Vinyl flooring has evolved in the last several years and continues to see advancements that make it an excellent, practical choice for the home, office, and many commercial spaces.
Products featuring a rigid stone-composite core arrived only a few years ago, bringing to market greater durability and comfort underfoot. The introduction of Embossed in Register technology (EIR) also improved the attractiveness of vinyl with realistic grain textures embossed into each plank.
With these advancements, vinyl has become the most popular flooring choice in the world. Whether your home is new or you’re changing the flooring system in an older home, luxury vinyl is a desirable flooring option in bedrooms, laundry rooms, living rooms, bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and high-traffic areas.
However, the vinyl flooring industry also has its list of detractors, who claim the risks of vinyl flooring outweigh the benefits. They have many concerns about the possible long-term ramifications of mass-produced vinyl flooring products on people and the environment.
In this article, you will get an overview of the pros, cons, and the controversy surrounding vinyl flooring, so you can determine for yourself whether LVP or LVT is the right choice for your home or business.
This article was referenced in Forbes about the future of luxury vinyl flooring.
Benefits of Luxury Vinyl Plank
Luxury vinyl flooring is the number one choice in America because it’s a practical and affordable flooring option with many benefits.
Durable & long-lasting
One of the main benefits of vinyl flooring is its durability. Premium vinyl flooring with a rigid core is engineered to withstand weighted objects, such as pool tables, and its wear layer acts like a shield against abrasion and scratches.
If you have kids running around with their hands full of toys that drop and hit the floor, you can be sure that your flooring will survive day by day and long into the future. A regularly maintained luxury vinyl plank or tile floor can last 20 – even 30 years.
100% waterproof & anti-slip
Another advantage of vinyl flooring is that the material is 100% waterproof. Kids especially love spilling and dumping water and other liquids all over the floor. Premium vinyl has a square edge that keeps liquids from getting down into the planks. Because vinyl doesn’t absorb moisture, all you need to do is wipe it up.
The only way liquid gets under vinyl planks is if the floor isn’t properly installed, an appliance springs a leak, or a pipe bursts.
The material is waterproof and can last through water, but any time it gets into the subfloor, you normally need to call your insurance company.
Vinyl floors are also anti-slip, so your floors won’t be slippery when they’re wet. Because of how vinyl repels water, it’s highly effective in bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
The waterproof material is also effective if you have a new puppy who has accidents. But if you have a dog with long-term bladder issues, you may want to consider installing sheet vinyl.
Urine is acidic, and over time, it will begin to eat away at the top protective layer of your floor.
Incredibly convenient & affordable
Compared to other flooring types, such as carpet, vinyl floors are easier to clean and maintain using a proper microfiber mop, cleaning solution, and technique. Keeping up with a regular-yet-quick cleaning routine ensures a fresh and clean floor and living environment.
Overall, luxury vinyl flooring is so popular because it looks nice and is a proven way to pet-proof and kid-proof your floors without much hassle at an affordable price.
Disadvantages of Luxury Vinyl Plank
Vinyl flooring offers many advantages, but also comes with a list of disadvantages.
Color fades with exposure to sunlight
One disadvantage of vinyl flooring is that its color will begin to fade with long exposure to sunlight. You can always apply products that restore shine, but there’s nothing you can use to correct discoloration.
You can limit exposure of sunlight on your floors using blinds and laying area rugs. It’s best to use rugs without a rubber backing because they can also discolor the planks. One way you can use rugs with a rubber backing over vinyl is to place mesh padding down between the rug and the floor.
Won’t add the same value to your property as other flooring
A second disadvantage of vinyl flooring is that it won’t add nearly as much value to your property as hardwood flooring, stone, or ceramic tile. That said, the value of the home and floor depends on the buyer. Many buyers with children and pets would rather have a great-looking, durable, and waterproof premium vinyl floor requiring less maintenance than a floor that doesn’t support their lifestyle.
Glue-down vinyl can be tough to remove
A third disadvantage of vinyl flooring is that the glue can be difficult to remove after you glue down the planks. But contractors do it all of the time. Glue-down vinyl will give you a more stable floor.
You can avoid glue with a click-lock/floating installation, but if you have larger spaces like a 1,000 – 2,000 sq. ft room, a glued–down floor offers better performance.
Soft synthetic material
A fourth disadvantage of vinyl flooring is the softness of the synthetic and composite material. Although it’s very durable, it has limits. Although it can withstand dropped objects, it’s not going to be impervious to tears, scratches, or dents from very sharp or heavy objects.
If you drop a kettle bell while you’re working out or lose control of your sharpened chef knife while chopping onions, the impact can cause dents, punctures, and tears in the floor.
Should this happen, you can always repair the floor by removing and replacing planks. Replacing individual planks is easy with a floating, click lock floor. If a plank is damaged or ruined, you can uninstall and then replace it.
The process is a little trickier if you have a glued-down floor but not too difficult.
If your vinyl gets a minor rip or scratch on the surface that you can’t stand the sight of, you can use a flooring repair kit to fix it.
Is vinyl flooring toxic?
Lastly – and most critically – vinyl flooring has come under fire for the possibility that the products cause harm to people and the environment.
For a succinct, high-level overview of the vinyl flooring controversy, read “Are America’s Favorite Floors Going Away?”
The Vinyl Floor Controversy
In a recent article by Fast Company titled, “The dirty truth about your fake wood floors,” luxury vinyl flooring is referred to as cheap, fake wood that typically features a sickly gray color shade. The author condemns vinyl flooring as ugly and harmful to people and the environment.
Toxic chemicals
She claims that the vinyl flooring industry is especially dangerous to communities and workers, citing the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment as an example. The train was carrying vinyl chloride, a chemical used to make PVC, which is used to make vinyl flooring. She also notes that two explosions at vinyl manufacturing plants have resulted in tragic loss of life.
Additionally, she reports that 75% of all vinyl flooring is manufactured in China, where regulation is minimal and worker conditions raise serious concerns.
Difficult to recycle
Perhaps worst of all, she argues, is that synthetic vinyl is difficult to recycle because it isn’t biodegradable. Proper vinyl recycling requires significant resources and specialized infrastructure, raising a larger question: what happens to all that flooring when it reaches the end of its life?
While it’s true that you can’t leave vinyl planks on the curb with the rest of your recyclables, you can contact the manufacturer directly and ask for assistance.
Manufacturers are aware of this issue and have processes in place to collect your old flooring and recycle it to create new flooring.
The problem though, is that many manufacturers don’t provide a straightforward means of starting the recycling process.
VOCs leech out from the planks?
Finally, there’s the rumor of a scary possibility: some vinyl flooring products are harmful in the home. Would you want toxins to be absorbed in the soles of your feet as you walk barefoot across your floor?
It all appears to be very bad news for the vinyl flooring industry and the millions of people with vinyl already installed in their homes and businesses.
Experts say otherwise – vinyl is safe
However, experts from government agencies and private testing programs disagree about the impending dangers of vinyl flooring. Instead, they maintain that it’s a safe flooring option for consumers and not a serious threat to the environment.
And yet lurking in the back of our minds are those disasters from the 20th century, such as asbestos, lead paint, and cigarettes.
These toxic products were marketed as safe and were widely adopted. Consumers bought and used them without knowing there was any danger.
The consensus is that vinyl flooring is safe, but it’s still prudent to be skeptical. Your main option is to investigate the products you buy and determine any risks.
It should give you some peace of mind knowing that the vinyl flooring industry is heavily regulated to meet high standards for indoor air quality. Manufacturers must follow meticulous processes aligned with strict criteria. And without any regulatory pressure, they have innovated phthalate-free floors and floors with very low exposure to VOCs.
At Panel Town we have helped many customers install LVT and LVP over the years. We also work with the contractors who regularly install vinyl floors. We have yet to have anyone report ill-effects and attribute them to their vinyl floor.
Premium vinyl products undergo rigorous testing
Independent groups, such as FloorScore®, a certification program recognized worldwide, have strict criteria and stringent standards for ensuring indoor air quality. They thoroughly inspect and test products for chemicals, such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. A FloorScore® certified product is widely recognized to be very safe for you and your family. The same is true of GREENGUARD.
A shift toward green building materials
Over the last decade, as PVC-based products have entered the crosshairs, there’s been a shift toward green building materials. Leading the way on this initiative are prominent construction firms like Kaiser Permanente and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The AIA published a Materials Pledge, encouraging other organizations to sign up and align their business to a new, greener standard.
Additionally, architecture and design firm Perkins & Will have issued influential statements on PVC:
“Avoiding PVC in building material choices is nearly always preferable from an overall human health and environmental perspective.”
These are but a few of the developments marking the shift away from PVC.
How vinyl manufacturers have addressed the issue
Many manufacturers also take their responsibility toward their customers and the environment seriously. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot phased out phthalates in their LVT production by the end of 2015. Many specialty brands did the same thing.
Reputable companies have also published declarations about their materials and commitment to sustainability. For example, Happy Feet is dedicated to the long-term safety and happiness of their customers. You can read their international code of conduct here.
Their products also undergo testing, review, and certification to meet the highest standards of indoor air quality.
FloorScore® and GREENGUARD Gold certifications ensure that flooring meets rigorous standards for indoor air quality and sustainability.
Overall, their efforts have helped to reinforce consumer confidence in vinyl flooring as a safe product.
Summary
Luxury vinyl flooring is the most popular flooring option in the world. Recent advancements have increased its attractiveness, stability, and durability, making it an even more desirable flooring option for today’s home and business owners.
More people than ever are turning to vinyl flooring because it’s easy to install, simple to maintain, waterproof, beautiful, and durable.
Or is it? Not everyone agrees that vinyl is a smart flooring choice. They say that vinyl is made using toxic chemicals, is difficult to recycle, and may pose a threat to people in their homes.
However, the prevailing view is that vinyl flooring is safe for people and not a serious threat to the environment. The vinyl flooring industry is regulated by the government, and independent testing programs like FloorScore® exist to ensure the highest level of indoor air quality.
Furthermore, manufacturers like Happy Feet have taken the initiative to make advancing environmental responsibility a core part of their mission.
What do you think?
Is luxury vinyl flooring a practical, good-looking and stylish flooring option available at a reasonable price point? Or a toxic fake wood that threatens the planet?
