Luxury Vinyl Flooring (LVT)

What is Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a multi-layered, PVC-based flooring product engineered to replicate the look and texture of natural wood, stone and pattern tile while delivering significantly better practicality. It is sometimes called luxury vinyl plank, vinyl plank flooring or simply vinyl flooring and it is sold as individual planks and vinyl floor tiles rather than on a roll. Each plank or tile is built up from a stable core, a high-definition photographic design layer, an embossed surface texture and a hardwearing transparent wear layer that protects against scratches, scuffs and stains. Premium ranges add a polyurethane (PUR) coating on top for additional durability.

The result is a floor that genuinely looks and feels like real wood or stone underfoot, but is fully waterproof, far easier to maintain and able to handle the everyday realities of busy family life – including kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and homes with pets and children.

Is LVT the Same as Vinyl Flooring? LVT vs Sheet Vinyl vs Laminate

LVT is a type of vinyl flooring. The term vinyl flooring covers both LVT – rigid planks and tiles you lay individually – and traditional sheet vinyl, which comes on a flexible roll and is usually thinner. LVT gives you a realistic embossed wood or stone texture and a tough wear layer, so it looks and performs far closer to the real material than sheet vinyl does.

Against laminate the key difference is water. LVT is fully waterproof through the body of the plank, where most laminate is only water-resistant and can swell if water reaches the core. LVT is also warmer and quieter underfoot. For the full comparison see our LVT vs laminate flooring guide.

Choosing the Right LVT: A Buyer’s Framework

Most LVT buying decisions come down to four questions, in this order: which format you want, which wear layer you need, which design and colour family suit your interior and which brand tier matches your budget. The category pages below let you shop by any of those dimensions.

Step 1 – Format. LVT comes in two main installation formats. Glue-down LVT is bonded directly to a properly prepared subfloor – the flattest, quietest, longest-lasting option and the format experienced installers consistently prefer for whole-house and feature projects. Click LVT uses a rigid-core construction with a click-locking system that floats above the subfloor without adhesive – faster, cleaner and more renovation-friendly and the right choice if you are fitting over an existing hard floor or want a DIY-friendly install. Looselay LVT is a third option, mainly used in commercial environments where access to the subfloor is needed.

Step 2 – Wear layer. The wear layer is the transparent top film that protects the design layer from damage. It is the single best indicator of how a floor will perform over time. 0.3mm is the entry-level residential spec – fine for bedrooms and lower-traffic spaces. 0.55mm is the most popular residential spec, suitable for kitchens, hallways and busy family homes. 0.7mm steps up to heavy residential and light commercial use, while 1.0mm is the premium tier – typically reserved for the very top of the glue-down market.

Step 3 – Style. LVT designs fall into a handful of clear families. Wood-effect plank – the classic vinyl plank flooring look – is the everyday choice, versatile, easy to lay across open-plan layouts and forgiving on the eye. Wood-effect herringbone and wood-effect parquet add a more design-led, structured finish that performs particularly well in hallways, kitchens and feature spaces. Stone-effect vinyl floor tiles, stone-effect herringbone and pattern tile and abstract LVT open up more architectural and contemporary looks.

Step 4 – Brand and budget. See the brand tier comparison below.

Our LVT Brands at a Glance

We split our LVT range into three broad brand tiers. The right tier depends on your budget, the importance of brand-led warranties and how design-led the project is. All three tiers contain genuinely good products – the differences are largely about brand premium, warranty positioning and design library depth rather than headline durability.

Two notes on the table. First, “Premium” does not always mean better performance – Invictus and Brampton Chase compete directly with Amtico and Karndean on specification, often at sharper price points. Second, the Add to Basket / Request a Price split is a commercial constraint rather than a quality marker. Some brands simply do not permit online price display by their UK retailers.

Premium vs Mid-Market: How to Decide

The honest answer most customers do not get told: at finished-floor scale, the visual difference between a premium glue-down LVT and a well-chosen mid-market product is much smaller than the price difference suggests. The biggest reasons to specify premium are warranty length, design library depth, very specific colour or texture treatments and (in the case of Amtico and Karndean) approved-retailer warranty validation. The biggest reasons to specify mid-market are price, the availability of free samples and direct online checkout.

For most family homes we recommend ordering free samples of two or three mid-market designs alongside any premium designs you have shortlisted, then comparing them in your own light before deciding. Our blog covers the brand-by-brand comparisons in more detail – see Amtico vs Karndean, Nordikka vs Amtico vs Karndean and our best LVT flooring UK guide for the longer reads.

Where Can LVT Be Used?

LVT is suitable for almost every room in the home. Because it is fully waterproof and easy to clean, it performs especially well in kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and hallways, where moisture and traffic are highest. It is equally well suited to lounges, dining rooms, bedrooms, conservatories and home offices, where the warm, realistic wood-effect designs add character without the maintenance demands of natural timber.

Shop LVT by Colour

If you have already decided on a colour family, browse light, natural, grey, dark, white or black LVT. Each colour page filters across the full range so you can compare designs from multiple brands side by side.

LVT and Underfloor Heating

Most LVT ranges are compatible with both wet and electric underfloor heating systems, subject to a maximum surface temperature of 27C and standard installation guidelines. Premium glue-down ranges (Amtico, Karndean, Brampton Chase, Invictus Maximus) and rigid-core click ranges (Invictus Click, Nordikka SPC, Coretec, Moduleo) all perform well over UFH when fitted correctly. Always check the specific product spec and follow the manufacturer’s installation guidance to preserve compatibility and warranty.

Durability, Maintenance and Practicality

One of LVT’s biggest advantages is how little day-to-day work it requires. Once installed, the floor is fully waterproof and resistant to scuffs, scratches and stains. Regular sweeping or vacuuming and occasional damp mopping are usually enough to keep it looking its best. There is no sanding, sealing or refinishing – and no risk of swelling or warping in damp conditions. For more detail, see our complete guide to LVT flooring maintenance and our LVT installation guide.

Buying LVT from Grosvenor Flooring

You can buy LVT from Grosvenor Flooring in two ways, depending on the brand.

Add-to-Basket brands (Nordikka, Textures, Elements, Polyflor, Quick-Step Alpha, Alva, Woodlands, GF LVT, Aspire, Chester Square, Holland Park) display full pricing and have a secure online checkout. Free samples are available on Nordikka, Textures, Elements and GF LVT – order up to 5 designs and we will post them to you free of charge.

Request-a-Price brands (Amtico, Karndean, Invictus, Brampton Chase, Harvey Maria, Coretec, Moduleo, Project Floors) are sold via tailored quotation. Send us your room measurements, the designs you have shortlisted and any competitor quotes you have already received via our enquiry form, WhatsApp or phone and we will come back the same working day with a competitive price.

For customers in the North West we also offer supply-and-fit through our experienced installation teams, working out of our Altrincham showroom. Trade customers can find more on our trade flooring supplier page.

Key Takeaways

• LVT (luxury vinyl tile) is a waterproof, hardwearing vinyl flooring that recreates real wood and stone in plank and tile formats.
• The two main formats are glue-down (the flattest and longest-lasting) and rigid-core click (faster and more renovation-friendly); looselay is a commercial option.
• The wear layer sets durability: 0.3mm for bedrooms, 0.55mm for most homes, 0.7mm for heavy use and 1.0mm for the premium tier.
• We stock over 20 LVT brands across premium, mid-market and value tiers with free samples on Nordikka, Textures, Elements and GF LVT.
• LVT suits every room including kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and conservatories and works over underfloor heating up to 27C.