Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Any Good?
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring has increased in popularity over the last few years. It’s caught the imagination of home owners, builders and designers alike. The main reason for this is because it looks a lot like real wood without the associated problems. Maintaining wood floors on your own is a daily headache that most people don’t want to have. With LVP you have an option that looks great and doesn’t need as much care. But, is luxury vinyl plank flooring any good?
When I moved 2 years ago, I bought a house full of carpeting and tile. The flooring had to go first thing before we moved in. The goal was to capture the look of wood floors without all the maintenance.
The new house came with a pool, thus the new flooring had to hold up to water. That’s when I found luxury vinyl plank, and I chose the Lifeproof Brand. Not only did my research point me to this brand, but a friend of mine installed it in her dog-friendly coffee shop. It was holding up perfect there to the heavy commercial traffic from people, as well as dogs.
Benefits Of Luxury Vinyl Plank
LVP is easy to install without any nails or glue. And it is durable and practically waterproof. I’ll say “practically waterproof” because the brand I chose, Lifeproof, says it can resist water up to 36 hours. Pricing was incredible too. Not to mention the fact that it came with underlayment already attached. No extra materials needed there.
Prep Your Floors Before Install
You’ll need to prep your floors for installation of LVP. We ripped up all the old carpet and padding, and removed every single staple from the subfloor. Our entry was tile so my oldest son had fun busting that up. Be sure to remove all the old thinset too. You will need to ensure your floor is level before installing.
Remove all baseboards, shoe molding, and door casings. If you plan to paint the rooms you’ll be putting LVP in, do that before install. You won’t have to worry with covering the floor to avoid paint messes or splatters.
Installing LVP
Installation for 900 square feet of LVP was pretty easy. Grab a laminate and wood flooring install kit. My husband helped me with the first room, but then I did the rest by myself. Once you get the first row started and level, it goes pretty quick from there. The best part of this type of flooring is you don’t need a saw. You can just score it with a utility knife and snap it apart. Using a saw though does make it go faster, especially when cutting around HVAC vents.
As for transitions to carpet or tile, Lifeproof has a few options you can purchase to make that easy.
Check out “How To Install Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring” for a step by step guide to easy installation.
My Review Of Lifeproof LVP, 2 Years Later
It’s now been over two years since I installed the LVP. With the pool, kids, and dogs, I can say that without a doubt, this was the best flooring choice I could have made. It still looks brand new today. Not one single scratch, dent, water spot, or stain.
And, it’s so easy to clean! Which is helpful for a busy family like mine. I don’t even have to vacuum but once a week, if even that. The color Tupelo Oak that I chose hardly shows any dirt or pet hair. It’s like it all disappears.
We installed it in our entry, dinning room, home office, hallway, and family room. It’s held up so good to all that heavy traffic. I’m getting ready to start busting up my kitchen tile in a few weeks so I can continue the LVP flooring in to that room as well. I’ll have a full install “how to” post up for you soon, so be sure to check back. Subscribe to the newsletter and you’ll be the first to know when that article gets posted.
If you’re on the fence about putting Luxury Vinyl Plank in your home, I say go for it! It is not only simple to install, and easy on the budget, but it looks great and performs even better. It’s no wonder they use it in commercial settings like hospitals, restaurants, and retail.
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