Do you know the feeling you get when you step onto a nice fall? What, exactly, a nice floor is may depend in part on your personal preferences. Some people really like hardwood, while others think carpet is the premier type of flooring. Also, some types of flooring work better in certain rooms than in others. For example, hardwood looks lovely in a dining room but is not the best choice for a bathroom. As you can see, there is a lot to know about flooring. That's why we are proud to offer an array of articles all about flooring right here on this website.
4 Benefits Of Today's Luxury Vinyl Flooring Materials
For years, people have thought of as vinyl flooring as a cheap, low-budget option. This was somewhat true of vinyl products through the 1990s and early 2000s. However, flooring manufacturers have really stepped up their game recently, creating higher-end, luxury vinyl flooring. These materials are a far cry from the thin, flimsy vinyl that was popular a decade or two ago. Here is a look at a few of their advantages.
They come with backing.
With many types of flooring, the installers need to first put down padding to ensure the flooring lies flat, and keep you from feeling so much resistance when you walk across the floor. Luxury vinyl tile typically comes with padded backing pre-installed. This saves your installer the time of installing a backing material, and you still get that soft, comfortable feeling when you walk across the floor.
They can be made to look like other natural flooring options.
Do you love the look of hardwood? Maybe stone tile is your ideal look. You can have either of these looks when you opt for luxury vinyl tile. There are products that look remarkably like the real thing. Nobody will be able to tell the difference unless they look very, very closely. At the same time, these products are easier to install than real hardwood or stone tile, and they're often more affordable, too.
They're low-maintenance.
Low maintenance requirements have always been an advantage of vinyl. This is still true of today's higher-end vinyl tile materials. You don't have to polish these floors, strip them, or be overly careful not to spill on them. You can wipe up any spills with a damp cloth, and you can wash the floor with just water and a simple cleaner. Even dish soap will work! With as busy as people are these days, not having to spend extra time caring for your floor is definitely nice.
They can be installed over other flooring materials.
Do you currently have an old hardwood floor or a linoleum floor that is showing a ton of wear? When you go with luxury vinyl tile, you can have it installed right over the old flooring, rather than having to rip the old flooring up. This creates a lot less mess and saves you time on installation.
Luxury vinyl tile is a great choice for most homeowners and looks nice in many different styles of homes. Discuss the benefits above with a flooring professional.