What is Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)?

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a new type of flooring that gives you the appearance of hardwood floors with the texture and design of real wood, but offers the advantages and lower cost of vinyl planks. Much like LVP, there is luxury vinyl tile (LVT). This type of flooring offers the same benefits as LVP, just for tile instead of wood. In this article, we’ll dive into the new trend that is LVP and compare and contrast luxury vinyl planks with real hardwood floors, including a cost analysis, as well as explore the benefits of investing in LVP. 

What is the difference between hardwood and LVP?

The biggest difference between hardwood and luxury vinyl planks is that LVP is not solid wood. This is a critical difference in that the two flooring types may look very similar, however, they are constructed very differently. Hardwood planks are pieces of solid wood that have been shaped to fit as individual planks and may or may not have a protective coating on them. LVP is constructed in layers – the base layer being PVC for stability, the core layer being layers of wood fiber glued together, the top layer being vinyl to provide the appearance and texture of real wood, and finally, the outer layer being a protective coating to prevent wear and tear. 

What is the price difference between hardwood and LVP?

Like most wood alternatives, LVP is more cost effective than traditional hardwood floors. In terms of materials and installation, LVP is more economical than hardwoods. The main reason for this cost difference is the cost of wood. While hardwood floors have to be imported, whether domestically or internationally, LVP is pre-fabricated in a warehouse and thus, has a lot less upfront costs. Installing LVP is oftentimes cheaper as well because it is not as laborious as installing hardwoods. 

Benefits of LVP

LVP offers many benefits over hardwood flooring and is one of the best alternatives to traditional hardwoods. While it may not be solid wood, it does have the texture and appearance of hardwoods. It is also budget-friendly, especially when installing in large portions of your home. LVP is designed to be strong and durable as well as scratch resistant and water resistant. 

All that being said, LVP is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to traditional hardwood flooring. With many benefits for investing in LVP and very drawbacks, it’s no wonder more and more homes are switching to LVP. The two major drawbacks that consumers need to understand before purchasing LVP instead of hardwood is that LVP is not hardwood and may not increase your home value as much as hardwood would and that it can be difficult to replace a single plank or section of planks because of the way it is installed. With those considerations, LVP can be a great flooring option. 

Want to see the difference? Contact us for a free estimate. We make it easy to understand the differences between hardwood floors and luxury vinyl planks to make sure you are making the best investment.