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WAREHOUSE
CARPETS

3918 US-76, Chatsworth, GA 30705

 706-517-2229 or 800-526-2229


Luxury Vinyl – LVP, LVT, SPC, AND WPC

What you need to know about Luxury Vinyl – LVP, LVT, SPC, AND WPC

02/2021

Luxury Vinyl – LVP, LVT, SPC, and WPC is by far the hottest type of flooring we are selling. We offer all the top leading manufacturer brands at wholesale prices. Luxury Vinyl Plank continues tremendous growth as a flooring category. It is starting to take the place of laminate, hardwood, and even carpet because of its ease of installation and maintenance. In the following paragraphs, I will give you some facts on luxury vinyl flooring and hopefully answer any questions you have about it.

You Get What You Pay For

First things first, as with anything, you get what you pay for. If you purchase a $1.50 sq. ft. luxury vinyl do not expect this floor to have the best locking system or to hold up to scratches and scuffs, or to last as long as a $3.50 sq. ft. vinyl floor would. And, with saying that I am not saying a value-priced floor is not good, it just might not be exactly what you are needing.

Plank Thickness

Next, let me explain something a lot of customers get confused about, the difference in the thickness of the plank, and the thickness of the wear layer. The thickness of the plank is important when it comes to transitioning from one room to another. The thickness of the wear layer determines how durable your floor will be. The thickness of the plank is measured in millimeters(mm) and the wear layer is measured in mil. Mil is not short for or mean millimeter!

  • Millimeter, mm, is used to measure the thickness of the entire plankA millimeter is one-thousandth of a meter. Vinyl flooring comes in thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 8mm+.
  • Mil is used to measure the wear layerA mil is a measurement that equals one-thousandth of an inch or the size of a human hair. Vinyl flooring wear layers can range from 4mil to 22mil+.

The wear layer determines how the floor will wear over a period of time, how scratch-resistant it is, how easy it is to clean, and how long the floor will last. The wear layer should be printed on the box or in the product literature because there are a lot of products now that look very similar and you cannot see the wear layer with the naked eye.

Vinyl plank manufacturers often display the wear layer thickness as opposed to the actual thickness of the plank. As most of these products ship from overseas, they reflect the metric measurement. The following chart displays the range of wear-layers, listed in both mm and mil to help clarify.

 

Wear-layer in mm

Wear-layer in mil

0.1 mm

4 mil

0.3 mm

12 mil

0.5 mm

20 mil

0.7 mm

28 mil

1.0 mm

40 mil

 

We recommend a 20mil for residential homes and most commercial settings because it has the best wear for long-term use. A 12mil can be used if the residential area has low-foot traffic. 6mil & 8mil are valued priced products that are good for rentals.

** The most important thing to take away from this is that the plank thickness does not determine durability – the wear layer does. **

Luxury Vinyl Core

When luxury vinyl first came out about 15 years ago, it was a flexible rubber-like vinyl with no core. Thanks to new technology, luxury vinyl now has a core backing. The latest luxury vinyl products are rigid core luxury vinyl, which is a broader category of luxury vinyl flooring comprised of a more solid or “rigid” core for added durability. Rigid core luxury vinyl is a glue-less product with a click locking installation system. The two types of rigid core luxury vinyl are Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) and Wood Plastic Composite (WPC). The essential difference between WPC and SPC flooring comes down to the density of that rigid core layer.

  • SPC features a core that is typically comprised of around 60% calcium carbonate (limestone), polyvinyl chloride, and plasticizers. SPC consists of a rigid core layer that’s thinner and more compact and denser than WPC. This compactness makes it less likely to expand or contract during extreme temperature swings, which can improve the stability and longevity of your flooring. It’s also more durable when it comes to impact.
  • WPC core typically consists of polyvinyl chloride, calcium carbonate, plasticizers, a foaming agent, and wood-like or wood materials such as wood flour. WPC consists of a rigid core layer that is thicker and lighter than the SPC core. It is softer underfoot, which makes it comfortable to stand or walk on for longer periods of time. Its thickness can give it a warmer feel and it is good at absorbing sound.
Luxury Vinyl Installation

Luxury Vinyl Plank and Tile is the easiest flooring to install. It has an easy-click interlocking system to connect the planks. The planks can be cut to size using a utility knife. The biggest problem we hear about is it coming apart because it was installed over a subfloor that was not level. High and low spots in your subfloor make the planks flex which breaks the interlocking system holding the floor together. If you plan on installing luxury vinyl yourself, make sure your subfloor is level! Here is a great video on how to level your floors. Read all of the manufacturer’s instructions before beginning and all will go smoothly. Nah, I’m not going to lie, you will more than likely run into a few small humps and bumps and if you do, we recommend watching Jeff, from Home RenoVision DIY where he shows you, ‘How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring Quick and Simple’.

Luxury Vinyl Maintenance

Luxury vinyl floors are the easiest to maintain, by far. The type and frequency of foot traffic on your floor will determine how often maintenance is needed. Keeping your new floors looking great is simple as long as you follow these simple tips.

  • Sweep or dust mopped every day.
  • Mop using warm water or a cleaning solution made for vinyl floors once or twice a week.
  • Wipe spills up as quickly as possible.
  • Use protective pads for furniture and appliances to prevent scratching. Please, remember luxury vinyl floors are scratch-resistant, not scratch-proof.
  • Avoid exposure to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time.

 

SHOP LUXURY VINYL NOW 

Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Flooring Reviews

The following are a few of the reviews we have received from our customers who have purchased luxury vinyl flooring.

Here is a picture (we don’t have the baseboards put back up yet though), Love how it turned out!

Hal

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We love our floors!!

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Mannington’s Avalon in the color Ocean Mist on front and back porch. It has been down for approx. 1 year. This floor is one of my customer’s personal homes, Mount Airy, Ga. It has been through snow, heat and all and still looks great…just shows that this floor will hold up to natures elements. (temperature range is -20 to 150 degrees)

mannington 1


I just thought I would share the pictures of my bedroom! I appreciate all your help with the flooring- I couldn’t be happier! You have amazing customer service! Thank you so much!

Thanks again,
Kerri

Ps- I do not have pictures of my aunt’s room; however, she loves the flooring also! 😄

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