Luxury Vinyl Flooring

[EJC85]

Hi all,

Does anyone have Luxury Vinyl flooring in their house? What do you think of it?
Would you recommend it? Is it worth the money?

I am considering having some sort of vinyl flooring in the bedrooms just for practical reasons really. Carpet is lovely but it does get dirty :(
Would it look awful with vinyl? I am worried that carpet and kids are not a very good mix. I have laminate flooring throughout the upstairs atm but we're moving to a new house which we'll be renovating in the months ahead. I'd use laminate (good ones, mind) again but husband is afraid that if there were any problems and he needed to get to pipes under the floor for example, then it would be a nightmare with something like laminate.

What are your thoughts/ideas/clever solutions for bedroom floors?

Thanks in advance!

[MovingtoParadise]

We've just installed Amtico everywhere apart from the bedrooms. It's so good and not slippy. Wipeable, guaranteed for 25 years (we have the cheap range, the expensive range is guaranteed for life).

[MovingtoParadise]

It would look great in the bedrooms too !

[EJC85]

Hi @MovingtoParadise

That's good to know! What type did you use? Do you remember the name? Do you have any pictures? Thanks for your reply!

[wowfudge]

I think it will be Spacia that Paradise has. We're about to get our kitchen floor done and it's looking like we'll go for one of the Polyflor products - they are good value for money. We had Polyflor Colonia in our old bathroom. In this house there is Karndean in the office and the hall and downstairs loo have some very expensive Amtico complete with a huge motif which the previous owners put in.

You can vacuum it, mop it, etc and it wears well.

[EJC85]

Hi @wowfudge

I'm going to have a better look at these you mentioned. A quick google on Polyfloor and I thought it looked fab! I'm sure they are a dream to clean and something easy to maintain is a must for me. I was just unsure of how it would look in areas which are not bathrooms/kitchens, if you know what I mean.

The good ones are supposed to be Karndean, Amtico and Polyflor then? Any other brands I should be looking at?

Many thanks for your input.

[wizzywig]

Is the amtico scuff/ scratch proof?

[ems137]

My dad has luxury vinyl flooring downstairs and in the bathrooms. I think it looks lovely and of very good quality.

However, it won't be any easier than laminate to pull up if you need to get to floorboards etc as it's often glue sprayed down. Another thing I've noticed is that it's easier to mark and there's one or 2 bits that you can see where a bit of dirt has been left underneath and it's a little lump.

[wowfudge]

There are lots of brand out there and Polyflor make lots of different ranges - including those aimed at commercial applications where there is high footfall. Have a look at a website called Floorbay. It's run by the company we are getting to do our kitchen floor. Lots of choice on there.

We have some Karndean but I've been out off it by a number of threads about it shrinking with temperature changes.

Good fitting is key for LVT. The floor has to be sound and level so floorboards will be plyboarded and solid floors will be screeded first.

[wowfudge]

Vusta do a magnetic one which isn't glued. There are also others which click together like other types of flooring.

[EJC85]

yeah I see what you mean. I think we'd look into the ones which is just loose lay I think it's called? Or maybe the click ones...

[EJC85]

wowfudge - many thanks for the recommendations. I will certainly have a look at those.

Now I'm hoping that I can see them in real life in a local shop before making my mind up. Wouldn't want to just look at it online and buy them. hehehe

[TupperwareTat]

We have a carpet shop on our industrial estate that sells LVT as well as carpet.

They let you take samples home.
Is there anywhere similar near you?
They fit it as well.

I got our Cormar Carpet from them for £1050 for the whole house. Elsewhere it was nearer £2000.

[wowfudge]

Most places will let you borrow boards or they provide sample tile pieces. The manufacturers will also send out samples, not whole tiles though unless you specifically ask for them.

[EJC85]

@Tupperwareta and @ wowfudge - Great to know. I will have a look around the area and see what I can find. It's good to be able to touch things to get a proper idea. Failing that I can order samples online.

Now just wondering how easy it would be to take it apart if there was a problem under floorboards - as ems137 mentioned...

I know the whole sheet ones will be easier but I am not entirely convinced they will look as good for bedrooms....

[fannydaggerz]

My parents have this, the bathroom flooded so they lifted it up and once it dried out, put it back down and it's still as good as new.

[EJC85]

Afannydaggerz - wow that sounds great considering the upheaval!

[BonnyScotland]

sounds like a great product... rushes off to google

[RubyRedRuby]

Polyflor do a LVT called balance click which looks v. good and is less expensive than amtico.

[EJC85]

Off to look it up RubyredRuby, thanks!

[SnowGlobes]

This is very interesting! With the polyflor tiles how does it come in herringbone please? Is each 'plank' an actual tile that the fitter needs to lay in a herringbone pattern? Has anyone had this done - was the laying a lot more expensive than just normal laying? Do you think it looks realistic?

[ClaudiaNaughton]

Do these floors bleach in the sun?

[RubyRedRuby]

Gah! Sorry, I said polyglot, I meant Quick step balance click. Sorry

[RubyRedRuby]

Lol! Pretty sure I didn't say polyglot last time either - Blardy autocorrect.

[EJC85]

Hehe that's ok @RubyRedRuby

Will have a look at that as well then.
Many thanks for the recommendations!

[wowfudge]

They will have ratings for colour fastness. With the exception of glazed tiles most things will fade over time.