Do Vinyl flooring look cheap these days? When you hear the words ‘vinyl floors,” is your first reaction to wrinkle up your nose and think, ewww? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The words “vinyl floors” conjure up images of dull, stained, cheap looking floors, mostly in colors straight from the 70s – rusty brown, burnt orange, avocado green.
When choosing flooring these days, most homeowners’ first thought might not be to install vinyl flooring in their homes due to the extreme popularity of hardwood floors. But hardwood floors can be prohibitively expensive.
Like with most everything, technological advances have given rise to a whole new range of vinyl flooring that instead of thinking “yuck,” you and your wallet will be saying “yay!!”
Benefits of vinyl floors
Here are some benefits of using vinyl that might get you to consider installing it.
- Inexpensive (compared to hardwood floors)
- Durable
- Easy to maintain
- DIY installation
It will look especially great in rooms with a lot of foot traffic because it is made to stand up to daily wear and tear. It’s also resistant to moisture, and some are even 100% waterproof.
Types of Vinyl flooring
There are several different types of vinyl flooring, the most popular are vinyl plank, sheet, and peel-and-stick. Nowadays, you can achieve the look of realistic hardwood with embossed planks (to show the wood “grain”) or ceramic and stone with tile flooring.
It is now available in such a wide range of colors and designs, you can really be creative with your choices to decorate your home.
- Vinyl planks are made to replicate hardwood floors. There are varieties to mimic wood grains, colors, and textures. They have the appeal and design of wood, but have greater function than traditional hardwood. Vinyl planks are water-resistant, while hardwood floors aren’t. They are also more stain-resistant than traditional hardwood and easier to maintain.
- Vinyl sheeting works well in large spaces and is really easy to clean. A feature of sheet vinyl is that it reduces the chance of having seams on your floor (and also having fewer seams to align when installing). This helps with cleaning (no dirt or debris getting in any seams).
- Peel-and-Stick tiles are quick and easy to install and easy to remove, making them a great option for small spaces, like powder rooms.
TIP: Choose sheet vinyl for installing in large spaces and use tiles forsmaller rooms.
I am sure you would love to read more in detail in my Vinyl flooring buying guide about different types of viny and other benefits.
What is luxury vinyl flooring?
If the benefits have piqued your interest but you are still concerned that vinyl flooring look cheap, consider Luxury Vinyl Tile and Luxury Vinyl Plank, abbreviated as LVT and LVP, respectively.
Luxury vinyl flooring is an expansion of the other flooring styles mentioned above, and, you guessed it, more luxurious than basic option.
Luxury Vinyl Planks comes in planks or strips, mimicking the look of hardwood floors, and Luxury Vinyl Tile simulates the look of stone or ceramic tiles. They are individual pieces of vinyl (not sheets), and you’ll be hard pressed to see a difference between them and the real thing. Advanced printing technology and texture embossing provide LVT and LVP with more realistic wood and stone looks than ever before!
Unlike sheet or peel & stick vinyl tiles, luxury vinyl is a thick vinyl flooring, about five times the thickness of standard vinyl. It’s slightly more expensive than basic vinyl flooring, but you do get what you pay for – the additional material provides fullness and texture that echoes the look of hardwood or stone.
It provides durability and lasts longer than traditional vinyl with an estimated lifespan of up to 20 years!
It’s perfect for a busy home with kids or pets, and high-traffic areas you want to keep looking fresh with minimal upkeep. For these reasons, many buyers are actively seeking it out as an option and the popularity of vinyl flooring is soaring.
Why should you Choose Luxury Vinyl Tile?
Here are some main benefits, why you should consider LVT:
Easy Installation
LVT can be easily installed either with glue, repositionable self-adhesive, or a loose-lay floor. Using a loose-lay system makes it possible to use it with little surface preparation, and costs and installation times can be reduced.
Comfort
Luxury vinyl tile has a softer surface than wood or stone, making it more comfortable to walk on. It also reduces noise, which can be an important consideration.
Affordable
Traditional hardwood and stone flooring are definitely pricier than LVT. If you want a durable alternative at a much lower cost, luxury vinyl flooring is the answer.
Resilient
LVT is low maintenance, tough to scratch and chip, and is resistant to moisture, which makes it an ideal choice for rooms below ground level where there can be a lot of dampness.
What looks can I get with LVT flooring?
Luxury vinyl tile is similar to other vinyl floorings in its construction. It has a wear layer, a printed layer, a water-resistant layer, and a backing layer. Generally, it’s thicker and offers more durability than standard vinyl. The printed layer can look just like hardwood or stone flooring.
Many styles are also 100% waterproof. When exposed to water they won’t swell or buckle. Perfect for areas like the kitchen or a bathroom which can often suffer from water damage. If you have a cheaper alternative read what to do when your vinyl gets wet.
LVT’s versatility is hard to beat. It’s absolutely possible to achieve a look that mimics hardwood or natural stone, but with the benefits, you want from a vinyl floor.
Here are just a few of the looks you can achieve:
- Classic stone – Slate, marble, limestone and travertine and concrete.
- Realistic looking wood – Pine, oak, maple and exotic woods with impressive grain patterns.
- Effects – Antiqued/distressed, weathered white-wash, and hand-scraped.
Does luxury vinyl flooring increase home value?
Having beautiful flooring throughout your home is definitely an asset, and nothing maintains and increases the value of a home like hardwood floors. LVP is a great option due to its affordability, but if you’re looking to add value to your home, hardwood flooring is your best bet.
To increase your home’s value with whichever flooring you choose, you should try to always maintain architectural integrity. The style of your home and the areas of the home in which you install the flooring will determine any added gain. While LVP floors can be beautiful and often are difficult to distinguish from real hardwood, some buyers will place more value on traditional hardwood floors.
If you do decide to install luxury vinyl flooring, it, too, can add to the worth of your home especially if used to replace damaged laminate, tile or linoleum. With a wide array of looks available with LVT and LVP, and at a much more modest price point, you can give your home a stunning presence.
What brand of luxury vinyl plank flooring do I like?
If you’re ready to add some vinyl flooring to your home, try Lucida luxury vinyl floor tiles, available at Amazon. Get a wood look at a much lower cost! It will be hard to tell the difference, though you’ll feel the difference in your wallet with all the money you’ll have leftover from getting LVT.
This flooring is available in several different shades so you can easily pick one to complement your home decor. These tiles are very durable, waterproof, and a breeze to clean. They are also easy to install, so you can save even more money if you DIY!
