There are many qualities of this flooring, looks and designs. It is a vinyl Product, so it is waterproof, and it comes in pieces, therefore it is referred to as a tile, (T) or a plank! (LVP)
It has been out for quite a few years as it comes out of the commercial world of flooring. Commercial installs always looks for products which have amazing durability, and are easy to install and maintain. LVT has been used for a long time in hospitals, colleges, and retail stores. The benefit is that it has a heavy duty wear layer….and comes in pieces, vs 12' or 15' rolls like carpet. The install is easy for small or large spaces and there is hardly any waste. You only purchase the square footage that you need.
There are 2 ways to install this type of product. Some have a special design which allows the pieces to click together. Because the flooring all hooks together, it doesn’t not have to be hooked down to the floor most often by glue. There again are higher qualities of this "CLICK" System and lower qualities. Some interlock well others just lay on top of each other.
LVT with the U-shape lock provide better liquid production to your subfloor. If something spills, or while you are cleaning, you do not need to worry so much about your subfloor getting damaged by liquid, causing mold. It seems pointless to use waterproof flooring and not take care of the subfloor below which is not waterproof.
It is similar to a puzzle assembled on the top of a table. You have have subfloor below (table) and the puzzle is clicked together on the top (LVT). It is in the boarder of your frame, the walls of your room and the trim, baseboard is put on top to secure and finish the edge.
The other style has LVT pieces with smooth edges which are pushed tightly together. They do not have a click system. They are glued in place to the subfloor. The click pieces, are considered to be a floating floor as they just lay on top of the existing floor!
Both systems work well, but do offer different benefits. A floating click floor is great for someone who wants to do it themselves! You do need to have a saw and need to know how to cut straight and nooks out. It also does not have special requirements for what is being laid over.
The glued floor does require a dense type of subfloor, such as plywood, not particle board as the glue will absorb into that wood, and then will not hold the pieces in place. They are easy to cut, with just an utility knife.
The biggest benefit is that if you would need to replace a piece due to damage, this product was installed with a Releasable glue. Heat the tile out, pop it out and then replace it with a new plank. This is much easier and quicker than trying to unclick the other product. The glue style is used in Commercial installs as compared to the click, which is usually a residential product.
There are different qualities of both these products, but probably the main consideration would be the wear layer. There are 4-5 different options. A common finish is urethane, which seals the product face, put can easily show scratches. A ceramic bead finish is much harder and with resist most scratches. An even harder finish is a diamond finish, again resisting most scratches.
Also, the thickness of this wear layer is important. Think of a millimeter as the thickness of a piece of paper.
Some floors have 6 mm finish which would be like 6 pieces of paper. Others would be 12. Those are usually for residential, but in commercial, they would use 20 mm, 22 mm, 28mm….all the way to 40 mm. That is why the commercial products well so well, and for a long time! Beware and ask about the spec details of the product that you are choosing to use. It is a lot of cost to put hard surface down. It cost even more to do it the 2nd time. Do it properly the first time!
