New engineered vinyl plank flooring, known as EVP or rigid core flooring, is the best luxury vinyl on the market today. Prices range from $1.60 to $9.60 per sq/ft so finding the best quality among the brands is crucial.
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Welcome to our updated review of the best luxury vinyl flooring brands currently available in the US. Both vinyl plank and tile flooring are now well-established home flooring options. The cost of vinyl plank flooring varies quite a bit.
In the last few years we’ve seen an evolution of luxury vinyl flooring as more and more manufacturers have started producing rigid core vinyl planks and tiles that not only look great but are super durable.
In our extensive review we focus primarily on showcasing the very best LVP and LVT brands, but keep reading to learn how to spot the best quality vinyl, the latest vinyl plank and tile trends and other LVP flooring factors to keep front of mind.
If you want to install luxury vinyl plank flooring in your home then be sure to read right to the end. Use these quick links for your convenience.
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Hardwood Floor Installation
The average total cost ranges from $9 to $20 per square foot.
Get Free EstimatesCarpet Installation
The average total cost for carpet ranges from $5.67 to over $21 per square foot, depending on the quality.
Get Free EstimatesLaminate Floor Installation
The average total cost for laminate flooring is between $3 to $13 per square foot.
Get Free EstimatesNuCore vinyl plank is one of the new ranges of rigid core floors that have recently come to market and this particular brand is exclusive to specialty flooring retailer Floor & Decor. It is essentially their own store brand. NuCore’s main selling point is its 100% waterproof qualities, making it suitable for any area of your home.
NuCore vinyl flooring offers good value for money and is family friendly. The majority of Nucore floors are wood look with just a small selection of stone look tiles. Most planks are embossed, giving them a textured, more realistic feel. A cork underlayment is pre-attached which makes this flooring quieter than other brands. Overall, with prices below $4 per sq/ft, Nucore offers good value for money.
The first COREtec floors were launched back in 2012 making US Floors (now owned by Shaw Industries) the first flooring manufacturer to patent a rigid core, 100% waterproof luxury vinyl product. Since then almost every reputable flooring manufacturer has produced their own version of a rigid core vinyl plank or tile.
Because they have been producing COREtec for so long there is a large and diverse range of collections to choose from in both wood and stone look plank and tile. To give you some idea of the choice, there are over 230 wood look planks and over 50 stone look tiles. The wood look planks are offered in 7 widths and 8 lengths.
COREtec is sold by local flooring retailers and online at sites like FlooringInc. It isn’t cheap, with prices ranging from $3.89 up to $8 per sq.ft. but the quality is good and a lifetime warranty offers peace of mind.
If you were tempted by COREtec but put off by the price tag then we suggest you take a look at SmartCore rigid core vinyl. SmartCore is Lowe’s own store brand but is manufactured by, wait for it, US Floors using the same COREtec technology.
SmartCore is a smaller range of flooring but still offers four different collections in different price brackets starting from as little as $2 per square foot and peaking at $3.80 per sq.ft which is the entry point price for COREtec flooring.
Lifeproof luxury vinyl flooring is Home Depot’s exclusive in-store brand of LVT. It has a rigid core construction (rigid base, ISOCORE pvc foam core with a vinyl top layer). One of the main attractions of Lifeproof vinyl is the price, flooring ranges between $1 and $4 per square foot.
The range isn’t huge, but LifeProof does come in three different thicknesses and comes in both wood-look and stone-look styles. Lightweight and durable with an easy interlocking installation system, Lifeproof vinyl is readily available and a good product to consider as you start your research.
When you think of Pergo you usually think of laminate flooring, like their Pergo Portfolio or Pergo TimberCraft collections, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this flooring giant has now moved into both engineered hardwood and rigid luxury vinyl.
Pergo’s rigid core vinyl is called Pergo Extreme and comes in four different collections. Pergo really goes the extra distance in terms of durability claiming their LVP is 100% waterproof, 100% kid and pet proof and dent resistant. Given it’s high quality construction it is perhaps no surprise that this flooring prices in the $3.99 to $5.99 per sq/ft range.
Mohawk bills itself as the “world’s largest flooring company” so you would expect it to have a more than decent range of luxury vinyl tile, and indeed they do not disappoint. However, less is more at Mohawk with only 52 different but quality stone and wood LVT products, of which 19 are available with their Uniclic glueless installation technology.
Mohawk recommend that all their LVT products are installed as a floating floor and they have an in-house range of cleaning products specially formulated to keep their flooring in top condition. Prices are cheaper at between $3 and $4.
If you’re on a budget and aren’t particularly interested in the new range of waterproof rigid core vinyl products then you might be interested in Home Depot’s exclusive TrafficMaster line of luxury vinyl. TrafficMaster Allure (basic), Allure Plus (better) and Allure Ultra (best) offer homeowners a low cost luxury vinyl option that range in price from roughly $1 to $3 per sq.ft.
Sometimes you’re just looking for a decent, cheap flooring product to do a job, like preparing your house for resale, decorating a laundry room or 2nd bathroom or kitting out a rental. TrafficMaster Allure flooring fits the bill in these situations.
Having first established themselves 40 years ago in the UK and now a global player, Karndean were the first kids on the block with luxury vinyl tile and rightly respected as the luxury vinyl tile specialists for both residential and commercial property.
Not only do they have a very extensive range of LVT including unusual options like their Galician Quartz pebble mosaic tile, they also have decorative strips, borders and medallions so that you can really go for a customizable look (see image below) and there is also a fantastic 20-year warranty on some of their products.
A quality product but with higher prices, expect to pay anywhere between $4 and $8 per square foot.
Adura, Mannington’s residential LVT range, boasts a comprehensive 116 different tile looks including stone, wood and graphic designs. The stone tiles can be used with or without grout, and to this end Mannington have their own Adura grout which is highly recommended.
A particularly nice touch in the Adura range is the 12”x24” rectangular stone-look tile that enhances the illusion that your synthetic tiles are the real thing. For near authenticity in vinyl wood flooring, go for their Distinctive Plank collection which features variable widths, realistic colors and surface textures, like the Dockside LVT plank below. Prices range mainly between $3.50 and $5.50 per square foot.
This global company is primarily known for its commercial flooring ranges, and their commercial LVT range is extremely impressive – especially the Allura range which features classic and more offbeat, alternative designs for those looking for something a bit more edgy.
However Forbo also offers a fantastic range of residential LVT too, which whilst being a bit more classic, is nevertheless the kind of superior product that you would expect from a company that places “excellence in flooring” at the heart of its mission statement.
Expect to pay between $5 and $8 per sq/ft.
Not all luxury vinyl flooring is created equal. It will quickly become apparent that vinyl planks and tiles vary in price between $1 to $8 per sq/ft, so what explains such a variation in price?
Here are the features you should be looking for when choosing the best vinyl plank flooring, the more features the floor has the better the quality.
Luxury vinyl planks & tiles typically comprise four layers, and the top layer is the one that protects the tile from scratches and stain absorption. It is best to opt for tiles that have a urethane or polyurethane top layer and the thicker the better.
Measured in mil, products that have top layers under 20 mil are best used in areas of light traffic; the ideal is at least 20 mil – anything higher is going to perform excellently (and generally would be classified as a commercial LVF).
The overall thickness of the luxury vinyl tile or plank is an important factor when planning your floor project, particularly if you are only using vinyl plank flooring in one room and expect it to meet another type of flooring (this often happens at doorways). Also note that standard vinyl sheet is often a different thickness gauge than LVF.
Thankfully, as vinyl planks popularity increases, more and more manufacturers are now offering luxury vinyl tile moldings and edgings to complement the tiles, so that you can create a flawless finish to your flooring project.
Before you install your luxury vinyl floor it is important to allow it to acclimatize to your home’s usual temperature for a minimum of 48 hours, as like hardwood flooring, vinyl tile expands and contracts depending on the temperature and humidity in the air.
Because of the inherent expansion in vinyl tiles, some manufacturers also recommend leaving an expansion gap when fitting a floating interlocking (i.e. glueless) vinyl plank or tile flooring.
Of course one of the main selling points of luxury vinyl tile has got to be its easy maintenance, essentially all you need to do to keep it clean is regularly sweep or vacuum and then damp mop with a neutral or peroxide cleaner from time to time.
When choosing a vacuum for vinyl flooring you want one that is designed for hard or tiled floors. Be careful not to use abrasive cleaners and make life easier on your flooring by adding doormats at the entrances to your home.
Tiles that have been UV cured polyurethane coating are best for ultimate longevity.
It has to be said that luxury vinyl tile has earned a bad reputation with regards to the environment. The nature of the chemicals involved in its production and the possibility of it emitting VOC gases once it has been installed have raised questions about its suitability for long-term use.
However, reputable luxury vinyl plank manufacturers have made great efforts over the years to address these concerns and meet low-VOC regulations. If you are concerned about these issues we strongly urge you do further research and look into alternatives before choosing luxury vinyl flooring for your home.
As luxury vinyl plank & tile is a man-made product, you would imagine that there are endless design ideas to choose from. And yet, I think precisely because the point of LVF is to mimic authentic materials, most manufacturers tend to offer a fairly simplistic choice of either wood look or stone look tiles.
For just about every kind of “real” type of stone or wood flooring product, you’ll find its equivalent in luxury vinyl plank flooring or tile flooring, which means that you can recreate just about any interior design trend with LVF, be it rustic or minimalist.
Flooring can be personalized in almost any style you like: luxury vinyl wood planks can be laid out in parquet style patterns, vinyl stone tiles can be set in checkerboard sequence, and many manufacturers are make luxury vinyl borders, medallions and insets to match their collections.
From reclaimed, hand-scrapped, distressed wooden planks to whitewashed woods; from smooth as silk marbles to rougher slates, it’s all available in LVF.
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However, some manufacturers are offering slightly more adventurous LVF products that are distinct in NOT attempting to mimic the real thing but instead offer decorative, geometric and graphic designs or overall floor patterns instead.
You still get the great durability and ease-of-care benefits of LVT but these tiles are more like an alternative to carpet, and as such create quite a personalized statement.
It can only be hoped that as luxury vinyl grows in popularity, these bolder floor designs will become more widely available.
For much less than the cost of hardwood floors, vinyl plank flooring can provide a beautiful look for your home with little maintenance required. Though it may have pros and cons, vinyl plank flooring is made from several layers of a strong plastic material called polyvinyl chloride or PVC. The result is a floor that looks like it is made of hardwood but is easier to clean and much more resistant to damage from scratching, warping or staining.
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Find a ContractorLet’s take a closer look to see what the best vinyl plank flooring options are for your needs.
There are three categories of vinyl plank flooring (or VPF): luxury VPF, rigid core VPF and waterproof VPF. Here is a look at the different types:
This type of flooring lives up to its name with an authentic wood look and superior construction. It is made of four layers that include a waterproof core plus a damage-resistant layer on top. The multiple layers create a surface that is not only beautiful but also comfortable to walk on.
This type is built to last thanks to a strong composite corner. Because of its durability, this option is a good choice for high-traffic areas like hallways, entryways and open-concept homes.
This flooring often has features similar to both its luxury and rigid core counterparts, but it is also completely waterproof. It is the ideal option for kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and other areas in a home where spills and splashes are common.
High-traffic areas are not only used often, but they are seen often. That’s why you’ll want a surface with a rigid core that can hold up to foot traffic and also maintain a beautiful appearance year after year. This is an especially good option for homes that feature an open-concept floor plan.
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Pets are beloved members of the household, but they can wreak havoc on our flooring. This floor can withstand plenty of scampering around.
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Kitchens, bathrooms and utility spaces (like laundry rooms) are high-traffic areas that are also more prone to spills and messes. Flooring in these spots must be waterproof and easy to clean, making vinyl plank flooring an easy decision.
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This waterproof vinyl plank flooring brand by Home Depot is a popular choice for budget-minded homeowners. It comes in a variety of different design and color options so you can choose the look you want most for your home.
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If you thought you needed a professional to install your new luxury vinyl plank flooring, think again. Some brands offer click-together styles that make it much easier for you to DIY and be thrilled with the results.
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Learn MoreHow to install your vinyl plank flooring is very easy to install. Since they are considered floating floors, glue and nails are not required. Plus, your own weight will keep them in place. Typically, you can install vinyl plank flooring in a day or so. Simply pick up a few essential tools, clear your subfloors, plan your layout and accurately space your planks.
Not only is vinyl plank flooring easy to install on your own, but they are designed to resemble hardwood floors without the hassle of natural wood. They are also water-resistant, stain-resistant and easy to maintain.
Although there are many pros to vinyl plank flooring, there are some cons to consider. For instance, due to its adhesive, vinyl plank flooring is not always easy to remove. They also can be inconsistent when installing due to the thickness of the vinyl planks.
Regardless of what brand you choose for your vinyl plank flooring, or where it’s going to be installed, there are several key factors that you must first consider:
To maintain the look of your vinyl plank flooring for many years, make sure you choose a material that can withstand foot traffic from both humans and pets. Many different types of VPF promise a tough outer layer, but be sure to choose planks that can withstand scratches and other damage.
Just as a plusher carpet feels nicer underfoot, thicker vinyl plank flooring also provides comfort. VPF thickness is measured in mils, which is not millimeters, but the degree of thickness. The more mils, the more the vinyl planks can hold up to pressure and scratching. For household use, 12 mil is a common choice in flooring, though 20 mil is recommended if you’ve got pets or heavier foot traffic. For commercial applications, 28 mil is often used for even greater durability and support.
Vinyl planks come in a wide range of widths from 4 to 12 inches wide, with most being between 6 and 9 inches. If the room you are installing the flooring in is large, you can go with a wider plank for an attractive aesthetic–plus, you’ll need fewer planks to complete the job. However, if the room is small, you’ll want to go with a narrower plank to make the space seem bigger.
Room Type
Vinyl plank flooring is an easy-to-clean, cost-effective option that can be used in various rooms throughout your home. Whether it’s a living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, basement, home office or entryway, vinyl plank flooring offers durability and style to suit all kinds of spaces.
Warranty
When shopping for vinyl plank flooring, it’s essential to know what kind of warranty you’re getting. Vinyl plank flooring warranties can cover different aspects of the product, including the wear layer, structural integrity, water resistance and installation. For instance, a wear layer warranty can ensure protection against scratches, stains, fading and wear for a specified period.
Tips for Installing Vinyl Plank Flooring
Installing vinyl plank flooring is ideal for anyone who wants to get the look of hardwood with the durability of laminate. It’s also an affordable way to update your home. Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your vinyl plank flooring:
Level Subfloor
Laying vinyl planks can be a fun and easy DIY project for the whole family. Before you begin, however, it’s crucial to ensure that your subfloor is level and smooth. Any unevenness or imperfections in the subfloor will affect the final result of your installation. Take the time to properly prepare the subfloor by addressing any high spots and filling in low areas to have a flat surface.
Leave Expansion Gaps
Vinyl plank flooring can expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. To accommodate these movements and prevent buckling or warping, it’s essential to leave small expansion gaps around the room’s perimeter and at transitions between different areas. It is recommended to review the manufacturer’s guidelines to determine the gap size needed for your specific flooring.
Practice Interlocking
When you’re installing vinyl plank flooring, it’s important to practice the click-and-lock interlocking system before you begin. This will help you understand the process and ensure a seamless and secure fit. Plus, mixing and matching planks from different boxes is recommended to achieve a natural look.
Vinyl flooring is a popular option for your home due to its durability, flexibility and easy maintenance. However, properly caring for it is essential to keep it in excellent condition. Basic maintenance of vinyl flooring includes regularly sweeping or vacuuming with a soft-bristled brush attachment to remove dust, dirt and debris. For a more thorough cleaning, you can use a damp mop on the floor with a mild detergent.
Vinyl flooring comes with a built-in protective wear layer. Therefore, avoiding harsh cleaners or abrasive scrubbers while deep cleaning your vinyl flooring is crucial. This protective layer does not require waxing or varnishing and it does not do well with steam cleaning. Also, refraining from applying direct heat to vinyl floors is essential to prevent discoloration and melting.
Not to mention, everyday maintenance, like promptly cleaning up spills and messes, attaching felt pads under furniture legs and placing mats or rugs in high-traffic areas, is essential to maintaining the pristine condition of your vinyl flooring. These steps will help maintain the pristine appearance and longevity of your vinyl flooring.
Opting for DIY vinyl plank flooring installation can be attractive for individuals seeking to save money and time. Most vinyl plank flooring options can often be installed with click-and-lock mechanisms or as floating floors with glue or peel-and-stick methods. These installation processes are relatively straightforward for homeowners with basic handyman skills. Additionally, DIY installation offers greater flexibility since they can be completed at your own pace.
On the other hand, hiring a professional for vinyl plank flooring installation offers several advantages. Professional installers have the expertise and experience to ensure the job is done correctly the first time, minimizing the risk of errors or damage. They also have access to specialized tools and equipment that may not be available to DIYers, allowing for a more streamlined installation process.
Although DIY vinyl flooring installation can save up to 50% more than hiring a professional, the investment is often worth it for those seeking a flawless finish and long-lasting results. Professionals can also perform additional tasks like trimming and leveling the subfloor, potentially justifying the higher installation cost for complex vinyl flooring projects.
When installing new flooring, it is crucial to consider future buyers’ specific preferences and carefully assess the potential return on investment. Although vinyl plank flooring may not enhance the value of a home to the same extent as premium flooring materials like hardwood or natural stone, it can still favorably impact the overall attractiveness of your home and be appealing to potential buyers.
Vinyl plank flooring mimics the look of expensive hardwood flooring, but is lower in both price and maintenance. There are many options on the market, so be sure to choose the best vinyl plank flooring to suit your residential or commercial flooring needs.
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