Photo Credit by Bamboo Family
Unless you are dead set on hardwood, bamboo, traditional tile or stone, one of the best flooring options is rigid core luxury vinyl.
There are several types of luxury vinyl on the market, but hands down rigid core is the premier product in luxury vinyl.
Here’s Why Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl is our Top Choice:
It is one of the most durable waterproof floorings on the market.
It is affordable.
It comes in beautiful stone and wood looks.
It is easy to install and can be floated over any existing hard surface like tile.
Photo Credit by Houzz
Here’s What you Need to Know:
Luxury Vinyl has two acronyms: LVT (luxury vinyl tile) and LVP (luxury vinyl planks). LVT refers to the stone tile looks and LVP refers to wood planks.
Rigid core luxury vinyl is also known as Stone Plastic Composite or Stone Polymer Composite (SPC). There is another type of luxury vinyl called Wood Plastic Composite (WPC).
Although WPC is a decent product, SPC’s durability is similar to concrete since it has a ceramic coating making it a superior product.
With most wood, laminate, or vinyl flooring overall thickness it is important and thicker usually equals better quality. The exception to this “thickness rule” is rigid core because it is manufactured specifically to be thin yet ultra-tough. The overall thickness will be no more than 6 mm and it has four layers.
Where the thickness counts with rigid core is in the wear layer. The wear layer is your “armor” that protects the flooring from dents and scratches. For residential use, 12 MIL wear layer is totally adequate, but it does go up to 22 MIL for highly trafficked commercial spaces.
Benefits of Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl
Low maintenance so just vacuum and wet mop and it’s good as new.
Excellent for kids, pets, and busy households due to its durability.
No expansion or contraction issues like you have with hardwood or bamboo so no need to worry about extreme temperature changes.
Phthalate Free and Low VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Look for brands that have a Greenguard certification and FloorScore to ensure your flooring has a very low toxicity for your family and your environment.
100% waterproof so you do not need to be concerned about moisture issues.
Sound absorbent so it is an ideal choice for putting it upstairs in a two-story home or business.
Photo Credit by Eternity Flooring
Downside of Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl
SPC flooring is more expensive than WPC, but prices are coming down since many companies are making their own brands of SPC. It is a competitively priced flooring option and is priced less than hardwood.
Even though SPC is 100% waterproof and safe for bathrooms, we recommend only putting it in a secondary bathroom where bathing is occasional like a guest bath or in a powder room.
Conclusion
Putting new flooring throughout your home is a big investment, so it is important to go with a flooring choice that not only looks beautiful but is able to withstand your lifestyle and still look like new after several years. In our opinion, that’s why rigid core luxury vinyl is one of our top choices!
If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen, baths, or any other interior spaces including flooring—Living Space Designs is here for all your design and remodeling needs.
Photo Credit by Trulycarpet.com