The 10 Best Vinyl Plank Flooring Options of 2023

The Bottom Line

The best vinyl plank flooring for most people is the Shaw Primavera Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring. It’s 100% waterproof and is scratch-, skid-, and mark-resistant, making it ideal for long-term use in high-traffic areas. Plus, it’s available at a nice mid-range price and boasts easy click lock installation for the DIYer.

What to Know About Vinyl Plank Floors Before Shopping

Type

There are three main types of vinyl plank floors: luxury vinyl plank, rigid plank flooring, and waterproof flooring. While all three types have similar characteristics—most will tout some degree of water resistance—you’ll want to make sure that you’re getting the type that’s appropriate for a particular area in your home. For the kitchen, bath, basement, and other areas prone to moisture and spills, you’ll want to go with vinyl plank flooring with excellent waterproofing capability.

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Plank Length and Width

The length and width of the planks will vary by brand and your personal choice, but there are some considerations for homeowners. “Generally speaking, smaller planks are going to be more labor-intensive to install,” says Todd Saunders, CEO of FlooringStores, though he notes that they’re “easier to get a clean look with, especially in rooms with lots of awkward corners to work around.” He also says they’ll likely be slightly more expensive per square foot, so keep this in mind for your budget.

Plank Thickness vs. Wear Layer Thickness

Keep in mind that the thickness of the plank is in millimeters (mm) while the wear layer thickness is in mil—these are two different measurements, and they’re not measuring the same thing at all. Plank thickness measures the thickness of the actual plank, while wear layer thickness measures the clear layer of vinyl that’s applied to top of the plank to protect it. When it comes to durability, you’ll want to pay attention especially to the wear layer thickness—the thicker the better when it comes to high-traffic areas in your home.

Style

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“It’s best to go with a blended pattern that incorporates multiple colors from the rest of the room in a way that will effectively hide scratches, scuffs, and dirt,” Saunders says. While there is a wide selection of colors and finishes on the market, he notes that there are some manufacturers who will even print custom planks with your choice of wood grain pattern.

As for choosing between light or dark colors, here’s advice from Ben Gold, founder of Recommended Home Buyers: “Lighter coloring always makes the area feel bigger, but it’s harder to maintain cleanness because the dust is more visible.” His suggestion is to put darker areas in high-traffic areas like the kitchen and save the lighter colors for less-frequented rooms in your home.

Your Questions, Answered

What’s the difference between laminate and vinyl flooring?

Laminate and vinyl flooring are both more affordable and durable alternatives to hardwood floors. Vinyl flooring is made up of multiple layers to create a durable, waterproof finish. A vinyl core is topped by a wear layer and a printed vinyl layer that features the wood grain look.

Laminate flooring is made up of layers of synthetic material; an inner core board has a photo image layer—this provides the wood grain look—and is topped with another layer for protection. However, not all laminate floors are waterproof. When deciding which of the two is best for your space, you’ll have to consider the level of moisture for those particular rooms, especially when deciding on flooring for the kitchen and bath.

What thickness of vinyl plank flooring is best?

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Mil (one-thousandth of an inch) is the measurement of the vinyl plank’s thickness. The thicker the plank, the more protection you’ll have against damage. “For the average house, 12 mil is a perfect choice,” says Gold. He mentions, though, that if you’ve got pets or heavier foot traffic, look for VPF that has 20 mil.

Can you put heavy furniture on vinyl plank flooring?

If you plan to place heavy furniture and appliances on top of vinyl planking, it’s better to use adhesive rather than a floating installation to ensure better stability.

“LVP may be wipeable, but it is thin, hard, and buckles at pinch points,” says Shoshanna Shapiro, owner and principal designer at Sho and Co. She notes that a floating floor installation will likely be damaged if you try to put a heavy appliance like a refrigerator or a kitchen island on top of it.

Who We Are

This article was written by Barbara Bellesi Zito, who writes about home and garden topics for various lifestyle publications. To write this article, she researched dozens of vinyl plank flooring types, considering factors like type, length and width, wear layer thickness, durability, and range of finishes. Barbara also consulted Stacy Lewis, owner and interior designer at Eternity Modern; Todd Saunders, CEO of FlooringStores; Shoshanna Shapiro, owner and principal designer at Sho and Co.; and Ben Gold, founder of Recommended Home Buyers.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens