With the recent resurgence in the popularity of vinyl plank flooring, many homeowners are considering changing their flooring. But there is a lot to consider when choosing a type of flooring – including cost and aesthetics. This article will explore the pros and cons of vinyl plank flooring.
Pros Of Vinyl Plank Flooring
1. Cost Savings
Vinyl flooring is frequently less expensive than other types of flooring. Even the highest quality vinyl plank floors are cheaper than hardwood or laminate floors.
2. Convenient Installation
Due to the thinness of the vinyl plank, it is effortless to install. This makes it an excellent choice for DIYers and professional contractors alike – because it doesn’t take long to install, and there are no complicated cuts necessary. It also comes in easy-to-carry sections – so you don’t have to lug around heavy boxes of wood planks that may be difficult to maneuver through doorways and hallways.
3. Easy To Clean
Vinyl flooring is lightweight and easy to sweep. It is also relatively easy to clean since it doesn’t absorb water or dust like wood or laminate flooring. This makes it an excellent choice for homes that have pets or children.
4. Low Maintenance Cost
If a vinyl plank floor needs repair, such as local blemishes, scratches, or rips, fixing it is relatively straightforward and inexpensive. In many cases, you can polish it with a light hand cleaner, then use a dry-vac to remove the excess water.
5. Maintenance-Free
Vinyl flooring does not accumulate grime, dirt, or debris like hardwood and laminate floors. This makes it an excellent choice for homes that have children or pets.
6. Easy To Clean & Maintain
If scratches are present on the surface of the plank flooring, you can use a soft cloth to wipe them away – no cleanser required! And since vinyl is acid-free, you never have to worry about your kids spilling juice or soda on it. It is also easy to clean because it doesn’t absorb water or dust like other types of flooring. This makes it an excellent choice for homes that have pets or children.
7. Elegant & Neutral Colors
Vinyl floors come in many beautiful colors, textures, and designs. They can look like wood or stone or are available in playful colors such as pink, green and yellow. Many vinyl flooring manufacturers also offer a wide variety of colors to choose from – giving you lots of options to create the perfect flooring design for your home.
8. Easy To Install
Just as it is easy to install due to its thinness, vinyl is easy to install because it lays flat within minutes of being unrolled – so no time is wasted waiting for glue or nails to dry to finish the installation.
9. Soft & Comfortable
Many homeowners choose vinyl plank because they like its softness and comfort. Vinyl is also fairly forgiving in terms of temperature. While laminate flooring gets cold in the winter, vinyl floors stay much warmer. In contrast, hardwood can get very warm in the summer, and laminate and vinyl floors remain a more comfortable temperature.
10. Easy To Transport
Because it is so thin, you can roll up a sheet of vinyl flooring and carry it around with you to show potential customers or repairers. The same goes for transporting it to the home improvement store or trying to fit your flooring into a small car.
Cons Of Vinyl Plank Flooring
1. Cost
While vinyl flooring is relatively inexpensive, you can expect to pay decent money to have it installed or replace it. Given the cost of materials and labor, the ongoing maintenance cost of ensuring your floors are properly installed and maintained.
2. Installation Difficulty
Some homeowners report that other types of flooring – such as wood or laminate – are more challenging to install than vinyl because they are not easy to cut into accurate-sized pieces. This makes the job much slower, laborious, and time-consuming.
3. Maintenance Concerns
Vinyl flooring tends to wear down much faster, especially over time. This means that you will have to replace your floors more often than with other types of flooring, like hardwood or laminate. In addition, vinyl plank flooring does not do well in high humidity areas – because it is a more delicate material, it can be damaged more readily if exposed to moisture.
4. Vulnerability To Scuff Marks
Vinyl flooring is more susceptible to scuff marks, and it is not as easy to get rid of them as laminate or hardwood. Scratches are more problematic to correct due to the nature of the material. Often they can be filled with a primer and touch-up paint, but in some cases, they may need sanded down and repaired with an adhesive repair kit. It is sometimes difficult to remove oil stains that soak into vinyl flooring.
Vinyl flooring is a good choice if used in areas that do not get a lot of moisture exposure, dirt, or debris – such as in the kitchen. However, it is not ideal for kitchens because of its vulnerability to grease and food spills. It may also not be the best option if you plan to have kids or pets who often run around and play on the floor.
It can be a great choice if you are in a low-traffic area and do not have pets or small children using your vinyl flooring. Because it is easy to install and maintain with little downtime between repairs, it can be an excellent option for anyone who likes to DIY home improvements once in a while.
