What’s the difference between regular and luxury vinyl flooring?

Vinyl flooring is easily one of the most popular choices for homes and businesses. This is because it is a flooring type that can last for a very long time while also requiring fairly minimal levels of maintenance to keep it looking good.

People like vinyl because it is able to mimic the appearance of other flooring choices at a lower cost. It is possible to get vinyl floors that look like wood, stone and other surfaces, but that are much cheaper and easier to install than these materials would be.

There are two different versions of vinyl flooring though: regular and luxury vinyl. It is important to know the differences between them so that you can pick the best one for your home or commercial premises. That is what we will look at in this article.

The differences between regular and luxury vinyl

There are several basic differences between these two types of floor surface. They are the following:

• Manufacturing

• Thickness

• Installation

• Appearance

• Maintenance

We will look at each of them in turn.

Manufacturing

Although they are both made from PVC vinyl, regular and luxury vinyl floors are manufactured in very different ways. Regular vinyl is made by bonding a layer of vinyl to a backing layer that is usually made out of a materials such as fibreglass or felt. After that has been completed, the chosen design style is then imprinted onto it and a protective covering that is transparent is added as the final stage of the manufacture.

Luxury vinyl floors are available as both tiles and planks. They are made up of multiple layers of material rather than just two, usually anything between six and eight. These include two backing layers made from PVC and fibreglass that provide rigidity and strength; a foam layer of cushioning; the main vinyl layer with the chosen design printed on it; a layer over that to prevent damage; and a transparent layer to provide sheen.

Each plank or tile of a luxury vinyl floor is made separately in this way before they are fitted together during installation, whereas regular vinyl consists of a single sheet.

Thickness

Another difference between the two is how thick they typically are. Regular vinyl is a very thin floor surface that usually has a wear layer of between 10mm and 15mm. Despite this, it is a pretty durable and long-lasting surface, but the thinness does mean that it can be harsh underfoot if it is laid over a hard surface such as concrete.

As you might expect given the multi-layered manufacturing process, luxury vinyl is a much thicker floor surface. The wear layers alone will usually be anything between 2 mm and 8 mm in thickness, and there are several additional layers involved in creating it. That means it provides a comfortable surface to walk on whatever the floor underneath is made out of.

Installation

The installation process for regular vinyl flooring involves bonding it to the floor underlay with glue. In some cases it can be fitted with this glue bond only at the perimeter of the vinyl, so that it is attached to the underlay solely at the edges and seams. Glue bonding is always the fitting metho, however.

Luxury vinyl involves a more complicated installation. The tiles or planks are usually fitted to the floor using a system known as click-clock that interlocks them at their edges.

Appearance

One thing that regular and luxury vinyl floors have in common is that they can both be printed with designs that make them look like stone, wood, ceramic or porcelain tile floors. However, because regular vinyl is a single smooth piece of material, it does not replicate the look of individual tiles or planks of wood very closely.

As luxury vinyl is made up of separate planks or tiles to begin with, it achieves a wood or tile effect more convincingly. Nevertheless, it will only really be noticeable if you are paying close attention to the floor.

Maintenance

Sweeping, vacuuming or wiping with a damp cloth are the standard methods of maintaining both of the surfaces on a day-to-day basis. They are equally easy to keep clean. It is only when it comes to longer term maintenance that clear differences between them emerge.

Regular vinyl is quite thin and soft, which can leave it prone to rips or scratches – especially if you have children or pets. The greater thickness and hardness of luxury vinyl means that kind of damage is a lot less likely to occur. Thus, it is the floor choice that will last for longer in most circumstances.

Both of these flooring choices have their advantages and which you pick could depend on whether longevity or cost is your prime consideration. Speak to an expert for information about pricing.