Can Luxury Vinyl Flooring Look Like Real Wood?
Hardwood flooring is undoubtedly gorgeous. Beyond its stunning, versatile appearance, the natural material is durable and long-lasting with a lifespan of up to 100 years. It can also increase your home’s resale value.
While installing solid wood floors might provide you with some return on investment, the steep price tag might have you considering other materials. One increasingly popular option is luxury vinyl, which can look convincingly like real hardwoods.
The modern material is a top-seller at our flooring store in Portland, Oregon, and it’s easy to see the appeal. Here’s what you should know about wood-like vinyl floors.
What Vinyl Flooring Looks Most Like Wood?
Luxury vinyl is nothing like the sheet vinyl of decades past. It comes in tiles (LVT) or planks (LVP), the latter of which is most often manufactured to mimic real hardwood floors.
Floor Factors partners with the best manufactures in the industry. This includes Armstrong, Shaw, Mohawk, Teknoflor, Gerflor, Roppe, Karndean, and Evoke, each known for producing wood-like LVP. Vinyl planks come in the same sizes as traditional hardwood planks and are available in virtually any grain, stain, and species.
An Uncanny Resemblance
Real wood flooring is typically finished with a clear coating, whether applied on-site after installation or in the factory. Similarly, vinyl plank flooring has a transparent plastic topcoat. Though the core of the materials are different, the finishes are usually made of the same thing, which is part of what makes LVP so convincing.
Of course, this isn’t the only factor at play. Underneath this clear plastic finish is photographic imaging of actual wood. Not only that, but many vinyl planks have realistic wood-grain textures and beveled edges, resembling the look and feel of the real deal.
What Are the Benefits of Luxury Vinyl Floors?
Vinyl flooring that looks like wood is more than just an affordable alternative. The synthetic material has a long list of other enticing benefits.
Luxury vinyl planks are:
- Exceptionally durable and long-lasting
- Easy to clean and generally low-maintenance
- Antimicrobial
- Resistant to stains, fading, scuffs, and dents
- Sound-absorbent
- Available in a wide variety of wood grains
- Usually waterproof
With proper maintenance, the material can last for up to 50 years and, unlike real hardwood, it never needs to be refinished. Though it varies among manufacturers, some are guaranteed for life to hold up against pet and water damage.
Since LVP is more moisture-resistant than hardwoods, it can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, and other moisture-prone spaces. This makes it an ideal choice for those who want a seamless, room-to-room flooring look.
Luxury Vinyl Plank and Tile Flooring in Portland, Oregon
Loving the idea of luxury vinyl plank flooring? Our locally owned Portland flooring company has all the materials you need to get started. In addition to an expansive showroom of
products, we can assist with custom orders from our manufacturing partners.
As your one-stop renovation resource, we also carry countertops, cabinets, window coverings, and cleaning products. If you’re not up for a DIY project, the experienced team at Floor Factors can assist with demolition and installation as well.
Request a free estimate on residential flooring materials or stop by our showroom in Portland’s Pearl District to see and feel luxury vinyl for yourself.