FAQs on Top Manufacturers of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
What thickness of vinyl plank flooring is best?
The thicker the plank, the sturdier it is. So the rule of thumb is to use 4mm to 6mm thickness in heavily used areas of the house and 4mm and below for areas like the bedroom.
Final Thought on Top Manufacturers of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
As you can see, vinyl flooring is easy and simple to install. And the best vinyl plank flooring will give you years of trouble-free use, easy to maintain, and suits the style and decor of your home.
Luxury vinyl flooring is trendy right now. Why’s this? Simply put, it combines great looks with great practicality. It can mimic, with some success, wood, ceramic and stone, and it also brings excellent durability, waterproofing and comfort. Consequently, we bring you this rundown of the best vinyl flooring in Vietnam.
Luxury vinyl can give you the visual appeal of marble (or mahogany, or terracotta), with cushioning for your feet and your pocket. On top of this, it’s super-durable. This is why it’s used in so many shops where heavy footfall can be a killer.
There are many different candidates for best vinyl flooring brands in Vietnam. We’ve narrowed the choice down to our top 10, with most of them picked for a particular strength, like best wood looks. There are a few at the end that, although belonging to no particular category, deserved inclusion in any case.
The Different Types of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Luxury vinyl flooring comes in two main forms: tile (LVT) and plank (LVP). They’re both pretty much the same thing in that they both feature multi-layer construction and solid cores, but they have different dimensions.
As you’ll probably be expecting, the tile is more ‘stubby’ in shape, with sizes varying from 16” x 16” to 18” x 36”. The plank is longer and thinner, from 4” x 48” to 9” x 72”. Ceramic and stone reproductions tend to come in LVT shape, while the wood effect is usually LVP.
What to Consider When Choosing Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Overall Thickness
You don’t want a thin and potentially flimsy tile or plank in heavy-traffic areas. Needs to be 5mm, at least, unless it’s a glue-down tile, which can be thinner. However, probably even more important is the next point.
Wear Layer Thickness
This being the business end, you need a decent wear layer, or it’s hardly worth laying the things down in the first place. 20 mil (or 0.55mm) is the industry standard for a good, hardwearing floor.
Visual Design
It’s got to look good. It’s your house – you want it to look its best, naturally. This is where it’s often a good idea to visit a showroom to get your hands on the things. That way, you can give the embossing a feel as well as seeing the design up close. Some online sellers will send you samples, so it’s worth asking.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Most luxury vinyl is dead easy to care for. Cleaning vinyl’s a breeze: a damp mop now and again will see it looking its best. There shouldn’t be any further maintenance needed. If the instructions ask you to rub olive oil lovingly into its nooks and crannies, you should probably look elsewhere. I certainly would – it sounds like some privacy might be required.
Waterproofing
If you’re looking at a luxury vinyl product that has only partial waterproofing, you’re looking at the wrong luxury vinyl product. Waterproofing is what luxury vinyl does best, so if it’s not able to deliver, it’s a poor example indeed.
Company Reputation
How is the company regarded? How long’s it been operating? Has it made a decent name for itself in that time? Crucially, what do previous customers think of its products? Reviews are super-important, and you shouldn’t dismiss them all as fake. Most customer reviews are real and honest and can tell you some information that’s good to know before you commit.
How Easy Is It To Install?
The installation’s within the ambit of most practically-oriented people. There’s lots of help available online, such as this YouTube video, giving great tips on luxury vinyl installation. You should be sure of three things. Firstly, what tools and prep are required? Secondly, how long is it likely to take? Is it an afternoon, or should a whole weekend be blocked off? Thirdly, is there a helpline for when (sorry, if) it all goes skewiff?
What Does It Cost?
If money’s tight for you right now, you’re not alone by any means. With prices rising, you need to be sure that the vinyl of your dreams is affordable. If not, you might be better off looking at a slightly lower price point. As we’ve seen, there’s some good stuff out there at a reasonable price.
Warranty
Last but not least, once that flooring’s down, you’d like it to be in place for a decent amount of time. Consequently, look for a brand that gives you confidence that you’re not going to have to replace it any time soon. 15 years is a good minimum.
The Pros & Cons of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Just like pretty much any flooring, there are pros and cons to luxury vinyl. It’s well worth having a think about whether the pros outweigh the cons for you before you dive into a big luxury vinyl blowout.
Pros
- Installing’s Usually Pretty Easy – not necessarily everyone will be able to do it, but those with at least a little practical skill should be able to manage it. Mind you, the difficulty can be compounded by an irregular or awkward space.
- Great Waterproofing – this is where vinyl really shines. Its watertight core (plus, usually, some anti-splash technology in the top layers) will mean that you can have water sloshing about for a sustained period, and LVT will just laugh in its face.
- Hardwearing – LVT and LVP have great strength. They have rock-solid cores that lifelong pilates masters can only weep with envy at.
- Acoustic Control – this is especially the case with luxury vinyl that has an underlayment. Get that stuff in there, and the noise of great clodhopping steps will be rendered as soft as a fairy’s feather.
- Extensive Range of Looks – you can explore a universe of wood, stone or ceramic looks without any of the drawbacks associated with those admittedly lovely natural products.
Cons
- It’s Not the Cheapest – although there are cheaper varieties of luxury vinyl, if your budget is inordinately tight, it might be more sensible to look at vinyl sheet. It’s not as hard-wearing, but it can look great. And it’s cheap.
- Environmental Issues – make no mistake, vinyl comes with a chequered environmental profile. However, recyclability is becoming more and more common with vinyl. Companies like Recofloor will take commercial vinyl away, and individuals can recycle their vinyl through local recycling services.
- It’s Not the Real Deal – luxury vinyl looks incredible at its best. At its worst, it can look like a cheap copy of the real thing. For instance, a hugely unconvincing stab at wood will offend the eye for as long as it’s down there.
Alternative Flooring Options
Luxury vinyl is, as we’ve seen, a terrific option. It’s hardwearing, it’s waterproof, it’s easy to lay, and it can look amazing. However, it might not be for everyone. For some, they might not be able to get past the environmental issues. Others might simply not be able to afford it. And then there are some for whom only real natural materials will do.
- Ceramic Tiles. These have stood the test of time. They’re beautiful, hardwearing and can be economical if you shop around. Installation can be a little tricky – you really have to know what you’re doing, or you can go seriously awry. Some people dislike the somewhat hard and cold experience they turn walking into.
- Solid Wood. It is much warmer underfoot than ceramic tiles, and the right wood and treatment can give good waterproofing performance. Installation-wise, this one’s best left to the pros. Unless you’re exceptionally good with wood.
- Engineered wood. This is real wood that’s been layered with another material to deliver waterproofing and durability on top of the feel of natural wood. Increasingly popular.
- Carpet. In the right setting, you can’t beat a nice bit of carpet. Yes, of course, it fails completely in the waterproofing stakes, and some have misgivings about the dust that carpet traps, but if you want cosiness, carpet rules.
Final Thoughts
In looking at luxury vinyl flooring, we wanted to be sure that we’d considered all aspects before naming our winner. This is why we settled on our top pick, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl. When rolling everything together, it was decided that this one offered the best overall buy due to its combination of good wear, great looks and affordability. No. It’s not the most hardwearing, but a 25-year warranty will satisfy most needs.
By looking for others that excel in particular areas, we are hoping that we’ve come up with a very useful list, ideal for those with a particular need. We’re confident that you’ll find one that appeals to you. If not, there’s lots more information online. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on the research. It pays to be thorough. When it comes to floors, more is more.
FAQs
Is luxury vinyl hardwearing?
Luxury vinyl is extremely hardwearing due to its rigid core and multi-layer construction incorporating a hard aluminium oxide wear layer.
Is luxury vinyl waterproof?
Because of its solid core, luxury vinyl is highly waterproof, even in the face of extended immersion.
Is luxury vinyl bad for the environment?
Up to now, vinyl has had a bad name environmentally. However, progress is being made in both the production and the recycling of vinyl. Hopefully, this will continue to improve.
Does luxury vinyl look like natural materials?
Luxury vinyl can look very much like the natural material it’s simulating. That’s not to say that it all looks convincing. For this reason, it’s well worth looking at some in the flesh before you buy.
