Thickness of Vinyl Plank Flooring

In the process of decoration, are you in a daze? When choosing vinyl plank flooring, do you want to know the optimal thickness of vinyl flooring? This article provides you with some things to consider when determining floor thickness.

How to Calculate Thickness

To find the depth of the best vinyl plank flooring, you need to consider the following factors. Protective wear layer, core and the backing. In order to better assess the depth of the vinyl plank, you also need to have a basic understanding of how the company assembles the vinyl plank.

In addition, in your understanding process, you need to pay attention to that, vinyl wood planks usually display the thickness of the wear layer, but this is not the actual thickness of the wood. The actual board thickness is in millimeters. Lower-quality boards fall within 4 mm, and higher-quality boards are usually 8 mm or thicker.

You also need to consider the transition from vinyl planks to another type of flooring. If you forget to consider, awkward transitions between rooms will make your floors uneven and unattractive.

What Is a Wear Layer

The wear layer is between the printed pattern and the urethane finish. Wear-resistant layer is the key factor to keep your floor intact and beautiful. If your flooring is patterned vinyl flooring, such as herringbone vinyl flooring, hexagon vinyl flooring and other patterns, this is very important. If the wear layer is broken, the printed design will be destroyed. Generally, premium vinyl flooring has a wear layer and a protective top coat. The protective top coat usually contains additives to increase the hardness of the wood.

The degree of wear of vinyl boards is measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). A mil is not equal to a millimeter, it is smaller than a millimeter (to be precise, 3940 mils is equal to 1 millimeter).

Thicker layers are more resistant to scratches and dents. High quality flooring tends to have the best wear layer, but are more expensive. Construction professionals tend to insist that at least US$12 million is spent on housing and US$28 million is spent on commercial vinyl flooring.

You should look for vinyl plank with a wear layer of at least 12 million. If you have an active family or pets, consider buying 20 mil or higher.

Cores and Bottom Layers

Some luxury vinyl plank flooring have solid wood plastic composite cores or WPC which is a special material. WPC does not include actual wood. On the contrary, it is very safe and does not harm human health because it is a mixture of wood flour, thermoplastic and calcium carbonates. This floor does not contain phthalates.

Plank with a rigid center can improve durability and have better stability. The solid core can make vinyl flooring become waterproof vinyl flooring. And it can conceal minor flaws in the subsurface.

The backing or bottom may include cork or other sound-insulating materials. These layers provide cushioning on the soles of the feet, and will be very comfortable when you stand on them just like cushioned vinyl flooring.

Residential or Commercial

When you choose the thickness of vinyl flooring, another important consideration is whether you are using it for residential or commercial traffic.

Both require regular maintenance, but if you choose the right thickness, you will save a lot of time and money. Comparing the commercial warranty with the residential is useful. An extended industrial warranty period usually means a thicker wear layer. Flooring manufacturers will avoid costly warranty claims by underrating the vinyl plank’s life expectancy.

In contrast, residential flooring is expected to reduce abuse over a longer period. If the wood panels in your home need to withstand rolling loads, grease or extreme use, you should consider the commercial grade rating as a better indicator of how long your vinyl planks will last.

Reference:

Floor Critics, Vinyl Plank Flooring Thickness: How to Choose