A popular trend in the flooring industry is 17-billion-dollar industry that is Luxury
Vinyl Planks (LVP). Is Luxury Vinyl Planks a luxurious flooring product or is it a
substandard finish flooring product?
There is a broad range when referring to acronym luxury vinyl
planks in conversation, because the low-quality brands are mixed in with higher quality brands, however all LVP are called LVP. Therefore, it is upon the buyer to find a product which meets their
budget and goals for this product.
What are some of the manufacturing specifications that you should aim for when
searching for luxury LVP planks and attain a 20-year warranty?
- Thickness of the plank, which includes this finished floor and pattern. A
better rated plank would be 5mm to 8 mm. - A good top layer for a LVP would be 12 Mil.
- A good LVP will have UV protection layers that is mixed into “wear
layer” - A vapor barrier would likely be recommended.
- A flat floor which doesn’t have rolls.
- Proper GAPAGE between walls-floors, and interior trim and thresholds.
- Read all the instructions associated with the flooring and follow all the
instructions for the installation.
To be upfront, I have a low opinion of luxury vinyl planks products and would strongly discourage
any customer from using such a product. I don’t see the product as a long-lasting material.
LVP does not hold up to scratches, sand, and dirt as alternative flooring does. Luxury vinyl
planks does move a lot, and careful consideration needs to be made around door thresholds. I do see
LVP working in limited areas to decrease costs with material and labor.
One issue that luxury vinyl planks flooring has not been raised by the public is that the material in
most cases cannot be recycled, therefore the product goes to the landfill and takes the
valuable space needed in a landfill.
Please consider American Building & Design for your next remodeling project