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Vinyl Plank Flooring Common Questions (Our Blunt Answers)
Updated: Oct 2, 2022
Vinyl Plank Flooring Common Questions (Our Blunt Answers)
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is the fastest growing product in the floor covering world. Customers can buy products in many different colors, sizes, and styles. The most common questions about vinyl plank flooring are:
Does Vinyl Plank Flooring Look Cheap?
Is Vinyl Plank Flooring Durable?
Can We Install Vinyl Plank Flooring Over Existing Floors?
Will Vinyl Plank Flooring Look Good In My Kitchen?
Are Builders Using Vinyl Plank Flooring In New Home Construction?
Vinyl Plank Flooring Common Questions (Our Blunt Answers)
Does Vinyl Plank Flooring Look Cheap?
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is the fastest growing product in floor covering. Go into any floor covering store, and see how much space is dedicated to vinyl plank displays. What does this mean? It means the product is popular, and it sells.
Store showroom space is always dedicated to displays that will make that store the most money. Vinyl plank flooring is so popular, stores just keep adding it to their product display list.
Many years ago, flooring centers used to carry cheap-looking cash & carry laminate products. These products usually were solid colors, click-together products, that the do-it-yourself community loved to buy. Customers discovered these products were simply not made very well. They looked cheap, and they had all sorts of durability problems.
Today, when thinking about vinyl plank flooring, customers refer back to past memories of this cheap laminate and worry they are buying the same type of material. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Competition is fierce with vinyl plank manufacturers. If products are not well made, they don't stay in the marketplace very long. Today's vinyl plank products are not only well made, but they look stylish and have awesome colors. You can buy a vinyl plank product in any color, in many different width boards, and in many different lengths. Customers are buying vinyl plank in all different priced homes, and likewise, interior designers are loving the look and home decor feel of this product line.
The bottom line: luxury vinyl plank is not a cheap-looking product. customers can find some beautiful-looking products for any room of the home.
Is Vinyl Plank Flooring Durable?
The number one reason vinyl plank flooring has grown in popularity is because of its durability. Being a waterproof product, vinyl plank flooring can be installed in any room of the house. This has opened up installation in kitchens, front entryways, laundry rooms, mud rooms, and bathrooms. Vinyl plank flooring is much less expensive than ceramic, and because of the money savings and durability, vinyl plank has taken over much of the sales otherwise taken up by ceramic products.
Another great benefit of vinyl plank flooring is its "pet-friendly" and "kid-friendly" warranties. Vinyl Plank comes with a factory finish, which makes this product scratch resistant and very easy to clean. Families that own pets and have small children have found vinyl plank to be a wonderful product, that helps cut down on home cleaning time. Homeowners that have a dog that sheds, love vinyl plank. A once-day dry mop sweeping, and the vinyl plank floor looks brand new.
Likewise, because the business is so fierce with the many vinyl plank manufacturing companies, product warranties keep getting better and better every year. In order to grow product sales, companies are doing anything to get a competitive edge. It is not uncommon to see lifetime vinyl plank product warranties.
The bottom line is: vinyl plank is a very durable product. Sales of vinyl plank continue to grow, and this is due to the durability of the product and being able to install vinyl plank in any room.
Can We Install Vinyl Plank Flooring Over Existing Floors?
The simple answer is: maybe. In a perfect world, it is always best to install new flooring directly over the original subfloor. However, in many cases, removing other layers of flooring is not a practical solution.
Vinyl plank flooring, with its click-together installation method, can be installed over existing floors if the conditions are right. Existing floors need to be in good shape. For example, if you have an existing floor that is curling up on the edges, or that has cracks and chips, or maybe an existing floor that is already loose and coming up, going over an existing floor would probably not be a good idea.
One thing to keep in mind in remodeling products is the height of the different flooring. Let's say you are wanting to remodel the existing main floor of your home, and you have ceramic in the kitchen, carpet in the living room, and hardwood flooring in the front hallway. In order to properly install vinyl plank flooring, if your main floor rooms all connect, your floor needs to be at the same height. The problem is: when you take out that carpet, now you have a floor that is at a different height than the ceramic that's in your kitchen.
Many times, in order to save on flooring demolition work, installers will recommend going over existing floors with the new vinyl plank product. This is a perfectly acceptable type of installation.
The bottom line is: unless you are a very good do-it-yourself weekend home project person when going over existing floors, it is always best to get a professional flooring installer involved with your project. The last thing you want is to spend good money on a product purchase, only to have the installation get screwed up because you were trying to pinch pennies.
Will Vinyl Plank Flooring Look Good In My Kitchen?
Many customers are using vinyl plank tiles and planks for flooring in their kitchens. Vinyl plank is a perfect product for customers that want the hardwood look, but are afraid of water spills. Vinyl plank is a waterproof product, it is extremely easy to clean, and many of the colors and patterns look great with kitchen cabinets and kitchen paint colors.
Home plans that have an open concept type of look, where the kitchen/dining room/family room are one big area, are using vinyl plank flooring throughout the entire main floor area. Wide boards with long lengths make rooms have a designer look that is very unique.
Most stores will allow customers to take home samples. When possible, it is always a good idea to take home those products that you like. Place the flooring samples in the kitchen to get a better feel for the color you like the best.
The bottom line is: Vinyl plank flooring is a great option for flooring in a kitchen. You can find some beautiful products that are not only durable but will add value to your home.
Are Builders Using Vinyl Plank Flooring In New Home Construction?
The easy answer to this question is: yes! Homebuilders love vinyl plank flooring. In fact, many builders have replaced putting hardwood flooring in homes, and instead are using vinyl plank flooring.
Builders are finding vinyl plank flooring to be more durable, less expensive, and more popular with potential buyers.
Again, the options for products are huge in vinyl plank flooring. No matter the cost of the home, you can find a vinyl plank product that will work.
The bottom line is: vinyl plank flooring is extremely popular, and is not going away anytime soon. If you have any worries about new homes and vinyl plank flooring, get it out of your head. Vinyl plank does not look cheap, it holds up extremely well, and home builders love it.
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Conclusion - Vinyl Plank Flooring Common Questions
Many customers are still very nervous about putting a vinyl plank floor in their homes. They need to get that thought out of their head. vinyl plank flooring is here to stay. Stores have tons and tons of products, these products sell, and they last.
No matter if you have a new home being built, or if you're doing an existing home remodel, vinyl plank floor is an affordable flooring option, and it can be installed in any room of the house. It is a great flooring option.
Retail flooring stores, box stores, general contractors, and home builders all love vinyl plank flooring. You should have no concerns about vinyl plank flooring.
Each manufacturer has good, better, and best products. The best way to find a product is to take home samples to match colors and to settle on a product that you like and that fits within your budget.
You can install vinyl plank flooring over existing flooring, but it is always a good idea to get a professional installer involved with your installation project. Some installations can be tricky, and you don't want to spend good money on material costs, only to have the installation go bad.
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