Whether you’re a new homeowner or you’ve decided to renovate and redecorate your current one, it’s always recommended to start from the bottom and consider a good flooring option. Not only will the surface you walk on protect your home from cold waves and keep your feet comfy, but floors are also a great way to give your living space some charm and the finishing touch you desire.
But we know that choosing the right flooring for your home can be a daunting task as you will come across a huge range of choices on the market. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. There’re plenty of one-size-fits-all flooring options on the market, and luxury vinyl tiles are among the most popular ones.
Durable
One of the first reasons to choose luxury vinyl tile flooring is that they’re extremely durable and therefore a long-term solution for each room of your home. With these tiles, you’ll forget about changing your flooring for at least 15 years, which is a long enough period for your little ones to grow up and stop throwing their playthings everywhere around the house.
If you’re wondering where does luxury vinyl tiles’ durability come from, it’s because they consist of many protective layers that are almost indestructible. The top layer commonly referred to as a wear layer is the one that is mostly responsible to protect the tile from scratching and cracking.
However, the truth is that not all luxury vinyl floorings are made equally, but they differ from each other by the wear layer’s thickness. In other words, the thicker the wear layer, the more sturdy and heavy traffic resistant the tile is.
The wear layer’s thickness is measured in mil (one-thousandth of an inch). At this point, know that the most recommended thickness for residential use is from 6 to 12 mil. But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t choose a thicker tile if the area is getting more foot traffic as usual, or your kids and pets simply can’t stop running around and throwing stuff on the floor.
Moisture Resistant
Another reason to consider luxury vinyl flooring is that they’re completely moisture resistant, making them perfect to set up a functional kitchen or bathroom area. In fact, what makes luxury vinyl tiles moisture-resistant is the core layer. This layer sits just under the protective layers and has the purpose to prevent any liquids to penetrate inside the tile. Instead, the liquid will sit on the surface of the tile in a form of a puddle until you wipe it. This is not the case with laminates, hardwoods and other expensive flooring options.
Easy to Install
Undoubtedly, the best thing about luxury vinyl tiles is that they’re the easiest to install flooring option. They don’t require any special skills or tools, but just a little bit of enthusiasm. So, if you decided to install your new luxury vinyl flooring as your next DIY project, know that there are a couple of installation methods depending on the tile you choose.
- Interlocking vinyl tiles don’t require any glues or adhesives, since these tiles have special tongues and grooves on their edges. The only thing you have to do is to join them together.
- Loose-lay luxury vinyl tiles come with their special properties to adhere to the ground. This is due to the high friction they create on their bottom layer and you only need to smoothly lay them down.
- Self-adhesive vinyl tiles have an adhesive on their back, meaning that they also don’t require glues or similar liquids. They’re installed by removing the protective film and pressing them down in the desired spot.
- Glue down luxury vinyl tiles require applying a special adhesive on the ground before placing the plank. This is the hardest installation method, and it’s recommended to leave the things to professionals if you’re not skilled enough.
Easy to Clean
If you’re already tempted to get luxury vinyl tiles for any of your rooms, know that you’ll never struggle cleaning them. Thanks to the core layer that is responsible for the tile’s moisture resistance, it’s possible to easily mop your luxury vinyl flooring with just plain water.
However, if pure water doesn’t seem sanitary enough, you can always go for the organic way of disinfecting with a solution of water and apple cider vinegar. Have in mind that experts don’t recommend applying any harsh chemical or abrasive cleaners, since these floorings are designed to be maintained easily.
Also, don’t hesitate to grab your vacuum cleaner, since vinyl tiles are safe to be vacuumed on daily basis. Just make sure you skip the “beater bar” attachment since it can scratch the tile’s surface.
Versatile and Stylish
Finally, luxury vinyl floorings are so versatile that they can perfectly fit every room’s design- starting from your hallways and living room, to the humid areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.
So, if you’re looking for a luxury vinyl tile design for your Scandinavian-styled home, don’t hesitate to choose from the wood-alike designs. Not only will you successfully incorporate one more “natural” element into your home design, but these tiles also look like expensive hardwoods, except for the fact that they’re way cheaper.
On the other hand, if your home is more traditional or vintage styled, there’re plenty of other luxury vinyl tiles designs such as the ones with gorgeous patterns, lavish marble-alike designs or the simple single-coloured ones to match different spaces.
Once you find the perfect design, topped up with durability and the other properties we listed, you’ll see how your home becomes a more pleasant space to spend time at.