Bathrooms are an area in any household that's susceptible to looking less elegant. The constant presence of water and other substances like soap, shampoo, and dirt can all mix together and make your bathroom walls and floors look grimy.
That's why homeowners often put bathroom remodeling on their to-do list. The first objective to tackle will certainly be the flooring, often replaced with something pleasant and luxurious.
Although a luxurious appearance often means expensive, with LVP it doesn't have to be. Luxury vinyl planks can easily replace your old bathroom floor. Here's what you need to know.
Quick Facts About Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring is a superb material that is worth looking into. You may have heard of it from your local contractor or carpenter when you had your bathroom quoted for remodeling. Perhaps you’ve overheard or read about it somewhere, but you haven't really considered knowing more about it.
This section gives you the quick and essential facts about LVP that make it an ideal flooring material for your planned bathroom makeover.
It's made of multiple layers.
Traditional LVPs are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) base. On top of that layer is a layer where stone or hardwood patterns are printed in high definition. Lastly, there is a protective layer that makes it wear-resistant, waterproof, and even ultraviolet-resistant. These features keep the printed image in superior condition for a long time.
It's accessible.
The cost per square footage of an LVP is around $3–7. It's also relatively fast to manufacture, meaning there are plenty of these flooring materials in stock. In case you need one ASAP, you can always check out your local store for LVP.
It's great for bathrooms.
LVPs can compete in the same playing field as ceramic when it comes to your bathroom. It's moisture-proof, it can be textured to avoid slipping, and it stays in place for years to come.
Why Use Luxury Vinyl Plank For Your Bathroom?
Using LVP flooring in a bathroom seems a bit unorthodox for a house. In most cases, we see ceramic tiles or even hardwood flooring in the bathrooms of the houses we visit.
These bathroom floor materials are common because of the usual practice of contractors and homeowners. Ceramic tiles have a simplistic feel, while hardwood flooring looks elegant in a bathroom with white walls and a ceiling. Both can be luxurious.
LVP vs. Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are luxurious, both in appearance and in price. If you're going for hardwood flooring, you can burn as much as $15 per square footage for top-quality oakwood or maple. That's double the price you'll spend for LVP! You don't want to run out of floors. You want all bases covered in a way that fits your budget.
You also must consider the ground surface. Hardwood plank materials are only suitable for perfectly even surfaces, so having a bathroom with an uneven surface caused by bumps or crevices will not do.
Expansion and contraction are also other issues with hardwood floors. This floor behavior will always be a concern when you install hardwood in your bathroom.
On the other hand, LVP flooring can tolerate uneven surfaces so long as it is cleaned well before the installation. In addition, it doesn't expand or contract when it comes in contact with water for prolonged periods.
LVP flooring also costs less and can offer the same aesthetics as the hardwood floors you're obsessing about. Granted, LVPs don't feel as authentically wooden as the hardwoods, but the high-definition print layer of the LVP offers plenty of possibilities that will surely tickle your home improvement fantasies.
LVP vs. Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tiles have something in common with LVP flooring in the sense that they're both water-resistant, but the similarity ends there. If LVP goes head-to-head with ceramic tile, there are several criteria that LVP would dominate in.
Let's talk about installation. Ceramic flooring is usually cut as a tile, and there's a specific way of putting it on your subflooring—aligned and with even gaps. That means you have to be meticulous about its arrangement. It's worth mentioning that you also have the mortar adhesive to apply before you lay the ceramic down, then finish it by filling the gaps with grout. It's a tedious process that requires specialized tools.
LVP is faster to install because it doesn't involve any wet adhesive mixtures like mortar. It's also lighter than the ceramic flooring material and less fragile. While the ceramic thrives on simplicity, who's to say you can't choose a vinyl print that looks exactly like a ceramic tile?
LVP vs. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)
Luxury vinyl tile and planks are floor materials with identical features. The only difference they have is in style. So the competition only has one criterion: which one looks great on your bathroom floor?
The answer is a matter of preference. Luxury vinyl plank flooring tends to mimic hardwood floors that normally come in planks. On the other hand, LVT copies stone and ceramic floors because these floorings usually come in squares.
The bottom line is that tile flooring is the norm, so if you want to build or even remodel your bathroom that most likely has tile flooring, try to mix it up with a long format plank-style luxury vinyl. You'll be amazed at how it significantly ups the elegance of your bathroom.
How About Other Parts of the House?
Yes, you can use vinyl planks for other areas of your house. Vinyl flooring is versatile and can be used both indoors and outdoors. So, it's all a matter of matching and coordinating.
Choosing vinyl for other areas of your house is also a matter of preference. Do you want your bathroom to look like your living room or bedroom? Do you want to take some creative risks and mix it up a bit? Whatever your preference is, here's a quick guide that you can use detailing why it's a good idea to use LVP in other areas of your house that aren't the bathroom.
Bedrooms
The soft and smooth texture of some vinyl plank designs will help you feel comfortable and relaxed as you step into your bedroom. A place of rest should be designed to ease all senses, and you won't go wrong with LVP. Combine the smooth vinyl texture with a hardwood print design and it will ease your eyes. Plus, with vinyl's low price point, you'll save some money and even manage to fit an area rug to place on top of your vinyl plank flooring. That would be a completely relaxing bedroom setup.
Living rooms
The living room is where people go to hang out. It is the area of your house that encourages social activities. This is where guests go to be entertained. If you have kids, this is where they usually play, and pets also go to this area of the house to run and lay around.
Activities in the living room can beat up your flooring. You don't want to invest in a luxurious carpet only to find wine spills on it the night after a party. You also don't want to shell out plenty of cash on the maple wood floor only to find your dog or cat scratching its surface or your kid throwing their toys, full force, directly at the floor.
Practical Luxury Flooring You Can Get Immediately
You want to look luxurious, but you also want to be practical. Most importantly, you want it immediately. LVP is the solution. It is a resilient flooring that can withstand wear and tear and look good while doing it, too.
LVP doesn’t cost nearly as much as the luxury flooring it tries to emulate, so it’s easy for you to purchase as needed. You don’t have to wait until you can afford luxury that meets your standards because LVP is here for your quick home-building project needs.
June 3, 2022
