Why is lvt so expensive?

While vinyl flooring has been around for decades, Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is sort of considered the new kid on the block and many people are not all that familiar with it. If you haven’t heard yet of LVT, you owe it to yourself to know more about it so that when it is time to choose for your home or office, you can consider it as one of your top choices. When it comes to floor tiling options, there has always been a vinyl tile in one form or another. Today, vinyl remains as popular as it was several decades ago, and continues to be one of the fastest growing materials used for floors. You need to love any option you choose since it will be in your home for a long time, but when you stop loving it, or aging has taken its toll on the tiles and you need to change it, it’s good to know that LVT offers the option of changing the material and design in much easier ways than other types.

An outstanding feature of LVT is that it is available in a variety of different effects, and has the ability to naturally replicate the look and style of other types of material, be it wood planks, ceramic tiles, concrete or marble. This makes LVT easily designable with a long list of patterns and color options to choose from. The design options of LVT Flooring make it a desirable material, but this option also has many other properties that homeowners want in the material that they use on their floors. Extremely resistant to dents, water or moisture damage, heat and more, makes LVT a perfect pick for those who want durable and attractive floors. The LVT option is considered the improved and innovative part of vinyl.

Because vinyl has perhaps been always considered the cheapest type around, people didn’t often connect it with the elegance and more expensive look of other styles and floor materials, such as hardwood. Now, thanks to LVT, you can have the look of wood, stone or ceramics, yet less expensive and easier to take care of. This means that if you want a wood look for your bedroom or sitting room, you will find it in LVT, as you would also find a tile look for your bathroom or a stone look for a kitchen or basement. LVT offers a 3D look which creates depth and realism. It offers the option of a less permanent floor than wood or ceramic tile, especially with the growing popularity of floating LVT floors. Floating means that the vinyl sheet does not sit directly on top of the subfloor. To “float,” a vinyl flooring, an underlayment is installed. This is a protective layer that offers some cushioning underneath the vinyl, though most LVTs come with a built-in under layer.

As it continues to grow in popularity as a versatile and dependable solution, with endless design options, here is some more information about LVT.

The wood plank effect LVT is in the shape and form of a plank of wood. LVT is made with several layers:

Under heat and pressure, these layers are fused together. During manufacturing, these substances need to bond to the flooring through the process of curation. If bonding isn’t performed correctly, the coating won’t be effective.

The wear layer is a clear layer that covers the print layer, protecting it from scrapes, scratches, and regular wear and tear, making it the most important layer since it is the main protection of the floor as well as the most expensive part of it. When you consider the alternative of this, you would realize why it is the secret weapon of LVT. If the wear layer does not exist, the bulk of maintenance time and effort would be spent applying and polishing a wax coating, which also requires intermittent stripping and reapplied to protect the surface from scratches and stains and other types of damages.

Typically, the wear layer is given some degree of texture or ornamentation, to better compliment the look of the print film being used. Finally, urethane coating is applied to the wear layer, to further protect it and give out the desired sheen for the pattern. The entire product is then cut up into smaller planks or tiles, depending on the pattern. Because LVT is made up of multiple thin layers, you’ll find that it is flexible but very durable and easy to take care of.

Generally speaking, there are two main types of vinyl plank options. On the one hand, you have the LVT that is fixed to the ground with glue or self-adhesive. You need to wait for at least 24 to 48 hours after installation for the glue to fully dry. Yet, take note the glue makes the tiles harder to remove, should you want to do so in the future. Another means is via the floating vinyl planks and tiles which don’t use any kind of glue or adhesive and you can start walking on your floor immediately after installation. The first category comprises self-adhesive vinyl planks and glue-down vinyl, while the latter consists of vinyl click, where the planks fit into each other, and loose lay vinyl. Using newer loose lay systems makes it possible to use LVT with minimal surface preparation. With this solution the installation cost, as well as installation time, can be considerably lessened. Whichever type you choose, they do have a common prerequisite. To be installed properly, they all need a properly prepared subfloor that is hard, clean, dry and smooth.

The wear-layer lies between the printed design and urethane finish. This layer is a key factor of how well your floors will hold up over time. If it breaks down, the printed design can be prone to damage and become faded. Better vinyl floors have wear layers that include a protective top coat. This coating usually contains additives like ceramic or other substances to increase the hardness level of the planks.

LVT usually comes in either plank or tile form. A typical plank size is 48 in. x 4.5 in. A typical tile size is 16″ x 16″. Don’t be fooled that the thicker it is, the better it must be because there are other factors to be taken into consideration, such as the type of materials used to manufacture LVT. The level of wear on a vinyl plank is measured in mil, which is one-thousandth of an inch. Take note that a mil is not equal to a millimeter and roughly speaking, 40 mil equals 1.0 mm.

A thicker layer is more resistant to scratching and denting. Better quality flooring tends to have the highest wear layers but is more expensive. Professionals tend to stick with a minimum of 12 mil for residential areas and 28 mil for commercial. The wear layer should be at least 8 mil or 0.2mm thick for a room with moderate traffic. For high traffic areas or areas where you want the most durability, the general advice is to go with a wear layer that is 20 mil or 0.5mm thick.

Now that you know some basic facts about this kind of floor tiling, let’s have a look at its advantages.

LVT brings in luxury to your home at a lower cost than most other options. The cost will depend on various factors, such as the thickness; typically, the thicker high-end options will be more expensive but with undeniable quality. Out of all high quality picks, LVT can be the least expensive of them.

Durability is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why people choose LVT over other types. It is no surprise that commercial environments prefer LVT, be it offices, shops, lobbies, and many other places that need an option which endures high traffic. Being waterproof, it is also a great solution for areas more prone to moisture, such as basements. High-end quality brands may also be flame resistant. It’s difficult to ask for more than being able to endure heavy traffic, be waterproof and flame resistant, easy to maintain and affordable.

LVT can be installed almost on anything, without having to get rid of your old floor. It can be installed over existing plywood or concrete subfloors as long as the surface is flat, smooth and its structure is sound. Installation is much quicker compared to wood, ceramic or stone. It can either be installed with glue or with a loose-lay floor. Installation doesn’t usually require tile removal. This means it’s easy to install LVT around already existing furniture, or kitchen appliances such as floor cabinets or fridges. Since it is thinner, you probably won’t run into problems of height restrictions, such as under doors. All this means that anything you have installed prior to installing LVT, such as installed kitchen cabinets or heavy appliances or furniture, will not be an obstacle in the floor installation. Also, if you happen to be a DIY person, you’ll appreciate the easy install method of LVT.

With thicker more rigid planks, it is easy to mistake it for real wood. You will find different species of wood, colors and grain patterns, all of which look very realistic and genuine. You will also be able to choose from different plank widths and lengths to suit the needs and décor of a room. The stone and tile effect LVT is just as realistic with uniform sized tiles and choices of color and style. LVT also gives you more under the feet, making it comfortable to walk on as well as being smooth and safe for crawling babies, and young tots to play on.

Some brands offer built-in soundproofing. The thicker the vinyl, the more subdued the sound. High traffic areas would require a thicker tile to guarantee sound and wear prevention. This makes it significantly quieter to walk on than on stone, tile, or wood. That’s an important factor for various facilities such as hospitals or libraries.

The protective wear-layer will do its part in protecting the floor from scratches, scuffs, stains, chips and dents, but you still need to take care of it. LVT can withstand some harsh chemicals when you want a deep clean. But with regular sweeping of dust and debris, then mopping, means you won’t need to do much more to keep a new look. Alongside of easy maintenance is easy repair. If for any reason a plank is damaged, you can just pop it out and replace it. If you already have tile floors, you would know that that’s very difficult to do, if at all possible, so damage to a center tile is no longer a nightmare. You can simply replace the tile instead of trying to patch the area up or having to replace the entire flooring.

There’s a huge range of unique vinyl designs to choose from, which is what you need to standout from the crowd to create your own unique flooring. Mixing multiple tile shapes and colors can result in some wonderful statement floors, earning the admiration from all your guests. The choices to match an already decorated room are easier to find in LVT than in hardwood or concrete.

Of course depending on the traffic on it, LVT has a very long life-span that can go nearly up to 30 years if the floor is properly taken care of. Any reputable company will give you a warranty of their product with your purchase. If at any time you feel the need for a change even though the floor is in good shape, you just have to rip it off to replace it with a new one.

It is not a far stretch to say that with LVT flooring, you can easily save thousands of dollars while also creating a new and chic look to any room or commercial area. LVT is becoming extremely popular with homeowners as it can transform any room with an authentic and hardwearing floor, without the drawbacks and downsides that sometimes accompany a natural product. It is a popular choice because it is practical, looks real, cost effective, durable, and easy to maintain. It will keep up its appearance for the long-run and has some great advantages that any homeowner would love.

Luxury vinyl flooring has started to replace tile, carpet, and hardwood. Its multiple advantages include easy maintenance, straightforward installation, and also affordability compared with all other floor types. But what is the cost of luxury vinyl flooring?

The cost of luxury vinyl flooring varies based on the type of floor you want. Luxury vinyl planks cost between $2.5 and $12 per square foot, on average. Luxury vinyl tiles are slightly cheaper, with an average cost between $1 and $10 per square foot. This is what you’ll pay for material only. You can expect to pay about $2,800 for material and labor to install luxury vinyl flooring in a 200-square foot space.

Obviously, there are many things that determine the price, including the type of backing and brand. Let’s have a look at them.

There are three main types of luxury vinyl flooring: luxury vinyl planks (LVP), luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), and commercial luxury vinyl flooring.

LVP floorboards generally cost from $2.5 to $12 per square foot. LVP flooring is an excellent alternative to hardwood, but you can pick from other designs as well. Some premium LVP models are reinforced with urethane for higher resistance to scratches and stains.

LVT costs between $1 and $10 on average. Tiles are preferred if you want to replicate stone tiles – a design highly popular for kitchens, bathrooms, or countryside cottages. Because vinyl tiles are smaller than the planks, they are easier to replace if needed. Both LVP and LVT are easy to install on a substrate or above existing floors.

Commercial luxury vinyl flooring comes as an alternative to LVP and LVT for high trafficked areas. This floor is more expensive, with a square foot costing between $5 and $14. However, the investment is well worth it if you want a resistant and easy-to-maintain floor.

The cost of installing luxury vinyl flooring can vary depending on where you live. On average, contractors charge about $36 per hour. This works out to about $3 – $10 per square foot for labor, not including the cost of materials.

In addition to vinyl flooring, you might also have to buy backing and glue, depending on the type of LVP flooring you want to install. Moreover, contractors may also charge more if they have to remove existing floors before installing the new ones. Let’s see what factors can affect the installation cost:

Other factors may also affect the final cost, such as installing underlayment or a moisture barrier and the type of flooring you want to install (planks or tiles). On average, you can expect to pay between $400 and $1,400 to have luxury vinyl flooring installed in a 200-square foot space.

There are two main types of luxury vinyl flooring backing, felt and fiberglass. Felt is a more traditional choice, requiring adhesive to install. Fiberglass is slightly more expensive but way easier to install. This type of backing only requires you to glue down the edges of your floors, the rest featuring a floating installation – the planks or tiles simply snap in place.

Regardless of the backing type, you’ll need adhesive to fix the flooring to the substrate. Luxury vinyl flooring glue costs between $35 and $50 per gallon, a quantity that covers about 140-170 square feet.

Another factor to account for is underlayment. You may not need it, but if you want to reduce noise or if you’re using thinner vinyl, underlayment might be necessary. If you decide to use it, expect to pay an extra $0.5 per square foot, on average.

Labor costs vary significantly from one state to another, mostly because of the different taxes required by each state. Some contractors don’t include the taxes in their quotes, so make sure to ask or check the tax level in your area before beginning the work. Otherwise, you could end up with an expensive surprise.

You may think all luxury vinyl flooring is the same, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Generally, you can choose from the following three types:

Luxury vinyl flooring may have luxury in its name, but not all vinyl planks and tiles were created equal. Here’s how the material affects costs:

Your space can affect the cost of installing luxury vinyl flooring in a number of ways. As you’d expect, labor costs rise if the flooring needs lots of trimming or if you have stairs. Naturally, installing vinyl flooring is cheaper if your space doesn’t have many corners.

Luxury vinyl flooring styles vary from hardwood imitation to stone or abstract patterns. Wood grain patterns and natural stone imitations are the cheapest, but the effect isn’t very realistic on budget flooring options.

The most expensive options include sought-after styles like reclaimed wood or solid oak finishes. Here are the price ranges for different effects and patterns:

Lastly, the cost of luxury vinyl flooring varies from brand to brand. Some manufacturers, like Shaw, are focused on budget options with prices ranging from about $1 to $6 per square foot. At the other end of the spectrum, companies like Mannington sell luxury vinyl flooring at $10 or more per square foot.

Most brands, however, like Stainmaster or Armstrong, have several flooring options in all prices ranges, catering to all needs and all types of consumers.

Luxury vinyl flooring is a more budget-friendly choice compared to hardwood or tile, but you can still expect to spend several hundred dollars on the project.

In this quick guide, we explain how much you can expect to pay for LVT flooring, which factors are likely to push costs up and the cheaper alternatives you might like to consider if you are trying to save a few pennies. We also look into how much LVT fitting costs.

As with any type of flooring, there is huge variety between LVT flooring products in terms of their quality so do bear in mind, that while no-one wants to end up paying more than is necessary for their new floor, you do want to check that the flooring you end up with is well made and durable.

The cost of LVT flooring largely depends on three main factors:

"There are different wear layer thicknesses suited for different environments, so consumers can choose the right specification for their home, as well as their budgetary requirements — the thicker the wear layer, the more expensive the price," explains Inga Morris-Blincoe, general manager at Lifestyle Floors.

LVT flooring is usually available as either click-fit or glue down.

"LVT is available in three formats: Dryback , 5G Clic and PEC," continues Inga. "The latter two are forms of click LVT, where the click mechanism means the tiles and planks can be clicked together on installation, forming a floating floor. The other type is called a Dryback or stick-down floor, which means the planks and tiles are glued to your subfloor during installation. Both click and Dryback LVT have their merits and it’s important to understand the features and benefits of both, so you can choose the best floor for your home."

Of these three types, 5G Clic is the most expensive, with Dryback from Lifestyle Floors starting at approximately £41/m2.

You can expect to pay from as little as £15/m2 for glue-down LVT and from around £20/m2 for click LVT. However, these prices lay right at the bottom of the price scale and you would be best off budgeting between £30 - £65/m2.

If laying LVT as a floating floor, don't forget to factor in the cost of underlay. A good underlay will result in improved sound insulation, reduced creaking noise, and increased dimensional stability. A product such as Xtrafloor® Power Underlay from Tile Mountain costs £54.99 for a 10m roll.

LVT flooring is also known as luxury vinyl tile and is basically a much-improved version of sheet vinyl.

"LVT are tiles that look like real wood or natural stone but are made from a hardwearing vinyl instead," explains Colin Lincoln-Evans, buyer at Tile Mountain. "LVT is constructed from PVC and its build comprises multiple layers. It’s made in this way to increase durability and make it dimensionally stable too."

Thanks to the wear layer and finishing PU layer that sit at the top of the tiles, LVT is really durable and easy to clean — plus it is comfortable underfoot and compatible with underfloor heating too.

LVP (luxury vinyl plank) flooring is a product very similar to LVT, but is a name usually given specifically to wood-effect vinyl.

Most LVT flooring is actually really simple to install leading to many people fitting it on a DIY basis. LVT flooring is often either designed to be clicked together and laid as a floating floor over an underlay, or can come as 'stick-down' tiles that either have self-adhesive backing or can be used with vinyl floor adhesive.

LVT 'click' systems tend to be the easiest to lay on a DIY basis as they have handy tongue-and-groove edges, much like some types of wood flooring or laminate — however they are also a little more expensive than 'peel-and-stick' and glue-down products to buy. Glue-down LVT can be quite tricky to install and most manufacturers advise calling in the professionals to carry out the task.

Obviously taking the DIY route will be the cheapest option.

Professional floor fitters tend to charge between £150-£250 per day on average. The amount of time it will take them to fit the floor will depend on the size of the space and how much sub-floor preparation is required. Certain types of LVT will take longer to fit than others — for example those designed to be laid in a herringbone pattern.

Vinyl can be designed to resemble other flooring options. The more intricate the design, the more expensive the planks will be. Custom designs come with higher cost ranges. Laying down vinyl in a herringbone or chevron pattern to mimic hardwood flooring is more time-consuming and will incur additional installation costs.

Vinyl floor planks are manufactured for installation in one of three ways: click-together, peel-and-stick, and glue-down. Click-together vinyl planks create a floating floor because the planks lock into one another and not to the subfloor beneath. You don’t have to remove your existing flooring to install these planks. Because the planks must have a certain thickness to fit the tongue-and-groove structures that lock together, this type of vinyl flooring is more expensive to purchase but has the most cost-effective installation.

Peel-and-stick planks have the lowest material costs because they’re often the thinnest, but they also tend to come in the fewest patterns and colors. They take more work and money to install. The planks have an adhesive backing that sticks directly to the subfloor. This layer must be even and properly prepared for correct adhesion.

The glue-down process is the most expensive vinyl plank installation method. It’s the most durable because each individual plank is tightly secured to the subfloor, but it comes with similar labor costs to engineered wood flooring. Professional installers use heavy rollers to press and seal the flooring after installation to make it water-resistant and remove air bubbles. Since the planks can be thin, they’re usually less expensive than some other types of vinyl flooring.

A number of factors can make installing vinyl plank flooring more complex. Installation in rooms with unusual shapes or dimensions requires customized cutting and more seams, increasing the time it takes. Likewise, installing this flooring on stairs requires precision work. If the existing floors or subfloors are uneven or require extensive preparation, this will also increase labor costs.

Click-together vinyl planks can be installed over existing floors, but other types of vinyl flooring require the demolition and removal of your current flooring materials. This usually costs $1 per square foot, but it may cost as much as $2 per square foot for difficult-to-remove floors. If your flooring was installed before the 1980s, there might be asbestos in the tiles or glue. This will require special abatement by a team of professionals.

Underlayment is a thin material that can be installed between the subfloor and the floor covering to reduce noise, keep out moisture, and provide an even surface for the planks. Thinner types of vinyl plank flooring may require underlayment, which costs about 50 cents per square foot.

Vinyl plank flooring can come with a warranty of between five and 20 years, depending on the brand and manufacturer. Keep in mind that vinyl can’t be resurfaced, so it may be a good idea to invest in an extended warranty when you purchase the flooring. Ensure you know what the warranty covers—it may only apply to manufacturing defects.

• Difficult to remove once installed: Some adhesives are difficult to remove and are labour intensive when removing them.
• Vinyl is a soft material: One of its advantages is also its greatest weakness: its lightness.