Few flooring materials have stormed the industry rapid like luxury vinyl tile. At home in commercial as well as residential settings, LVT is expanding options for designers and specifiers.
As a relatively newcomer to the floor covering scene, LVT is the fastest growing category in flooring – it’s popular across a wide variety of commercial segments, from healthcare to retail, from corporate to education and high education, and even hospitality. This interest has been driven first by styling and the opportunity for new looks, whether it’s a look inspired by natural materials, textiles or abstract concepts.
Interest has only grown as designers and facilities managers have discovered LVT’s quality, durability, superior performance, low maintenance, lower lifecycle cost, and ease of installation, including Mannington’s LockSolid glueless locking system. Residentially, LVT has enjoyed strong double-digit growth, even throughout these past few economically challenging years. Like the commercial segment, consumers are drawn to LVT for its incredibly realistic designs, ease of maintenance, superior performance characteristics and installation options.
LVT’s popularity can be attributed to the same elements that made laminate successful such as appeal to the DIY market: its modular composition and realistic visuals. Where LVT eclipses laminate is in durability and flexibility. Because LVT’s composition includes PVC, the product is much more resistant to damages in addition to being water and scratch resistant. Plus, improved embossed techniques give LVT a much more realistic look than laminate.
In commercial, the same general trends are happening in LVT as in other hard surfaces. Wider, more rustic woods with character are important as are exotic woods. Reclaimed woods in a variety of widths give the space a feeling of authenticity. Grays continue to be important in addition to the established warm yellow and red based hues. In stones, it’s about larger formats in squares as well as offset rectangular designs. Realism in stone comes from patina and irregularity. Colors are complex neutrals that work with cool metals but have a hint of inner warmth. LVT build momentum in gaining market share through a realistic mimicking of wood, stone and other natural materials. Rather than replicating natural materials, manufacturers are using new technologies to give a textile-like texture, and modular shapes – circles, diamonds and squares – that provide truly customizable installations and patterns.
Today’s LVT products are being inspired by the beauty of raindrops on glass, of linens, and much more. Also very popular are the variety to treatments that include beveled, grouted, spare, tumbled and sculpted.
Mannington has launched Intaglio, the first sculpted LVT. They’ve also recently launched travertine, and slate decors that resemble the original looks of stone, and their hottest look of the year is High Definition Carpet Tile. Customers thought that they were getting into the carpet tile business at first, until they felt it. You cannot tell the tiles are vinyl! The high definition decor show the fibers of the yarn, twists of the fiber and surface texture that mimic a tufted carpet tile.
Here are a few key reasons to consider LVT for your next project:
- Ease of installation.
- A wide variety of aesthetics, without any compromise of performance
- Green properties (LEED Credits)
- Durability
- Ease of installation and maintenance
- Design flexibility through modular sizes and shapes
