Check out our new E-book on Waterproof Flooring
It seems the entire flooring industry has transitioned to waterproof flooring materials over the last few years.
In fact, more than half of buyers we see in our locations today are actively seeking Waterproof Flooring options!
But what makes it so special?
Beyond the obvious benefit of ensuring spills and pet accidents won’t destroy your floor, there are numerous reasons why it is worth investing in today’s waterproof floors.
CATEGORIES AND TERMINOLOGY
First and foremost though, you need to try to wrap your head around the increasingly complex universe of terms that relate to this category.
While most people’s understanding of flooring only extends to Hardwood and Carpet, the advances in flooring in the last 20 years have focused on creating easier to install products with click lock flooring (floating floors), and increasingly realistic wood and tile looks.
Laminates, which came into prominence as the next big thing in flooring a few decades ago, are now being replaced at a rapid rate by the entire class of Luxury Vinyl Plank and Luxury Vinyl Tile categories. There are subtle differences across these categories, primarily related to their composition and performance attributes.
EVP- Engineered Vinyl Plank - $2.99-$7.79 SF
EVP provides affordable luxury, is waterproof, offers an easy installation process, has beautiful wood looks, and is incredibly durable.
LVP - Luxury Vinyl Plank- $1.69- $7.79 SF
LVP flooring mimics traditional hardwood looks, while offering waterproof and water resistant varieties (usually based around pricing), and offers the flexibility to be placed over a wide variety of subfloors.
LVT- Luxury Vinyl Tile- $1.69- $5.99 SF
LVT can create amazing tile looks, offers the ability to be glued down or clicked in, and can be grouted in many cases allowing an authentic look for less than the installation cost of traditional tile.
WPC- Wood Plastic Composite- $2.99-$7.99 SF
WPC offers all the benefits of a laminate floor, but it is waterproof. The planks have a rigid core and can hide subfloor imperfections better than other categories.
SPC- Stone Plastic Composite- $1.99-$5.99 SF
Composed of limestone and calcium carbonate, SPC products are taking the lead right now as the hottest product class in the flooring world. Improved dimensional stability, and scratch resistance make this the optimal choice for homes with pets.
If you are looking for more information on these products there are several terrific resources on the web today to have you completely up to speed on the topic.
Our flooring experts in Harrisburg are also there to help answer any questions you might have during the process if you want to discuss things with a person!
PERFORMANCE
When looking at a piece of Vinyl Plank or Waterproof flooring, you are going to come across some terminology related to the board or tile that may be new to you.
MM- This is the thickness of board itself, and in the world of Vinyl Plank, you will see products in the 4-8 mm range, generally accompanied by padding on the back.
Mil- This is not the same at MM! The term Mil, refers to the wear layer that is on the plank that helps keep if from wearing down and fading. On Vinyl Plank products you will see wear layers that range from 6-30 Mil, with pricing that follows accordingly, based on the amount of protection you build into the floor.
Padding- Many Vinyl Plank and Waterproof Floors, come with an attached pad on the back of them which serves several purposes. The pad adds cushioning underfoot, as well as helping to dampen sound between floors.
Locking Mechanism- There are Glue Down options for LVP and LVT products, but most people will associate these products with their “click-lock” systems. There are several main options used by manufacturers that have patented their systems and license those to brands to use on their products.
VERSATILITY
Kitchens and Bathrooms are the two rooms where this type of flooring really shines, but its functionality and beauty really make them a natural choice for any room. Right now, we are seeing an increase in people using the product in Mudrooms and Laundry Rooms, and many people are foregoing the age-old standard of Carpet in the Bedroom, and putting in a terrific looking Vinyl Plank in its place (especially if they have pets).
The beauty of having both tile and wood look products are the option it affords you when it comes to coordination with furniture and fixtures in a room. Spend 5 minutes (which could become 50 if you are not careful) and do a search for Vinyl Plank Flooring on Pinterest.
You will be taken down a rabbit hole of various looks, styles, and creative applications for this product category.
Whatever your taste or style, Pinterest is going to be a great route for you to get inspired through.
When it comes to trends though, you would be hard pressed to find anything trendier than the explosion in Farmhouse related searches and posts across the world of social media. The trend has seen no signs of slowing and is one of the cornerstones in our new E-Book called “Flooring Design Trends 2019”.
At Touch of Color Flooring, we just finished our second collaboration with the ultra-talented creator of “The Curated Farmhouse” website and blog, Wendy Zock, and her husband Mike Zock of “Timberknot Woodworking”.
The Carrick LVP from Vevo-Max
They took on a remodel of their entryway and living room using “The Carrick” LVP from Vevo-Max, and the results were stunning!
If you have yet to come across their work, do yourself a favor and check out their pages and follow them on social media. If you are even slightly interested in the Farmhouse Style, you will love their content.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Few products lend themselves to being ideal for active families, but Vinyl Plank products excel at this. With the ability to handle kids and pets and all the accidents that come with them, today’s waterproof floors have the durability and scratch resistance to hold up just about anything the family can throw at it.
We continue to see the brands in this category make a very big push to establish this as the default choice for family friendly flooring moving forward.
EASY TO INSTALL
If you don’t feel up to the task, let our professional flooring installers like Valmor install your dream floor for you.
We all love HGTV and home renovation shows, and more people than ever are taking on such projects themselves. Today’s Waterproof Floors offer a variety of styles and locking systems that can help turn the average consumer into a flooring installer with a few YouTube videos and a weekend to kill.
In all seriousness, it will not be quite that easy, but the massive amount of information on the internet can help you cut a great deal of the pain out of the process if you want to save the expense of installation.
You will need some equipment that potentially goes beyond what most homes have available such as a flooring saw, though you can purchase one for under $200 across most of the web.
Our teams of professional installers will help you understand the installation process including alerting you to additional charges that may be incurred for tearing out old materials or moving furniture if you choose not to do so yourself.
BRANDS
Every major manufacturer in the flooring industry has jumped on the Vinyl Plank train and they will never be returning to the station! They are headed into the future of flooring, and they are bringing us with them whether we like it or not.
At Touch of Color Flooring we spend every single day on the lookout for the latest technologies, looks, and styles to bring you the hottest products on the market.
Core-Logic Flooring
Core-Logic is a new SPC product from Touch of Color, that is out to create the ultimate Plank product for families without breaking the bank! Beautiful looks and unparalleled function for under $2.49 SF.
This combination of price and performance has been missing in this category, as many options that are in the high performance realm, have historically come with a high performance price tag.
NuWood Flooring
While not in the Vinyl Plank world, this Laminate from NuWood is 100% waterproof and scratchproof, and is revolutionizing the new category of Waterproof Laminate, helping to eliminate some of the drawbacks that accompanied the category.
NuWood has been dubbed “Your Forever Floor” because once you put it down, you won’t need another floor until you decide you need a new look. There is no residential situation it can’t live up to, achieving an AC 6 rating, which means its durability is actually rated for “heavy commercial” use in places like airports. We think it should have no problem holding up to your family of 4!
Touch of Color Flooring is the exclusive retailer for the State of Pennsylvania, and has 12 colors available with more on the way in the next generation of the product.
WHAT FLOOR IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Waterproof flooring is an amazing category, but it isn’t right for everyone. Some people prefer the story and the beauty of an authentic hardwood, sustainably sourced from an exotic forest, or the comfort of soft and cushioning carpet that feels like a dream under your feet in the living room.
Whatever choice you make, be honest with yourself about the needs you have in your home, how pets might impact the floor choice, and what type of performance and looks you will be happiest with.
Staying on trend is fantastic, but if it isn’t something you want to look at for the next 10 years, then you need to move past what is popular for the moment, and make a choice for the long haul.
If you need help with anything along the way, Touch of Color Flooring’s trusted advisors and flooring experts in Harrisburg can answer any questions you have and help you discover the floor of your dreams today!
Visit us at our flagship retail store on 5017 Jonestown Rd. In Harrisburg, PA. Thanks!
