Debunking Luxury Vinyl Tile Myths
Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring, also known as LVTs, are a very popular floorcovering. They are cost-effective, durable, waterproof, and come in many designs. However, there are also many myths surrounding them… So in this post, we will look at some luxury vinyl tile myths and see whether they are true or not, so you can decided if LVTs are the perfect floor for your home.
Myth 1) Luxury Vinyl Tiles Look Ugly
Perhaps in the 70s this myth was true. When vinyl came in big sheets with unrealistic patterns and was uniformly installed in your nan’s kitchen and bathroom. However, with advances in flooring manufacture technology, you can buy vinyl in plank/tile form, not just in sheets.
Also, the ability to replicate wood grain, stone finish, and even abstract patterns have improved so immensely that high-quality LVTs look like the originals. Plus, they have all the added benefits of being synthetic, such as being waterproof, more durable, etc… Myth = Debunked – Luxury vinyl tiles look amazing and come in a variety of designs!
Myth 2) Luxury Vinyl Tiles Are Not Suitable for Kitchens and Bathrooms
Who makes these myths up? Luxury vinyl tiles are perfect for kitchens and bathrooms. In the past, you would only use vinyl sheets in kitchens and bathrooms, as they are waterproof.
But now luxury vinyl tile production is so good that they are waterproof too, and so suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. Plus, luxury vinyl tiles tend to look more aesthetically pleasing than vinyl sheets anyway, so its’ a win-win. Myth = Debunked – LVTs are suitable for use in kitchens and bathrooms.
Myth 3) Luxury Vinyl Tiles Will Fade Over Time
Again, maybe in the past this was true. Old sheet vinyl had the tendency to yellow over time and fade. However, modern luxury vinyl tiles are coating with a clear polyurethane coating to ensure the colours and patterns won’t fade over time. Furthermore, this coating also makes the luxury vinyl tiles waterproof, more durable, and easier to clean. Myth = Debunked – LVTs won’t fade over time (well, at least not for a VERY long time!).
Myth 4) Luxury Vinyl Tiles are Expensive
With all this new technology going into luxury vinyl tile production, then surely the customer will have to pay more for it? Not really. With luxury vinyl flooring, as with all types of flooring, there is a scale. There’s a cheap end and you get what you pay for, and there’s an expensive end, again you get what you pay for.
However, on average, the scale is no more expensive that carpet or laminate for example, and is definitely cheaper than real wood. Overall, luxury vinyl tiles are extremely cost-effective. Myth = Partly true – some LVTs for expensive, but most offer excellent value for money!
Myth 5) Luxury Vinyl Tiles Require Professional Installation
Not true. Obviously, professional installation will be faster and of higher quality. But a DIY savvy individual could self-install luxury vinyl tiles with a few basic tools and some online video tutorials. It’s essentially like putting together a ginormous jigsaw puzzle. Don’t forget to install underlay first though! Myth = Partly true – Professional installation is advised, but can be DIYed too!
Myth 6) Luxury Vinyl Tiles are Toxic
Again, maybe this was true in the past, but in the twenty-first century not a chance. With all the health and safety tests flooring has to go through, there is unlikely to be a modern floorcovering, whether vinyl, carpet, laminate or anything else, that is toxic. Myth = Debunked – vinyl flooring is not toxic!
Conclusion
There you have it: four myths debunked and two that are partly true. Flooring Hut offers high-quality luxury vinyl tiles. Hopefully, these debunked and verified myths have helped you decide on whether luxury vinyl tiles are the right choice for you. Happy Flooring!
