Luxury Vinyl is the fastest growing flooring category currently on the market. Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) refers to products in a plank format most often styled after the natural beauty of hardwood floors while Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) refers to products that mimic stone or tile – some are even grout-able to provide a more realistic look.
Construction
A typical LVP/LVT will have 3-4 layers: a wear layer, a design layer, an inner core layer and/or a backing layer. The inner core layer could be made of vinyl or PVC or limestone and is sometimes reinforced with fibreglass to provide additional stability. Because most LVP’s and LVT’s have no organic compounds in them, they are virtually waterproof and won’t break down over time.
Glue Down vs. Click Together
Glue down installation is our most preferred method – this eliminates excessive movement from changes in moisture and subfloor and is perfect for areas with direct sunlight exposure or where temperature is not controlled such as RV’s, cabins and sunrooms. Click together (floating) installations work just like any laminate installation and require mouldings at doorways and a small gap to be left around the perimeter of the room to allow for expansion and contraction of the floor.
Wear Layer – mil vs. mm
It’s important to distinguish between mil and mm when discussing LVP and LVT – mil refers to the thickness of the wear layer while mm refers to the thickness of the product as a whole. A mil is one thousandth of an inch – so a vinyl plank wear layer of 0.50 mm is the same as a 20 mil wear layer.
What is FloorScore® certified?
FloorScore® is a third party certification that tests and measures the risks to indoor air quality. A primary concern of indoor air quality is the emission level of specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Poor indoor air quality is caused by inadequate ventilation, poor cleaning and/or excessive emissions of VOCs from surfaces and finishes. Products bearing the FloorScore® label meet the stringent indoor air quality emissions criteria.
