LVP Versus LVT Flooring
Luxury vinyl is a tremendously popular flooring option for homes. It’s versatile, low-maintenance, attractive, and incredibly durable. And with its ability to emulate the look of hardwood and natural stone but at a fraction of the price, it’s no wonder that more and more homeowners are opting for luxury vinyl flooring throughout their homes.
Luxury vinyl can look great and function well as a flooring option. It’s a tremendously versatile flooring that is relatively easy to maintain. Simply by sweeping your luxury vinyl every few days, you help to guarantee that your vinyl looks excellent for the long haul. Luxury vinyl floors are also quite attractive! They are a stylish and trend-setting flooring choice that can mimic the look of more expensive materials like hardwood and natural stone but at a fraction of the price. Luxury vinyl is also an incredibly durable flooring as long as it is properly cared for over time. Some luxury vinyl flooring options can last decades, depending on the quality and overall maintenance. Luxury vinyl is tough on spills, nearly impossible to stain, and durable enough to withstand general foot traffic in your home.
There are three main types of vinyl flooring available to homeowners; they are luxury vinyl plank (LVP), luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and sheet vinyl. For brevity, this blog will discuss the characteristics, core similarities, and main differences between LVP and LVT.
By educating yourself about these two excellent types of luxury vinyl flooring, you can decide if either one might be right for you and your home.
What is LVP flooring?
LVP flooring is a type of luxury vinyl flooring that is plank shaped and often constructed to emulate the look of natural hardwood flooring. Said planks can include authentic scraping and embossing and are often so realistic that it can be challenging to discern between LVP wood-look flooring and the real thing. LVP is constructed of several layers to maximize durability and provide high performance within the home.
What is LVT flooring?
LVT flooring is a type of luxury vinyl flooring that is tile shaped and often constructed to resemble the look of natural stone or concrete. LVT flooring can include surface texture and be installed with grout to provide an even more authentic tile look and feel. Much like LVP, LVT is constructed of several layers and can take on everyday spills, foot traffic, and messes.
What are the similarities between LVP and LVT flooring?
LVP and LVT can emulate the look of hardwood or natural stone at a much lower cost, making them affordable alternatives to the “real thing.” LVP and LVT both offer simple installation and maintenance as well. Featuring many of the same benefits noted in the introductory paragraph of this blog post, LVP, and LVT are excellent flooring options for families as they are highly durable, affordable, and resistant to spills and scratches. With their multilayered construction, the outlook for LVP and LVT flooring is anywhere from 10-25 years, depending on maintenance and other factors. Both flooring options can be installed similarly by utilizing a click-and-lock system over an existing flooring (a floating installation) or by gluing the materials directly to your subflooring using an adhesive.
What are the differences between LVP and LVT flooring?
The main difference between LVP and LVT is the shape of the individual flooring pieces. LVP is plank shaped and often used to emulate hardwood, whereas LVT is tile shaped and made to emulate natural stone, porcelain, or concrete. The latter can be installed with grouting to provide an even more authentic look.
Is LVP or LVT flooring right for me?
If you’re interested in learning more about LVP, LVT, or any other type of flooring, we can help! Contact Flooring 101 today!
