Best Overall
Smartcore by CoreTec Lanier Vinyl Plank Flooring
Best Bang for the Buck
TrafficMaster Edwards Oak Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Best Upgrade
Lifeproof Trail Oak Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
We may earn revenue from the product usable on this page and take part in affiliate program . study More ›
Hardwood plank have long been a popular flooring choice , propose matchless natural warmth . Unfortunately , having fitted them in a farmhouse hall and lounge in a remodel , I know hardwood storey can also be expensive ; difficult to install ; and prone to dents , scratch , or body of water terms .
Alternatively , the well vinyl radical plank flooring supply avirtually indistinguishable alternativeto hardwood that ’s low cost and can shrug off wearing and bout . Some can even be installed on new concrete base or over be woodwind instrument or roofing tile . After my experience down the stairs at the farmhouse , I used vinyl board in the five bedrooms — saving a bunch of moneyandcompleting the job more quickly .
Our pick for the best overall vinyl radical plank floor is theCoreTec Lanier ancestry from Smartcore . We wish its 100 percent waterproof building ; dispirited - glossary embossed finish and beveled edges ; and ease of installation over tile , concrete , existing vinyl radical , or wood .
While there are many similarity among the product usable , there are also vital differences to consider . Read on to take a close look at those feature of speech and decide which is the best vinyl plank floor pick for your nursing home or business .
How We Chose the Best Vinyl Plank Flooring
As a DIY fancier who has carry out extensive remodels of 3 homes , vinyl plank are one of my favorite flooring systems . I have used them in numerous locations , so I have a good intellect of their structure and restriction . This , blend with the Bob Vila team ’s extensive research into vinyl plank ball over sword and their products , result in the following survival criteria .
Our Top Picks
We ’ve gathered some of the good vinyl plank flooring currently usable and organized them by class to make it easier for shoppers to select the alternative that ’s ripe for their nursing home .
With so much variety uncommitted , choosing a single product as the overall best vinyl board flooring is a literal challenge . Smartcore by CoreTec have the nod for its combining of practicality , durability , and price . It is good - look , hard - wearing , and 100 per centum waterproof , so it can be used in kitchens and bathrooms as well as animation elbow room and bedrooms .
The toughness postulate in both residential and light commercial environment is provided by a 12 - mil wearing layer ; a texture layer then provides veritable wood - grain look . This is on top of a Natalie Wood credit card composite ( WPC ) for long - term stability , then an acoustic domiciliation that helps reduce stochasticity .
Smartcore ’s waterproof vinyl group flooring can be laid over any form of subfloor without prep , but a bottle cork rug pad is advocate for maximal sound absorption and comfort .
Get the Smartcore vinyl board flooring atLowe ’s .
Best Bang For The Buck
TrafficMaster may be a budget vinyl radical board choice , but it is still a dependable - calibre production . It is exclusive to The Home Depot and is manufacture by Shaw , which makes many premium Cartesian product on the marketplace .
At 4.4 millimetre , it is flimsy than some , but it still put up good moolah and shock electric resistance . It is fully rainproof and suitable for use anywhere in the menage , admit basements , kitchen , and bathroom . Sound - sop up underlay is preattached , make for gentle initiation . It is available in seven colors .
While TrafficMaster arrogate its vinyl plank floor is intended for residential and scant commercial-grade use , a vesture layer of 6 cubic centimetre signify it is not intended for high - traffic field .
Get the TrafficMaster Edwards oak vinyl plank flooring atThe Home Depot .
Upgrade Pick
Lifeproof ’s enormously pop luxury vinyl radical plank flooring answers just about every need while still persist competitively priced . The 22 - mil wear level think it is as tough as anything useable , and it ’s rated for both residential and commercial use .
It is easy to look after because it ’s scratch - resistant and inhibits cast and mold thanks to its antimicrobial treatment . Waterproof , it can be sweep , vacuumed , or cleaned with a damp mop , but steam mop should not be used .
Lifeproof vinyl hardwood flooring does not ingest moisture , so it stays dimensionally stable . It ’s also extremely resistant to temperature fluctuations and wo n’t normally distort in sunrooms . The preattached underlay reduces randomness and improves puff underfoot . The wide choice of finale means there ’s something for near every home fashion .
Photo: riverwoodsflooring
Get the Lifeproof vinyl plank flooring atThe Home Depot .
Best Kitchen And Bathroom
NuCore White Pewter Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Plank
NuCore vinyl radical board flooring is strange in that in addition to the wear layer , it also has a separate antimicrobial coating designed to battle the mold and mold that can be a trouble in humid surround . While this flooring can be used throughout the home , the protective coating makes it in particular good for bathrooms and kitchens .
The wear layer is a significant 22 mil , making it suitable for both residential and commercial environments . In addition to being waterproof and qualified for instalment on , above , and below grade , NuCore vinyl group plank flooring is available in eight coloring . Added texture bid increase realism .
Despite the merchandise having an attached cork underlayment for special comfort , the maker recommend an additional underlayment shroud for sound moistening and to improve fondness .
Photo: Lowes
Get the NuCore vinyl board ball over atFloor & Decor .
Best For Basements
Armstrong Flooring American Personality Pro Flooring
Basements with concrete subfloors can benefit from this option from Armstrong Flooring . This 2 - millimeter thick vinyl group plank flooring has a flexible construction and can be cut to accommodate a space . It is 48 inches long by 6.5 column inch wide-eyed and cover 38.88 - straight - foot spaces .
What ready this flooring truly remarkable is the diverse low - glossiness color options , including old-fashioned beige , oak , silver surf , and gold hour . The durable Diamond 10 Technology wear off stratum on these floors is resilient to scuffs and lettuce in high - traffic areas . However , this alternative does not provide a muckle of sound absorption and does not have an adhesive launchpad , so it may demand extra underlayment .
Get the Armstrong Flooring vinyl plank deck atArmstrong Flooring .
Photo: Home Depot
Best Narrow Plank
CoreTec Plus 5-Inch Waterproof Vinyl Plank Flooring
Wide ball over vinyl plank can be telling in open areas , but in small room , they can look a little overwhelming . narrow-minded flooring usually become the quad well and has the vantage of making the way come along bigger than it is .
CoreTec Plus 5 - in vinyl planks are idealistic in this instance . The across-the-board range of mountains of a dozen colors means there ’s something for all tastes . The planks might be narrow than many others , but they are no less elusive with a 20 - Swedish mile wear off bed that makes them desirable for residential or commercial-grade use .
The patent of invention - pending “ Hydracore ” is a rock charge card composite ( SPC ) that is altogether sluggish and provides excellent water resistance . This means COREtec Plus is also a practiced choice for kitchens , bathrooms , and laundry rooms , and it can be installed above , on , or below grade .
Photo: amazon
Get the CoreTec vinyl plank flooring atFlooring Inc.
Best Oversize Plank
Pergo Extreme Wider Longer Vinyl Plank Flooring
Pergo has been making quality flooring since the 1970s . Their Extreme range of vinyl board flooring is notable for the role of an aluminium - oxide coat rather than the more common polyurethan . It propose increased protection against scuffs and scratches , making Pergo Extreme among the toughest vinyl board flooring pick available . It is also to the full waterproof .
Although super tough and idealistic for high - dealings areas , Pergo Extreme vinyl board flooring stay on low-cost . There are 10 colour to select from , and each is textured for a more realistic wood effect . An connected cushion pad deadens sound .
The oversize boards make a dramatic impression in gravid rooms , and the simplicity of installation intend strong domain can be covered quickly . However , the size can be inconvenient in little rooms . A excerpt of smaller board is also usable .
Photo: flooranddecor
Get the Pergo vinyl plank flooring atPergo Flooring .
Best For Diyers
TrafficMaster Taupe Oak Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Those who prefer to avert the expense ofvinyl plank flooring installerswill love this easy - to - install choice from TrafficMaster . The peel - and - stick vinyl board flooring features a 0.08 - column inch thickness , a 4 - Swedish mile clear wear stratum , and a PU coating that can handle gamy - traffic area and repel scuffs . The phthalate - loose material is also safe for economic consumption in any residential domain , and a box of the 36 - in - long by 6 - inch - encompassing floor can cover 36 square foot .
prefer from gray ash tree , grayish hard-pressed woodwind instrument , and taupe oak color alternative . It can be installed on concrete , plyboard , and other survive subfloor case . The TrafficMaster ball over also expect incredibly realistic and offers all the benefit of vinyl . The only downside to this flooring is that it has no build - in carpet pad and wo n’t furnish much sound absorption .
Get the TrafficMaster taupe oak vinyl plank floor atThe Home Depot .
Photo: amazon
Best For Pets
Home Decorators Collection Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
One of the Florida key feature favourite owners look for when pick out vinyl board is incision resistance . Arabian tea can forswear their claws , but the family pooch ca n’t , and the paths they habitually apply when crossing rooms can presently look deadening and haggard . The Home Decorators luxury vinyl plank flooring has this important feature , combined with scratch and stain ohmic resistance plus a 12 - mile wear stratum that ensures it can also shrug off fairly much whatever a fellowship throws at it . It ’s also gentle to strip which makes it the perfectflooring for dogs .
The Home Decorators luxury vinyl board floor add up in a spacious image of colour and is rated for both residential and lightheaded commercial installation ( though not in areas that are regularly subjected to moisture ) . A preattached inkpad provides wakeless stifling and comfort . Plus , it can be installed over almost any subfloor without needing extra underlayment .
Get the Home Decorators Collection vinyl plank flooring atThe Home Depot .
Photo: flooringinc
Jump to Our Top Picks
What to Consider When Choosing Vinyl Plank Flooring
Visual appeal is often a fundamental issue when selecting vinyl board floor , and it can be a very personal decision . However , beneath that attractive surface there are a multifariousness of features that ask careful consideration . The following subdivision provide a elaborate explanation of the significant expert difference that can impact a vinyl flooring choice .
Types of Vinyl Plank Flooring
At its most canonic , vinyl plank flooring is a photographic reproduction of woodwind cereal ( or other optical ) printed onto a PVC canvas . There are a number of other layer in gain to that PVC sheet , and these can greatly sham functioning and solace . There are a few format of vinyl plank floor , and each can be installed in different ways .
Many of these products are made abroad , so thickness is usually described in millimetre , with 25.4 millimeter equaling 1 column inch . They depart from 4 millimetre forlow - price vinyl plank flooringup to 8 millimeters for a gamy - quality , more perdurable product . Thicker vinyl group plank ordinarily engage more speech sound and feel more pleasant underfoot , though they do tend to cost more .
lavishness vinyl group plank ( LVP ) flooring is a much used and occasionally misleading verbal description . The majority of vinyl plank floor can be called “ luxuriousness ” no matter of quality , so it ’s important to notice that there ’s no one best sumptuousness vinyl plank brand and to mark off the specifications cautiously . The term “ EVP ” ( organise vinyl radical plank ) may also be used .
Photo: riverwoodsflooring
LVP generally consists of three level : a financial backing or base made with vinyl and fillers , a print formula layer ( where the natural wood feel comes in ) , and a exonerated - finishing layer that offers aegis from scratches , scuffs , and staining . Installation options will motley from ware to product , but in general , LVP can be instal by gluing planks directory to the subfloor , using a click - lock organisation to keep the floor in place ( sometimes called a floating floor ) or in a loose - lay format , which permit for laying the planks bland .
After LVP started hit popularity , there were still many client who preferred the feeling of a rigid board in their helping hand — something that feel close-fitting to a true hardwood plank . embark wood credit card composite ( WPC ) floor . A waterproof vinyl plank option featuring a rigid core made of wood pulp and extrude foam , WPC floor is faint and sound absorbent , and it feel warm underfoot . It is generally set up with a click - locking system , annihilate the pauperization for an adhesive material .
Stone plastic composite , the replacement to WPC flooring , features a rigid kernel that uses limestone ( calcium carbonate ) . While not as soft or quiet underfoot as WPC vinyl group board or luxury vinyl plank floor , these floor are very tough and less prostrate to indentation from grave objects , such as furniture , than WPC .
Photo: Home Depot
Like WPC , SPC vinyl planks are also installed with a click - lock chamber scheme using preformed grooves rather than needing to be glued down .
Another surface area that can be perplexing is whether vinyl group board floor is rainproof or not . One of the main components , PVC , is 100 pct waterproof . Both WPC and SPC planks also comprise plasticizers to allow some flex without splitting , and this also help moult water .
However , while a practiced deal of vinyl group plank floor is waterproof , some is only sort as water system - resistant and should not be used in area of potential high humidness or frequent spills , such as bathrooms and kitchens . Even fully rainproof vinyl plank floor will distort if submerged for farseeing , and it may not endure flooding .
Photo: Home Depot
Layer Composition
vinyl group board flooring ’s writing varies a number from product to production . No matter the data formatting , all vinyl plank floor will boast a vindicated - wear layer and design level . fixed - core vinyl plank flooring , like WPC and SPC , will feature a rigid core made of either wood or stone composite , which gives the plank its rigid feel and heft up in hired man . Flexible LVP will not boast a core layer but alternatively a patronage made with vinyl and fillers . Some of the best vinyl group plank floor has an additional cork or foam acoustic layer already attached to the bottom .
While lower - cost vinyl radical plank flooring is usually composed of these three layer , it can be a small noisy when lay on a concrete subfloor . A slender foam or felt underlayment bed is unremarkably recommended to both steep the sound and sum up “ give , ” which improves the puff underfoot .
Durability in High-Traffic Areas
Choosing the skillful vinyl radical board flooring for a particular domain of ahome or officewill look to some extent on the amount of traffic . While each data format offers good durability , all aerofoil wear eventually .
High - dealings area like kitchen , dining room , entryways , and anteroom do n’t necessarily require thicker vinyl radical planks . While increased heaviness often mean greater quilt , it is the actual wear layer that is central . Interestingly , wearing - level heaviness is measured in cubic centimeter , and while that voice like it would be connect to millimeters , a Swedish mile is in reality one thousandth of an inch ( .001 column inch ) .
Minimum wear - layer thickness is unremarkably 2 mile , though good - timbre vinyl plank floor will generally be 6 mil and upwards .
Protective Coating
vinyl group plank floor comes with wear layer and/or protective coatings to prevent scuffs and scrapes in in high spirits - traffic expanse . A clothing level is almost always supply by a vinyl radical board flooring manufacturer , but a protective layer is an extra feature film that some brands let in for certain concerns ( like waterproofing and antimicrobial resistance ) . Even if a steel does n’t supply a coating , there are liquid coating options that can be apply to vinyl group board floor for those who need contribute auspices .
Residential vs. Commercial
fall apart layer is often used as the distinguish feature between vinyl plank ball over for residential or commercial-grade applications . A 12 - mil wear layer is frequently take care as the boundary between domestic and light commercial message , whereas 20 mil and upwards is study commercial , used for high - traffic offices or retail area , for instance .
However , the damage “ residential ” and “ commercial ” are moderately arbitrary . A commercial-grade - grade wear layer is usually suggest for business premises , but vinyl plank floor fate as commercial-grade is often also designed to be used in a residential surroundings . In households with boisterous kids or pets , it could well be the optimal choice .
Length, Width, and Color
Picking a grain pattern and color are personal alternative , but the variety of vinyl radical board dump choice is so Brobdingnagian that whatever the rest home ’s decor , there ’s almost for sure something that will suit . Planks are generally 36 inches or 48 inches long . They are easy to trim to length where necessary . A utility tongue or hand saw can be used , but amiter sawis the flying and easiest way to dress a vinyl radical board .
board width is ordinarily 6 to 8 column inch . This is an important consideration in terms of appearance and one that some people struggle to fancy . If there are n’t board of the appropriate breadth for consultation nearby , it may be worth contract a couple of mock - up planks .
vinyl radical flooring plank are usually sell by the square foot . It is authoritative not to lowball essential . The entire gild should acquit the same batch bit , or there is a risk of pocket-size color differences .
Tips for Installing Vinyl Plank Flooring
While some vinyl plank floor has apeel - and - stick backingand others require to be glued down , by far the most popular instalment selection is as a floating floor . When decently set up , the combine exercising weight of the planks and the confines of the room foreclose any floor movement . Each manufacturer should provide specific instructions on how to set up its product , but the following gives good universal direction .
FAQs
The above information provide important perceptivity into how to prefer the best vinyl group plank coldcock for a identification number of unlike position . Our top selection bring home the bacon real - globe examples . If you still have questions about how to choose the correct vinyl plank flooring , read on .
It depends on which is most desirable for the installation . With WPC floor , a thinner plank may be absolutely acceptable in areas of low traffic , whereas a thicker flexible luxury vinyl plank flooring is credibly suitable in sofa or other high - dealings domain . However , SPC can be very tough , despite being relatively slight . It ’s important to take what find at the conversion between elbow room . Choosing a vinyl radical plank that is too wooden-headed can guide to problem with leveling at the doorway .
Vinyl plank flooring is best trace as scrape - immune rather than scratchproof , though it does count on the timbre of the product pick out . Some can be very problematical indeed , and many are more resistant to impairment than expensive hardwood floor . Scratching is n’t a vulgar job , but it can happen . When moving furniture or appliances , it ’s a expert idea to plagiarize rather than drop back them , for example .
dead . One of the major advantages of vinyl plank flooring is itsease of installation . Few dick are required and , with a little care , even those with only modest DIY skills can achieve a professional conclusion .
It depends on the type , so it ’s important to check the specification carefully . Some choice are line as water - resistant , which is o.k. in area where periodic spill are soon cleanse up . For areas that are on a regular basis endanger to moisture , such as bathrooms , kitchens , and laundry room , look for 100 per centum waterproof vinyl plank flooring .
This will look on the production you ’ve select . Typically , vinyl group board floor is installed by gluing the planks to the subfloor or by using a locking scheme , which allow the planks to “ swim bladder ” above the subfloor . Some manufacturers also declare oneself loose - lay options .
While others may intimate using a steam mop on a low scope forcleaning vinyl radical board floor — particularly some SPC products — it is not recommend . In fact , some manufacturer warranties specifically say you should not steam clean wipe up your vinyl board floor . Steam can eventually penetrate between the board and get beneath the airfoil , possibly undermine the glue and make bump or warping . Generally , use a vacuity or a flat mop that is moist , rather than hook with water , but always comply the maker ’s instructions for cleaning .
Everything You Need for a Lush and Healthy Lawn
Keeping your grass fleeceable and your plants flourish does n’t just take a green pollex — it starts with the correct tools and supplies .
