What are some of the common mistakes people make when buying vinyl flooring?
Don't buy cheap peel and stick vinyl flooring if you can afford rigid core vinyl flooring.
Sometimes you just don’t want to look at your ugly or damaged flooring anymore. You want a cheap and quick flooring fix so you think peel and stick vinyl planks or tiles could be the answer. It’s not. It never will be. In a relatively short span of time most peel and stick flooring will start to lift in some places, catch socks and shoes on its sticky square edges, and your floor will go from looking bad to possibly looking even worse than what you covered up. The only guarantee you get when you install most peel and stick vinyl flooring is that you or someone else will be tearing it back out in a short period of time.
Don't buy questionable vinyl flooring from unfamilar places.
All vinyl flooring is not the same. There is unfortunately some poorly made vinyl flooring out there that is destined to really disappoint someone. There is vinyl flooring out there that’s never passed a third-party test, has bogus or no certifications and is made from materials sourced from places that won’t ever be disclosed. There is vinyl flooring out there that’s terrible for VOCs and contains ingredients you 100% do not want in your home. When choosing luxury vinyl flooring going with an unknown brand is just not worth the risk. You don’t know what’s in it. You don’t know if it will hold up. You don’t know how it will affect your home or family, so skip the cheap stuff and purchase from a reputable brand sold through a reputable retailer, website, showroom or pro.
Don't buy vinyl flooring that is too thin or brittle.
The vinyl flooring industry has done an amazing job of telling everyone about wear layers. Chances are that if you ask a person what they are looking for while shopping for luxury vinyl flooring, they can tell you about the color and the wear layer. What often gets overlooked by vinyl flooring shoppers is the overall thickness of the luxury vinyl planks or tiles. A good wear layer is important, but what good is it if the underlying core layer breaks apart because it’s too thin or brittle? Currently you can buy very good rigid core vinyl flooring 6mm thick and up. Below 6mm thickness the chances of getting a rigid core luxury vinyl flooring that won’t hold up increases significantly. Make sure your new flooring has a little bit of bend to it or else make sure your subfloors are super flat and solid.
Avoid buying LVP or LVT flooring that’s too thick.
Not everyone is familiar with this, but there are some companies out there making vinyl flooring that is almost an inch thick. Folks, this is not traditional hardwood, this is vinyl flooring. If you get your hands on a sample of this 20mm + thickness vinyl flooring, you can see how ridiculous this is. The wear layer and design layer are like other rigid core vinyl flooring, but the core is super thick (and sometimes the pre-attached underlayment too.) Unless it’s specifically called for in a project, skip the increased cost of both materials and installation (harder to cut, heavier, etc.) Thick hardwood floors exist because you finish them down and they last forever… the same thickness benefit does not apply to vinyl flooring. Honestly, if its over 12mm thick and a pro didn't tell you it's required, skip it.
Don't buy vinyl flooring that’s too long, too short or just too big for the rooms your are installing it in.
The luxury vinyl planks and tiles you choose to install should be of a size that complements the room(s) you are buying it for. Choosing a wide and long plank for a small or narrow space will leave you with an odd-looking installation. A great example of this is when there is a short hallway (less than 10 feet) and the person tries to install 6' long planks. It’s difficult to stagger large planks properly in very small or narrow spaces so the result is an odd-looking installation. In smaller bathrooms choosing an 18 x 36-inch tile can make the installation far more difficult and the results look unprofessional. The opposite is also true as installing a relatively short 36-inch vinyl plank in a very large room or long hallway will also look very busy and unprofessional.
Don't buy cheap peel and stick vinyl flooring if you can afford rigid core vinyl flooring.
Sometimes you just don’t want to look at your ugly or damaged flooring anymore. You want a cheap and quick flooring fix so you think peel and stick vinyl planks or tiles could be the answer. It’s not. It never will be. In a relatively short span of time most peel and stick flooring will start to lift in some places, catch socks and shoes on its sticky square edges, and your floor will go from looking bad to possibly looking even worse than what you covered up. The only guarantee you get when you install most peel and stick vinyl flooring is that you or someone else will be tearing it back out in a short period of time.
Don't buy questionable vinyl flooring from unfamilar places.
All vinyl flooring is not the same. There is unfortunately some poorly made vinyl flooring out there that is destined to really disappoint someone. There is vinyl flooring out there that’s never passed a third-party test, has bogus or no certifications and is made from materials sourced from places that won’t ever be disclosed. There is vinyl flooring out there that’s terrible for VOCs and contains ingredients you 100% do not want in your home. When choosing luxury vinyl flooring going with an unknown brand is just not worth the risk. You don’t know what’s in it. You don’t know if it will hold up. You don’t know how it will affect your home or family, so skip the cheap stuff and purchase from a reputable brand sold through a reputable retailer, website, showroom or pro.
Don't buy vinyl flooring that is too thin or brittle.
The vinyl flooring industry has done an amazing job of telling everyone about wear layers. Chances are that if you ask a person what they are looking for while shopping for luxury vinyl flooring, they can tell you about the color and the wear layer. What often gets overlooked by vinyl flooring shoppers is the overall thickness of the luxury vinyl planks or tiles. A good wear layer is important, but what good is it if the underlying core layer breaks apart because it’s too thin or brittle? Currently you can buy very good rigid core vinyl flooring 6mm thick and up. Below 6mm thickness the chances of getting a rigid core luxury vinyl flooring that won’t hold up increases significantly. Make sure your new flooring has a little bit of bend to it or else make sure your subfloors are super flat and solid.
Avoid buying LVP or LVT flooring that’s too thick.
Not everyone is familiar with this, but there are some companies out there making vinyl flooring that is almost an inch thick. Folks, this is not traditional hardwood, this is vinyl flooring. If you get your hands on a sample of this 20mm + thickness vinyl flooring, you can see how ridiculous this is. The wear layer and design layer are like other rigid core vinyl flooring, but the core is super thick (and sometimes the pre-attached underlayment too.) Unless it’s specifically called for in a project, skip the increased cost of both materials and installation (harder to cut, heavier, etc.) Thick hardwood floors exist because you finish them down and they last forever… the same thickness benefit does not apply to vinyl flooring. Honestly, if its over 12mm thick and a pro didn't tell you it's required, skip it.
Don't buy vinyl flooring that’s too long, too short or just too big for the rooms your are installing it in.
The luxury vinyl planks and tiles you choose to install should be of a size that complements the room(s) you are buying it for. Choosing a wide and long plank for a small or narrow space will leave you with an odd-looking installation. A great example of this is when there is a short hallway (less than 10 feet) and the person tries to install 6' long planks. It’s difficult to stagger large planks properly in very small or narrow spaces so the result is an odd-looking installation. In smaller bathrooms choosing an 18 x 36-inch tile can make the installation far more difficult and the results look unprofessional. The opposite is also true as installing a relatively short 36-inch vinyl plank in a very large room or long hallway will also look very busy and unprofessional.
Trust Allure & HMTX for Your New Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Allure has been sold in the US for the last 20 years. HMTX is one of the largest LVP/LVT flooring manufacturers in the world. Our core values are based on a deep commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. Our customers online, in store and through other channels, trust us to deliver quality vinyl flooring products.
