Navigating the Vinyl Flooring Alphabet Soup Landscape: LVT, LVP, WPC, and SPC

Resilient Vinyl Floor Covering

The underlying layer of vinyl flooring is typically fiberglass, recognized for its stability and imperviousness, inherently rendering the flooring waterproof. The addition of a vinyl sheet overlay ensures water resistance, preserving the integrity of the flooring.

Moreover, vinyl flooring features a protective wear layer to guard against discoloration, ensuring it maintains its look even in sunlit spaces. These vinyl floor panels may come with a factory-applied adhesive for easy installation, or they might require an adhesive glue, readily available at any local hardware store.

Contemplating between laminate and vinyl flooring? Here are some notable features of vinyl flooring:

Water Resistance Level: Vinyl flooring can be either completely waterproof or water-resistant. Do not let this distinction confuse you. Water-resistant vinyl can handle spills for up to 24 hours, offering a slightly more economical solution ideal for kitchens, living rooms, or dining spaces. Waterproof vinyl can fend off water damage for up to 72 hours, making it a critical addition to bathrooms. One caveat though: if the water seeps through the sides or bottom, you will still need to remove the floors to prevent molding. Whatever floor you have, if water floods or seeps underneath, you will need to replace them… so don’t turn your home into a pool!

Durability Layer: All vinyl flooring includes a protective durability layer that comprises a clear protective coating. It's more resistant to scratches, making it indispensable in areas with heavy foot traffic or pets. Additionally, it safeguards the wood or tile-like layer beneath from fading, thus preserving your floor’s color. The thicker this layer, the longer the floor's lifespan, making it ideal for high-traffic zones such as hallways or frequently used living spaces. These are typically measured in mills. It’s basically a measure how many protective coatings it can have.

LVT and LVP are Fundamentally Identical

Essentially, LVT and LVP are two sides of the same coin. Both are upscale vinyl materials available in either a flexible or rigid core construction. The distinction lies in the form they take - LVP is offered in planks (think hardwood flooring planks) while LVT is available as tiles. Easy, right?

WPC Vinyl Flooring

We might ask, what is a WPC vinyl flooring? This flooring is a variant of rigid-core LVT or LVP that uses a concoction of wood sawdust and vinyl for its core structure. This composition provides a springy, comfortable, and relatively resilient product.

Is WPC Flooring part of LVT or LVP? Yes, absolutely. LVT and LVP are the shapes, while WPC is the recipe behind it.

SPC Vinyl Flooring

OK, we have one more abbreviation for you. What’s an SPC? SPC is short for stone-plastic composite. It’s essentially a vinyl flooring that incorporates a blend of stone and plastic in its base/core recipe.

Although different brands might alter the precise formulation, the underlying concept is that SPC vinyl plank flooring integrates substances such as powdered limestone in its core.

Consider it as the counterbalance to WPC's softness. Where WPC flooring is engineered for comfort and gentleness, SPC flooring is designed for relatively stronger flooring!

The Shortcomings of Vinyl Plank Flooring

While vinyl flooring may have many pros, it also comes with a fair share of cons. It's critical to be aware of these before making an informed decision about your flooring choice, so you're not caught off guard down the line.

Issues with Discoloration and Sunlight Damage in Vinyl Plank Flooring

One of the challenges with vinyl plank flooring is its weak to damage from the sun. Simply put, some vinyl plank types need to be protected from sunlight. It just implies that some varieties may fade when exposed to direct sunlight over a prolonged period.

Vinyl Plank Flooring and VOC Emissions

It's not just vinyl plank flooring that can emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs); other flooring materials can too. However, being plastic, vinyl plank can be a significant contributor.

VOCs are chemicals that give a characteristic 'new' smell to cars and various other industrial products. Almost every industrially produced item emits them, and they can be harmful to health.

While most VOCs are harmless in small quantities, some can pose health risks, especially to vulnerable groups. New floors can emit high levels of VOCs.

Additional Environmental Concerns with Vinyl Plank Flooring

Contrary to popular opinion, vinyl plank is not considered a very green flooring option.

There are several reasons for this:

• LVP, being made of plastic, is not a 'green' material.
• Most vinyl flooring types cannot be recycled or decomposed.
• Damaged vinyl plank cannot be repaired and hence, ends up in the trash.

If environmental sustainability is a priority, consider exploring durable natural flooring options like white oak or hevea flooring.

Durable Yet Prone to Dents and Cracks

While vinyl is a highly durable flooring option, it does have a significant drawback. A heavy, sharp object can easily dent it, resulting in a permanent defect. This issue can also arise with heavy furniture that stays in one spot for a long time. Also, the rigidity of vinyl flooring makes it easily crack under heavy furniture, such as a dresser or a desk. As opposed to hardwood floor, that are more flexible and malleable under heavy pressure.

Repairing Vinyl Plank Flooring Can Be a Challenge

With hardwood floors, a simple scratch can usually be sanded and refinished, rendering it invisible. This isn't the case with vinyl plank flooring. Any damage to your vinyl floors can be difficult, if not impossible, to repair, and the scratches can still be noticeable upon closer inspection. Damage to the design layer of the flooring is practically impossible to fix.

Vinyl Plank Flooring: A Nightmare to Remove

One major downside of vinyl plank flooring is its removal process, which can be incredibly daunting. This is mainly because of the two most common installation methods: glue-down and click-lock.

If you've installed a click-lock floating floor, removing and replacing a single damaged plank is nearly impossible. You'll need to remove every interconnected plank between the damaged one and the wall - quite a hassle!

Glue-down vinyl planks are no better. It's nearly impossible to remove one without causing damage to the surrounding planks or the underlying subfloor.

Vinyl Plank Flooring Resale Value Versus Hardwood

Several factors determine a home's resale value, and while vinyl plank flooring does contribute to it, it typically doesn't add as much value as hardwood does.

Exploring Different Options to Vinyl Plank Flooring

Having discussed the pros and cons of vinyl plank flooring, let's delve into some alternate flooring types that present similar characteristics. Although this isn't an exhaustive list of every possible substitute for vinyl plank, it'll provide a rough sketch of how vinyl plank measures up against other well-known alternatives.

Vinyl Plank vs Laminate Flooring: Who Wins?

The battle between vinyl plank and laminate flooring does not have a definite champion. Vinyl plank once held a clear advantage over laminate in terms of water resistance. However, with the advent of waterproof laminates like RevWood, the scales are becoming balanced.

Apart from that, vinyl plank and laminate share numerous common features. They are both composite floors composed of several layers. Both are robust, and they provide impressive faux-wood visuals at a pocket-friendly cost.

Luxury Vinyl vs Engineered Wood: Which One is Superior?

Firstly, it's important to note that comparing engineered wood to luxury vinyl might not be equitable, as engineered wood is real wood flooring. Engineered wood consists of plywood with a veneer of hardwood.

While engineered wood shares a vague similarity with vinyl since they're made of multiple layers, that's where the comparison ends. Engineered wood is entirely organic!

Sure, there may be some drawbacks to engineered wood. For instance, its surface may not be as water-resistant as vinyl, but remember, water flows down, and when it seeps into your subfloor, no matter what flooring you may have, you will need to replace them to prevent molding.

What Does Real Wood Offer That Vinyl Plank Doesn't?

Interestingly, while vinyl addresses the water resistance flaws in real wood, real wood counteracts some of the shortcomings of vinyl plank flooring.

Some incredibly durable hardwood species can resist dents more than vinyl plank, such as hickory and white oak. Real wood floors can add more value to your home upon resale compared to vinyl plank.

Hardwood is more environmentally friendly, and it's easier to locate sustainable wood flooring than sustainable vinyl plank. Besides, hardwood floors are simpler to repair.

Last Words

We know how a flooring project is a mammoth undertaking for you… and can be very expensive. But if you’re not in a rush, I encourage you to shop around. Then check us out. We're a Factory Direct Store, so our prices are cheaper than any other places. We import the woods ourselves, passing along the savings to you. And we have pro installers with 15+ years of experience, at your service. Should you have any further questions, please email hello@redeemedflooring.com.