What Is Wood Look Vinyl Flooring?
Whether you've always wanted a resilient vinyl floor or you're looking for a more affordable wood-look alternative, vinyl wood flooring has a ton to offer. Imagine walking in after a long day to gorgeous wall-to-wall wood vinyl flooring that makes your living room feel more spacious and gives your primary bathroom a spa-like feel.
The warmth of genuine hardwood shines through with wood look vinyl flooring thanks to its thoughtful, multi-layer construction. Each vinyl plank features a thick backing layer, a high-resolution image layer, a wear layer, and a scratch-resistant topcoat. Together, these create a durable, water-resistant floor that exudes beauty and character just as easily as solid hardwood.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Vinyl Wood Flooring
If you’re in the market for a wood look floor but haven’t looked beyond hardwood products, consider wood look vinyl. Vinyl flooring that looks like wood is growing in popularity and comes with several benefits that you just might appreciate in your home.
- Give less concern to moisture or scratches, as vinyl is extremely resilient and resistant to water damage.
- You can have virtually any hardwood look you like from contemporary white oak to honey-hued hickory at a fraction of the cost with vinyl wood flooring planks.
- Low-effort maintenance and cleaning are required to keep your vinyl flooring in good shape.
A few disadvantages that can come with vinyl wood flooring include:
- The possibility of damage from sharp or stationary heavy objects
- Difficulty to make small repairs if vinyl wood planks are installed with an interlocking technique
- Difficulty to remove if planks have been glued down
Appearance
When it comes to picking out your wood-look vinyl flooring, visually, your options are nearly identical to solid hardwood. The high-definition photo technology available today makes it possible to have every variety of wood represented in vinyl form, including all their knots, swirls, and linear grain patterns. The color schemes run the gamut, from light grey-hued maple to a golden knotty pine or a rich, mocha-stained hickory, making it possible to bring any design vision you have for your home to life.
Wood Vinyl Flooring vs. Hardwood
Are you struggling to choose between solid hardwood floors and wood vinyl flooring planks? We get it. The differences are fairly straightforward and may help you decide.
- Wood-look vinyl looks exactly like your favorite hardwood species, complete with grain patterns and subtle undertones because it has a printed photo layer
- Solid hardwood floors can last for a generation or more if properly cared for, but vinyl wood flooring lasts for only a fraction of that.
- Wood vinyl planks won't get destroyed by water or high humidity, while genuine hardwood planks, on the other hand, can warp and buckle if exposed to moisture.
Is Wood Look Vinyl Flooring Durable?
Vinyl wood flooring planks top the list of popular picks because they're stylish and incredibly durable. Your toddlers, the rambunctious neighborhood kids, your giant extended family, the troop of dogs your family's accumulated —none of these threaten the resilience of wood vinyl flooring. It does go without saying that man-made vinyl doesn't have the same staying power as genuine hardwood, but it's a fabulous budget-friendly alternative.
Maintaining Wood Look Vinyl Flooring
Your wood vinyl flooring will require a little bit of your attention from time to time, but it's not much compared to most other options. Right off the bat, set a weekly cleaning schedule for you or, better yet, your teen! Routinely sweeping or vacuuming will ensure that the dust and debris that's accumulated won't inadvertently scratch your floors.
Another benefit of vinyl wood flooring: water resistance! This means when your youngest child drops their drink or your new puppy makes a huge mess with its water bowl, you won't have to stress. Clean it up based on the manufacturer instructions and move on with your day!
Lifespan and Installation
Spending a good amount of hard-earned money on new flooring isn't something you take lightly, and you want to be sure you're getting what you paid for. With wood vinyl flooring, you can generally expect many years of good use before you're even thinking about flooring again. But exactly how long they'll last really falls to you.
To maximize your investment, you want to make smart decisions that help your new vinyl floors wear well. There are a number of factors involved, including:
- The amount of traffic and type of activities the floor receives
- Whether it was installed properly and with high-quality materials
- How well you maintain and clean up your vinyl wood flooring
Once you've got your sights set on the vinyl wood flooring planks you want, you'll schedule an installation. Don't hesitate to go with a professional installer! With an experienced pro, you don't have to worry about whether you have the right tools or whether you’ve overlooked an important step of the process.
You can trust in your local Flooring America expert to get the job done properly and efficiently. Plus, you'll sleep better at night knowing your warranty protection wasn't compromised!
Wood-Look Vinyl FAQs
Is wood-look vinyl flooring easy to maintain?
Vinyl flooring that looks like wood is surprisingly easy to maintain. To keep your floors clean and looking brand-new, you'll want to sweep or vacuum each week to remove the dust, dirt, and dander that we know all too well magically accumulate in our homes. Mopping on occasion will also help, and thankfully you don't have to worry about spills or accidents ruining your new floors!
Does luxury vinyl look like real wood?
It's hard to believe, but yes, luxury vinyl flooring is a spitting image of genuine hardwood! It makes sense, though, once you learn that one section of the multi-layered surface is an image of real wood protected by a wear layer and a scratch-resistant top coat.
Are vinyl wood planks a good choice for flooring?
Absolutely, yes! Vinyl wood planks create a warm, durable floor that's budget-friendly to boot. You can enjoy the elegant look of hardwood even if your home is a lively full house of people and pets!
