Vinyl Plank Flooring Thickness: How to Choose?
How to Calculate Thickness
To find the depth of a vinyl plank you need to account for the protective wear layer, core, and the backing. To better evaluate your options you’ll need a basic understanding of how companies assemble vinyl planks. In-depth videos and diagrams explaining the process are available online.
What’s a Wear Layer?
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.
Cores and Bottom Layers
Some luxury vinyl planks have a solid wood plastic composite core or WPC. WPC does not contain actual wood. Instead, it’s made up of wood flour fused with thermoplastic and calcium carbonates. This type of flooring is free of phthalates and safer for your family.
Final Considerations
When shopping for vinyl plank; look at the warranty, core construction, wear level, and attached underlayment before making a final decision. Planks with added cushioning are warmer and quieter. Some products also feature built-in vapor barriers within the underlayment.
What mm thickness do I choose when I buy vinyl flooring?
Vinyl Flooring Thickness
Vinyl flooring comes in thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 8mm+. The biggest factor to keep in mind is that the thickness does not determine durability – the wear layer does. With that said, the thickness is an important factor to consider.
Type of Vinyl
With new advances in the vinyl industry, there are several types of vinyl floors that will impact your decision when it comes to thickness and durability. There are basic LVT’s and there are new, engineered vinyls. Floors with an engineered rigid core construction will have a more dimensionally stable core than a standard LVT.
Type of Subfloor
Your subfloor is also a very important part of choosing the thickness as well. If you have an even concrete subfloor, you can get a thinner vinyl flooring. This is because your subfloor is sturdy enough that you don’t need the extra support. However, if you subfloor is a thin, creaking hardwood, you should opt for the thicker vinyl for added stability and support.
Vinyl Flooring Wear Layer
The durability of vinyl plank flooring is determined by the wear layer. When shopping for vinyl plank flooring, pay also attention to the wear layer. Just like the thickness, the thicker the wear layer, the more durable the floor will be. Make sure to choose features of the flooring that’s right for you and your application, using the same questions posed above.
Vinyl Flooring Buying Guide
Why Vinyl Tile Flooring?
You’re missing out if you haven’t seen the latest advancements in vinyl tile flooring. Vinyl tile today is nothing like it was a decade ago. Today’s vinyl tile has the look and feel of real ceramic or stone tile, for a more economical price. This is why the popularity of vinyl tile continues to grow. The tile is waterproof, which means it can be placed anywhere in the house.
Why Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Vinyl plank is for you if you’re looking for an economical and durable alternative to hardwood floors. This flooring method has improved over the years to realistically mimic different varieties of colors and types of wood. Manufacturers have also taken steps to improve on how the planks feel, with added detail to its texture.
Why Sheet Vinyl Flooring?
Like vinyl tile and vinyl plank, sheet vinyl has also improved greatly over the years. Makers have created a flooring method that offers an accurate representation of its alternatives made from real wood or tile.
CONSIDER THIS WHEN CHOOSING A VINYL FLOOR
HOW DO I CARE FOR MY VINYL FLOOR?
All our vinyl floors are made to withstand all the trials of daily life. The wear-resistant surface protects against both nicks and scratches, is water tight and prevents stains from, for example, food spills. Just make sure you clean it – which is incredibly easy – so you’ll maintain a beautiful and practical floor for many years.
CAN I MIX AND MATCH DIFFERENT VINYL FLOORS?
Our many design choices mean you can mix and match however you like for interesting creations that suit your tastes. Choosing different floors that match is a simple way to create both harmony and variation in your home.
WHICH VINYL FLOOR DESIGN SHOULD I CHOOSE?
One of the best things about vinyl floors is the impressive variety of stiles to choose from – all with the same great qualities. This means you never need to worry about a design influencing where the floor can be laid. The only thing to consider is creating the harmony you desire. We offer both clean and more rustic vinyl floors with the appearance of wood or stone. See how they all look in our floor guide.
THE LUXURY VINYL FLOORING BUYING GUIDE
What is Luxury Vinyl Tile?
Luxury vinyl tile is a vinyl-based flooring material that is designed to mimic the look and feel of various materials such as wood, stone or ceramic. While it may seem unlikely to have luxury and vinyl in the same sentence, LVT is actually a high-end vinyl material, made better through technology. It’s good enough that it is now used widely in luxury homes and condos.
Vinyl Flooring Buying Guide
There isn’t really much of a difference when it comes to the basic composition of luxury vinyl tiles. Some manufacturers may infuse another material in the bottom backing layer but most stick to either vinyl on its own or a mixture of vinyl and limestone.
Luxury Vinyl Tile Cost
Ordinary vinyl is one of the cheapest flooring materials available. You can get a square foot for as little as a dollar or even less for vinyl sheets. This is one reason why vinyl was so popular until it was overtaken by laminate flooring.