Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring is an easy-to-maintain, hard-wearing option for many households as a popular alternative to wood or laminate flooring. As with any popular product, it can be hard to filter to fact from the fantasy. Here we ask: is LVT worth it?
What is LVT?
LVT tiles are heavy-duty vinyl floor ties which are produced as individual planks. They were invented for a multitude of reasons, but principally as an alternative to vinyl flooring which tends to absorb and trap moisture. Unlike laminate flooring, LVT tiles do not have major problems with moisture or water and do not squeak, expand or deteriorate in the same way.
LVT manages to be water-resistant because of its construction from either PVC, virgin vinyl or other materials. LVT, as a result, is easy to maintain, install and upkeep, being either glued or installed like laminate flooring with self-locking sides. In construction, LVT is remarkably similar to laminate flooring – it is produced in layers of materials. The difference is the type and quality of materials.
Is LVT Worth It?
LVT is a very affordable option when compared to traditional hardwood floors as well as ceramic and stone flooring. This is because LVT comes in a host of different effects and finishes which mimic those traditional floors. In terms of comparative value, then, LVT offers a more accessible and affordable option to natural floor types, with less of the issues associated with those floors. The true rival to LVT remains laminate flooring due to its similarly cheap construction and aesthetic mirroring of traditional floors.
So why choose LVT flooring over laminate? LVT flooring goes further in mimicking traditional flooring and is water-resistant, making it extremely favourable in a whole host of rooms, especially dining rooms. LVT is more heavy-duty, meaning that homes that are more prone to taking damage (say, family or pet-friendly homes) may prefer an LVT setup.
All in all, LVT is an attractive, durable and economical choice which, like laminate flooring, is easier to upkeep than traditional floors of wood and stone. As such, both LVT and laminate flooring are synthetic alternatives which provide fewer headaches when maintaining for a fraction of the cost of wood. When it comes to LVT worth, you have to ask which room you’re utilising it in. Because of its high-water resistance, LVT is perfect for bathrooms, kitchens and washrooms where laminate flooring just won’t hold up. LVT is, therefore, an ideal, practical solution to many home requirements, offering affordability and ease-of-maintenance in the long run.