Unlike traditional vinyl this style of flooring is comprised of layers which always include a core vinyl top layer and wear layer.
Different thicknesses of luxury vinyl planking.
Just like the thickness the thicker the wear layer the more durable the floor will be.
Inspired by natural stone and hardwood luxury vinyl flooring is scratch and stain and water resistant and built to endure the busiest lifestyles.
Designer elleman used faux wood luxury vinyl planks for this kitchen in washington d c and likes the material for its versatility.
The durability of vinyl plank flooring is determined by the wear layer.
At this point you might be wondering what the difference is between rigid core and waterproof core.
From time worn wood to modern marble enjoy nature s diverse beauty in the kitchen bath basement and beyond browse all of our traditional luxury vinyl tile options.
Different vinyl flooring thicknesses vinyl flooring wear layer.
Rigid core vinyl planks also known as spc vinyl flooring are also 100 waterproof.
The level of wear on a vinyl plank is measured in mil one thousandth of an inch a mil is not the same as a millimeter as roughly 40 mil equals 1 0 mm 39 4 mil to 1 mm to be exact.
Different manufacturers have different standard thicknesses for the wear layers on their lvt products.
Rigid core luxury vinyl flooring has a stone plastic composite core.
Vinyl planks range in thickness from 2 mm for lower quality products to 8 mm or more for higher quality products.
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Generally speaking the thicker the wear layer the longer it will last.
Better quality flooring tends to have the highest wear layers but is more expensive.
Luxury vinyl flooring construction.
When shopping for vinyl plank flooring pay also attention to the wear layer.
This measurement varies since luxury vinyl tile is comprised of four to five different distinct layers that include a urethane coating the wear layer a print film layer the vinyl core and the backing.
Kitchens might be the most practical space for luxury vinyl flooring.
The floorte plus line is available with wear layers of 12 20 and 30 mils.
If you are using a room fairly often such as an office or kitchen maybe you look at vinyl that has a cork backing on it.
Before we take a look at wear layers or the overall thickness of a plank or tile it s important to understand what luxury vinyl is and how it s made.
The wear layer is a clear coat of urethane or acrylic depending on brand.
A 20 mil wear layer can be expected to last about 5 years compared with a 28 mil wear layer which can last for up to 10.
You get what you pay for with luxury vinyl plank flooring and what you re paying for in many cases is the wear layer.