Vinyl flooring is a modern alternative to expensive real wood floors. Vinyl is loved by many people for several reasons. It is waterproof or water resistant depending on the type of vinyl you have installed. It comes in lots of different ranges all with their own unique aesthetic, for example stone effect, wood effect and parquet style. It is very easy to clean. Vinyl can be a brilliant solution for wet rooms and bathrooms.

Vinyl flooring is an amazing option as it is a lot cheaper than other options such as real wooden flooring. Vinyl is more waterproof than laminate flooring and also softer underfoot. Vinyl does not warp and is very hard wearing which is brilliant for large areas that have high traffic.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) is vinyl that’s in the form of a plank or tile. This type of vinyl is more durable than vinyl roll and therefore is preferred by many. It is a higher quality vinyl that looks more like real wood flooring due to the use of individual planks.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) can come in many sizes and the size you need would be dependent on what type of effect you are looking to achieve.

The Standard size of LVT is usually around 915mm x 152mm, this is Karndean.

If you choose Amtico Spacia the size of this is 914mm x 101mm. Herringbone effect LVT is usually achieved by using smaller planks e.g. 457 x 76mm. However standard plank sizes like the Karndean and Amtico can be used too, it depends on the desired aesthetic. If you are wanting a tile effect using square or rectangle LTV then the 305 x 407mm tile would be best.

No you do not need underlay when using Luxury Vinyl Tiles or vinyl sheet as the floor underneath is prepped using a 3mm levelling screed and then laid using adhesive.

To install vinyl sheet flooring you first need to make sure the subfloor is flat and even. After you have made sure the floor underneath is suitable you would then need to roll out the vinyl flooring. The vinyl is then pressed into the angle between the skirting and the floor using a bolster chisel, this ensures that you can make a sharp fold. Once this is done you would need to hold a straight edge against the crease and cut with a knife. After you know the size is perfect you would need to lift the corners and use adhesive to stick it down.

To install Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) you would need to prepare the subfloor with either a 3mm latex or plywood base, this would depend on the sub-floor. One thing people sometimes forget to do is to acclimatise the LVT, it is best to ensure the LVT is in the room it is going to be laid in for at least 24 hrs. You would then lay out the LVT in your desired pattern depending on what effect you are going for (lay it straight or herringbone). Next apply the adhesive to each area and lay down each plank. Make sure any excess adhesive that will appear between the tiles is wiped immediately. Laying LVT can be a very complex job and it is advised not to try it yourself but to leave it to the professionals.

In our opinion Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) is the best vinyl flooring to choose. This type of vinyl flooring usually comes with a 10+ year warranty and it is also a lot easier to repair. An individual plank can be replaced rather than having to replace a whole vinyl sheet. LVT is also thicker and more durable than Vinyl sheet therefore it can prevent scratches. The biggest brands of LVT with the best reputation are Kardean and Amtico. There are other great brands that are fantastic quality but do not have the same marketing budget as the two already mentioned. A few of these are: J2 flooring, Project floors, polyflor FX and Invictus flooring.

Be careful when choosing vinyl flooring as sometimes the cheaper vinyl can have thin wear layers that are not as durable as others and therefore may only last 2-3 years.

Vinyl flooring is made of polyvinyl alongside many other compounds which then changes the characteristics of the vinyl for example the colour, the flexibility and the sheen.

The vinyl is suspended in a liquid on top of a felt back sheet, the liquid is then dried using heat which then creates a hard and very durable sheet. To create the pattern a print layer is pressed onto the foam. To protect the vinyl a top wear layer is added which is made from plastic that protects the vinyl from scratches.

This depends on the quality of the vinyl. Cheap vinyl floors can last up to 5 years. Luxury vinyl Tile (LVT) can last a lot longer as they can be repaired a lot easier by replacing the one tile, this cannot be done with vinyl sheet as the whole thing would need replacing. More reputable brands of LVT last for around 15-25 years. If you purchase your vinyl from a branded company then you will get a warranty with your flooring, for example: Karndean flooring has a lifetime warranty on all. Amtico have a 25 year warranty on the basic range and upwards for others. J2 has between a 12 year – lifetime warranty.

In terms of performance, the best flooring for bathrooms would be vinyl sheet flooring as it is waterproof and has no gaps unlike Luxury Vinyl Tiles. Even though vinyl sheet flooring is waterproof it is still advised not to leave standing water on the flooring. LVT is still a good option for bathrooms.

Due to the longevity and maintenance we would suggest that adhesive vinyl is a better choice. Click Vinyl can have issues with water ingress due to how the click system works. If your click vinyl is scratched a lot of the flooring would have to come up to replace, however with adhesive vinyl the vinyl planks can be cut out and replaced individually. Also the click system is made of fibreglass which can become damaged if subject to water ingress.

There are several different tools you will need to install vinyl flooring which are listed below:

Pencil to mark cutting lines

Knee pads

Roller to spread DPM if required

Welding tools for vinyl if room is larger than 4m / 5m 

Knife for cutting planks / sheet to size

Bucket and Mixer for latex application 

Bevel to press vinyl into corners

Trowel to spread adhesive 

Vacuum, broom, sponge and mop for cleaning after

For Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) you would need to measure the rooms length by it’s width and add around 10% wastage per room. Vinyl Roll is sold in rolls like carpet for example 2m, 3m and 4m rolls. If your room is 3.5m x 2.8m you would need to order 4m x 3m roll due to having around 10mm at each end for wastage.

If you would like the planks to be central to the room, additional cuts and wastage are required to achieve this. It’s advised that if you have requirements like this, a professional should be used to install.

Vinyl roll flooring is relatively easy to remove. To do so you would need to cut the vinyl into strips using a sharp knife and then roll each section up ready to dispose of. If you struggle because the adhesive is very hard you may need to use a floor scraper and some water.

To remove Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) you would need to use the same process: cut the floor and saturate the sub floor with water to loosen the adhesive. If you have left over adhesive on the floor then this can be removed by using a heat gun and scraping it off.

If your current vinyl flooring is flat and has no indentations or rips then yes you can lay new vinyl flooring over the existing. We do not advise removing or covering with a levelling screed.

There are several differences between Vinyl flooring and laminate flooring even though they can often look similar. Laminate flooring has an inner fireboard core that has to be laid on underlay. Vinyl flooring is made of PVC and thinner as it does not have the fireboard core. Vinyl flooring also sits on a concrete floor without underlay.

Vinyl flooring is resistant to water as it does not have the fibreboard core like laminate flooring does, this can often swell and soften if subject to water ingress which causes the laminate flooring to lift.

Vinyl flooring is produced in a sheet form and therefore the appearance is less real. Luxury Vinyl Flooring comes in planks and can be laid in different patterns to achieve a real wooden floor look. Vinyl flooring can be damaged easily due to its large surface area and thinner wear layer (around 0.25mm) compared to LVT which is 0.3mm-1.0mm thick. Vinyl sheet flooring is waterproof and LVT is just water resistant as water can get between the planks.

There is actually very little difference between the two brands. To compare them it will be easier to compare the two by using the basic range and then the top range.

Karndean Knight Tile is 26.99 per m2

Karndean Knight Tile has a 0.3mm Wear layer

Karndean Knight Tile has a Lifetime warranty

Karndean Knight Tile has 915mm x 152mm planks

Amtico Spacia which is 28.50 per m2.

Amtico Spacia which has a 0.55mm wear layer.

Amtico Spacia which has a 25 year warranty.

Amtico Spacia which is 914.4mm x 101.6mm planks

Karndean Art Select is 46.99 per m2

Karndean Art Select has a 0.7mm Wear Layer

Karndean Art Select is 1420mm x 228mm

Amtico Signature which is 59.99 per m2.

1mm wear layer for Amtico Signature.

Amtico Signature is 914.4mm x 76.2mm

They both have a lifetime warranty.

Karndean and Amtico are both brilliant brands however you do pay a little more as they have a huge name here in the UK.

Karndean flooring is a type of luxury vinyl tile (LVT), along with Amtico it’s the biggest supplier of LVT in the UK. Karndean and Amtico have several ranges of LVT which vary in price and quality.

Karndean flooring adds value to your property as it lasts for 20+ years therefore it’s an investment.. Lots of people look for cheaper vinyl which can save around 40% in cost but they will need to replace it in 3-5 years.

All flooring can scratch however Karndean has a wear layer which helps reduce scratching. If scratching is a concern then we would suggest you purchase LVT with higher wear layers such as Art Select and Van Gogh. You can purchase Karndean remove which is a product that helps to remove any scratches that do occur.

Amtico flooring is one of the largest suppliers of Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) in the UK.

They have many different ranges that differ in price and quality and 95% of its products are made in the UK.

Amtico flooring has a great reputation within the industry for it’s quality, it has some great ranges that cater for different needs. You can create some brilliant aesthetics by using different laying patterns and ranges. Amtico flooring comes with a great warranty (20+ years).

Amtico is one of the most expensive Luxury Vinyl flooring brands due to its reputation here in the UK. Amtico flooring lasts a lot longer than cheaper vinyl and also comes with a long warranty. 

There are however other brands of LVT that are of similar quality that are cheaper.

Amticos scratch layer can vary from 0.55mm-1mm depending on the range you go for. Amtico flooring can scratch just as all flooring can so care needs to be taken, we would suggest you use furniture pads and use the amtico floorcare kit which includes instructions on annual cleans in order to maintain a fresh appearance.

Amtico flooring will last twice as long as laminate flooring however it is more expensive than laminate flooring. Also Amtico is more resistant to water than laminate flooring.

We will compare these vinyl flooring options below:

Novlion Classic

Cheapest in the range

2.4mm thick

0.2mm Wear Layer

Novilon Viva & Viva Fusion

Mid range

2.4mm thick

0.25mm Wear Layer

Novilon Futura

Most expensive (Enhanced aesthetic)

2.4mm thick

0.25mm Wear Layer

As you can see they go from the cheapest in the range to the most expensive and this is reflected in what they offer.