Before we take a look at wear layers or the overall thickness of a plank or tile it s important to understand what luxury vinyl is and how it s made.
Luxury vinyl plank with highest wear layer.
Luxury vinyl flooring construction.
The wear layer will usually be recorded in mil but it can also be shown in millimeters mm or both.
The former is part of their luxury vinyl planks lvp line.
Here are some factors to consider when evaluating the wear layer of a luxury vinyl product.
World s fair is a collection that offers two different wear layers.
If not then it might not be as high quality as it claims.
The wear layer is a clear coat of urethane or acrylic depending on brand.
Wear layers range from 4 mil to 40 mil.
6 mil and 12 mil.
It protects the visual design layer beneath.
Better quality flooring tends to have the highest wear layers but is more expensive.
Wear layers can range in thickness anywhere between 6 mil and 40 mil so how do you know which thickness you need for a project and what should you look for in a wear layer.
With new technology some vinyls now offer added uv or durability layers on top of the wear layer for even more surface protection.
Floorté lvp consists of a wood and plastic core wpc.
A thicker layer is more resistant to scratching and denting.
Shop luxury vinyl planks.
Since luxury vinyl s quality is often based on its thickness you ll find that shaw s luxury vinyl plank flooring lines are all at least 5 mm thick or about 0 197 of an inch thick.
Shaw manufactures two vinyl plank flooring lines floorté lvp and floorté plus.
Unlike traditional vinyl this style of flooring is comprised of layers which always include a core vinyl top layer and wear layer.
The floorte plus line is available with wear layers of 12 20 and 30 mils.
What the luxury vinyl wear layer does is protect your floors from scratching and denting keeping them looking their best for a lot longer.
Usually though a luxury vinyl product includes a thick durable floor multiple layers a realistic image and a tough wear layer.
In lvt the product s wear layer is one of the first lines of defense against scratches and everyday wear and tear.
This thick flooring is soft and is available with wear of either 8 or 12 mils.
Additionally shaw s wear layers are a full 20 mil thick or about 0 02 of an inch thick.
Floorté plus on the other hand is available in 12 20 or 30 mils.
There is no embossing for this extremely basic commodity type of luxury vinyl flooring.
World s fair is a basic economy luxury vinyl product.
Take note that some styles are embossed and some are not.
Mil is an imperial measurement meaning thousandths of an inch.