Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) in Lillington and Benson: When It Beats Porcelain

What LVT is

LVT is built the same way as luxury vinyl plank: a core, a printed design layer, and a clear wear layer on top. The difference is the shape and the look. Common sizes are 12 by 24 inches and 18 by 18 inches, and some are larger, printed with stone or ceramic patterns and often with beveled edges that read as grout lines.

There are two main types. Rigid-core LVT clicks together and floats over the subfloor like most vinyl plank; it is stiff enough to hide small imperfections underneath. Glue-down LVT is thinner and more flexible, bonded directly to the subfloor, and is common in commercial spaces and in rooms where floor height is tight. Some products are designed to be grouted, which gives the closest look to real tile. Our guide to SPC vs WPC luxury vinyl explains the rigid core types.

LVT compared with porcelain tile

Both are waterproof on the surface, and both handle bathrooms and kitchens. They differ in nearly everything else.

• ✓Comfort: LVT is warmer and softer underfoot and much quieter. Porcelain is cold in winter and hard to stand on for long.
• ✓Breakage: a dropped mug usually survives on LVT. On porcelain, the mug breaks, and sometimes the tile cracks.
• ✓Durability: porcelain is harder and more scratch-resistant, and it is not affected by heat. LVT can dent under heavy point loads, such as a refrigerator dragged across it, and can be marked by rubber-backed mats.
• ✓Installation: rigid-core LVT goes down in a fraction of the time, with no thinset or grout to cure. That usually makes the installed cost lower, even when the material is similar in price.
• ✓Lifespan and resale: well-installed porcelain can last as long as the house and is often seen as the premium choice. A good LVT lasts many years, but it will be replaced sooner.
• ✓Repairs: a damaged rigid-core tile near a wall can often be swapped out. A cracked porcelain tile has to be chipped out and re-grouted, and matching an old tile can be hard.

Where LVT makes the most sense

Bathrooms, laundry rooms and mudrooms are LVT's strongest rooms: water on the floor is not a problem, and the floor is comfortable barefoot. Kitchens are a good fit too, especially for anyone who stands there for long periods. LVT is also a practical way to cover an old ceramic floor without removing it, if the old tile is flat and well bonded; the grout lines are filled and leveled first so they do not show through.

Real tile is still the better choice inside showers, on walls, in rooms with strong direct sun through large windows, where heat can make vinyl expand, and anywhere you want a floor that will last as long as the house. Our guide to tile patterns and layouts covers porcelain options if that is the way you lean.

Slabs in Lillington, crawlspaces in Benson

Many newer homes in Lillington are built on concrete slabs. LVT is well suited to a slab, but the slab needs a moisture test first, and a floating floor goes down over a vapor barrier underlayment or has one built in. Slabs are also rarely flat enough as poured; high and low spots are ground or filled, because a rigid floor bridging a dip will flex and its joints will eventually open.

In Benson, many older homes sit on crawlspaces. LVT is a good floor there as long as the subfloor is solid and the crawlspace is dry. A soft spot in front of a toilet or tub needs repair before any new floor goes down.

How to choose a good LVT

Two LVT samples can look alike and perform very differently. Check these before you choose.

• ✓Wear layer: the clear top layer that takes the traffic. Thicker is better; for a busy home, look for a wear layer of 12 mil or more, and 20 mil for kitchens and entries.
• ✓Pattern variation: a cheap stone print repeats every few tiles. Lay out several boxes' worth and look for the same vein or spot showing up again.
• ✓Edges and texture: a beveled edge or groutable design and a textured surface that follows the stone pattern look far more real than a flat, glossy print.
• ✓Waterproof rating and warranty: confirm the product is waterproof, not just water-resistant, and read what the warranty requires for installation.
• ✓Brand: we carry tile-look luxury vinyl from Mohawk, Shaw and Armstrong. Our premium LVP guide explains what separates better vinyl floors, and the same points apply to tile formats.

LVT in Lillington and Benson

Our Angier showroom is about 12 minutes from Lillington and 20 from Benson, and we will also bring samples to your home. Ask to see several tiles of the same product side by side, so you can check the pattern repeat before you choose. At the free estimate we measure, test the slab or check the subfloor and crawlspace, and give you a written quote with preparation and installation listed separately.

APW has been family-owned in Angier since 1973. Our installation professionals are background-checked and trained, every job carries our 100% product and labor guarantee, and 0% financing (same as cash) is available. See luxury vinyl plank in Lillington, waterproof flooring in Lillington, luxury vinyl plank in Benson and tile flooring in Benson, or book a free estimate.