LVT and vinyl flooring offer style at a price point that won’t break the bank. These floors are water, dirt and scratch resistant.
They are also environmentally friendly and require little maintenance beyond sweeping and mopping. They can be installed by a homeowner, though professional installation is recommended. LVT is constructed of multiple layers including a wear layer, designed print and a PVC core.
Water Resistant
In terms of appearance, LVT & Vinyl Flooring is designed to look like a wide range of different floor materials. Often called plank or luxury vinyl tile (LVT) it’s a type of layered vinyl flooring that features PVC, print film and embossed wear layer for a hardwearing and beautiful finish.
It’s manufactured using raw material that is free from phthalates, which has been linked to certain health problems, and the HD photographic layers can now create textures that are almost indistinguishable from real wood, stone and fabric. Typically, LVT is between 2 and 8mm thick including underlay.
As a result, LVT is hard wearing and waterproof making it ideal for areas where practicality overrides design such as kitchens and bathrooms. It’s also warm underfoot and insulating, and provides a great grip and slip resistance. It’s easy to clean too, with only a sweep and an occasional mop required. It’s also stain resistant, which is especially useful for busy households.
Easy to Clean
LVT flooring is water-resistant making it easy to clean and maintain. It can also withstand the demands of heavy traffic and is hardwearing, offering impressive warranties.
Sweep the floors regularly and wipe up any spills straight away. It’s recommended to use a microfiber mop or cloth and a mild cleaning solution. Avoid abrasive scrubbing brushes and rough side sponges as these can damage the surface of the floor.
For more stubborn stains on your vinyl floor, you can try using baking soda paste (boil together equal parts of vinegar and water) to remove them. Hair shampoo can also work wonders in removing cosmetics such as mascara and lipstick from the surface of your vinyl flooring, so keep a bottle of this handy. It’s a good idea to place doormats at your entrance ways too as these will stop most of the dirt, stones and chemicals from being transported into your home. This makes your cleaning duties much easier and stress free!
Easy to Maintain
LVT is resistant to moisture and damp air so it’s very easy to keep clean. A simple sweeping on a regular basis combined with a weekly mopping (avoid abrasive detergents) is enough to keep it looking its best.
One of the great things about LVT is that even spills won’t damage it like they would on carpet or wood flooring. Splashes of wine, pasta sauce and other foods are easily wiped up without the staining that can happen to other flooring types.
For more stubborn stains, it’s a good idea to consult the manufacturer’s technical specifications on proper cleaning procedures. You don’t want to void the warranty by using cleaning products that could damage the protective wear layer. The use of doormats at entrance ways will also help to minimize the amount of dirt brought inside. It’s also a good idea to avoid steam cleaners as these can be very damaging. This is especially important with loose lay products.
Easy to Install
Unlike wood floors, LVT does not require staining finishes to protect them from spills or other daily wear and tear. It’s a great choice for rooms like kitchens where spilled food or liquid is a common occurrence. Even experienced cooks can make mistakes when preparing meals but with LVT, those small messes are easily cleaned up without fear of permanent damage to your floor.
With a little effort, you can install your new LVT floor yourself. If you opt for loose lay or click-together LVT (like MSI’s Everlife), simply spread a thin layer of adhesive in the room and then “click” the planks together.
Before you begin your installation, use a spirit level to check the level of the subfloor. This will help you find any humps or dips that need to be leveled.
