Rigid core flooring – generally speaking – refers to luxury vinyl floors. So what exactly does “rigid core” mean? And what difference do you see compared to other floors?
In short, rigid core luxury vinyl is more durable and dimensionally stable compared to other types of vinyl (like sticky tiles or roll-out vinyl).
Compared to other types of flooring – like laminate, hardwood, and engineered wood – rigid core flooring offers several unique benefits.
Keep reading to learn more about rigid core flooring and whether it’s the right choice for your home.
Types of Flooring: Comparing Rigid Core Vinyl to Other Floors
Read our quick comparison of rigid core vinyl flooring compared to other popular flooring options, like laminate, hardwood, and engineered wood:
- Laminate vs rigid core vinyl: Laminate offers better scratch-resistance, but rigid core vinyl is more resistant to dents. Vinyl offers better water-resistance and usually has a longer lifespan compared to laminate. Both are affordable options and both can be paired with underfloor heating.
- Hardwood vs rigid core vinyl: Hardwood is the most natural-looking floor, and nothing can beat the “real deal” when it comes to appearance. But rigid core vinyl features a textured surface that improves its feel and appearance. It’s also 100% waterproof.
- Engineered wood vs rigid core vinyl: Engineered wood is arguably one of the strongest floors. It looks natural (like hardwood) due to its top real wood layer, but its reinforced core improves dimensional stability. It’s slightly stronger than rigid core vinyl, but it’s more expensive.
Benefits of Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl
Rigid core flooring (aka: luxury vinyl or LVP/LVT) has a whole host of benefits, including:
- Waterproof: Rigid core luxury vinyl performs better in wet areas compared to most other floors (like hardwood and laminate) due to its synthetic structure.
- Wear-resistant: Even when luxury vinyl has a “lower” wear layer (like 6 mil), it’s still very resistant to scuffs, fading, and discoloration. Choose a higher wear layer (around 12 mil) for high-traffic areas.
- Durable: The rigid core makes it strong, durable, and very resilient to dents (like if you drop a plate or iron on the surface). Cracks and chips are unlikely if you take good care of luxury vinyl.
- Long-lasting: With proper installation, good aftercare, and the right type of rigid core vinyl for your room, the floor can last 30+ years.
- Affordability: Luxury vinyl is a happily affordable product, cheaper than hardwood or engineered wood, and around the same price or lower compared to laminate flooring.
Read the full benefits of luxury vinyl flooring.
How Long Does Rigid Core Vinyl Flooring Last?
Rigid core luxury vinyl with at least a 12 mil wear layer usually comes with a 15-25 year warranty, and can easily last this long with good care (like using the right vinyl cleaning products).
The trick to ensuring luxury vinyl lasts a long time is to install proper vinyl underlayment and choose a product with a thicker wear layer if the floor is in a high-traffic area.
Top Picks: Trending Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl
Discover the hottest trends in rigid core luxury vinyl with our most popular colors, featuring trusted, high-quality brands like COREtec, Happy Feet, Robbins, Shaw, and TruCor.
Top picks of luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring:
Most popular luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms:
What Wear Layer is Best For Luxury Vinyl?
Wear layer is important for luxury vinyl, as this prevents the color and markings of your floor from fading over time. The thickness of the wear layer matters just as much as the quality of the coating.
In terms of thickness, here’s a quick guide:
- Low foot traffic: Choose a 6-mil wear layer for low-traffic areas (like utility rooms or spare bedrooms) or homes with two adult residents.
- High-foot traffic: A 12-mil wear layer is best for family homes or high-traffic residential areas (like hallways, entryways, and lounges).
- Commercial-level traffic: A 20-mil layer is suitable for commercial spaces, like cafés or office reception areas. It can be used in residential homes, but it likely isn’t worth the investment compared to a 12-mil layer, which performs just as well in family homes.
Choose trusted brands like COREtec or Happy Feet, which use high-quality proprietary coatings like ArmourBead® and ZeroMark®.
FAQs
What are the Disadvantages Of Rigid Core Flooring?
Rigid core vinyl flooring is generally more expensive compared to other types of vinyl flooring. Vinyl without a strong core doesn’t last long or look quite as nice as luxury vinyl, but it’s a lot cheaper.
With rigid core vinyl flooring, you get a waterproof, durable, and long-lasting surface that looks like laminate or hardwood, but can perform slightly better in certain situations.
For example, luxury vinyl tends to perform better in conservatories, mudrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms compared to hardwood or laminate (unless you’re using waterproof laminate).
Is Rigid Core Flooring Better Than Laminate?
It isn’t necessarily better. It looks different and feels different, as rigid core flooring has a shinier appearance and a grained surface to mimic natural wood.
Both floors are long-lasting, durable, and affordable, and there’s little difference between them.
The only area where rigid core flooring outshines laminate is in its resistance to heavy items. Rigid core vinyl has better shock resistance compared to laminate flooring.
Is Rigid Core Flooring Better Than Engineered Hardwood?
It depends on what your priorities are. Both are good for kitchens and bathrooms, but rigid core flooring wins when it comes to water-resistance. Yet this is only really the case if you spill large quantities of water that are allowed to sit for a period of time.
One key difference is that engineered hardwood can often be sanded and refinished, while rigid core can’t. If a plank is badly scratched, it typically needs to be replaced.
In terms of warmth and softness, rigid core flooring may take the lead, as it feels spongier and warmer to walk on – especially if you pair it with a quality underlayment.
Beauty-wise, it’s hard to beat engineered hardwood, but it isn’t exactly a fair comparison.
Engineered hardwood is made from real wood, so it looks like hardwood, but with a stronger core. Whereas luxury vinyl looks more like laminate, but with a textured feel underfoot.
Shop Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Today
Luxury vinyl flooring is one of the most popular types of floors on the market today – available in a range of styles, colors, and laying patterns.
Shop luxury vinyl flooring today to find your style.
Top tip: use our room visualizer to see what our floors look like in your home – in just two clicks!
Looking for luxury vinyl floors in Ohio? Look no further! Pop down to our showroom to discover exclusive luxury vinyl deals and expert installation advice.
