Luxury vinyl tiles buying guide

Luxury vinyl flooring has truly got it all: beautiful, yet tough, it will meet and exceed all of your flooring needs. Available in a tile or plank format, it authentically replicates the look of a wooden or tiled floor, but without any ongoing maintenance and with amazing functionality. Cosy and warm underfoot, LVT (aka luxury vinyl tiles) is simple to install and incredibly easy to keep clean.

If you’re contemplating updating your home with some swanky new luxury vinyl tiles, then our buying guide will make sure you’re in the know, from what room is works best in to all the different LVT flooring styles available.

Perfect for any room - including kitchens and bathrooms - these durable tiles are ideal for even the most hectic of households with lots of traffic. Our guide ‘what is LVT flooring’ fully explains the many layers that make up a luxury vinyl tile or plank, but in a nutshell, luxury vinyl is a high-performance floor with a strong PVC composite core that gives it stability. The top layer of protective coating shields the layers below from damage to keep the floor looking top notch. Because it’s water resistant, luxury vinyl flooring is the best flooring choice for rooms that might get wet, such as bathrooms, utility rooms, and hallways.

Here are a few more reasons why you might choose LVT for your home:

• Durable – The fact that we use luxury vinyl in all our Tapi stores should tell you just how tough this flooring is! The wear and tear layer combined with the protective coating often comes with a lifetime wear guarantee.
• Versatile – It’s suitable for all rooms and all temperatures, works with underfloor heating and its UV resistance properties means you can use it in conservatories too.
• Super resistance – LVT includes the holy trinity of resistance - water, scratch and stain - as well as slip and UV. IT DOES IT ALL.
• Easy to fit - Click luxury vinyl does exactly what it says on the tin – it just clicks into place and your flooring is installed. It also has built-in underlay on each plank, making fitting even easier.
• Low maintenance - LVT requires no oiling or waxing, unlike a real wooden floor. A quick sweep and a mop is all that’s needed to keep it looking as good as new.
• Realistic design - The state-of-the-art embossing process used to create the texture on the design gives the tiles or planks incredible detail, from the grain and knots in the wood to the natural lines found on stone or slate.
• Comfortable - The man-made materials make LVT a warmer and more cushioned option underfoot than stone tiles or wood.
• Price – Next to a real wooden, stone, or tiled floor, LVT is the more affordable flooring option.

To see just how amazing luxury vinyl flooring is for yourself, why not order some free samples to try out at home? Our LVT care guide tells you how easy it is keep clean and you can read about the best underlay for LVT in our Ideas Hub too.

Luxury vinyl is one of the most versatile flooring types because it can be fitted pretty much everywhere – even in commercial spaces! It boldly goes where real wood and tile floors can’t go, bringing the same warmth and aesthetic with added practicality. If you’re looking for the best LVT flooring by room, our floorologists will help you find exactly what you need.

Bathroom luxury vinyl

Vinyl has always been the go-to flooring choice for bathrooms with good reason. Luxury vinyl tiles for bathrooms are no exception - they are water and slip resistant, easy to clean and have a stunning, realistic finish which mimics the high-quality surface of real wood or stone.

Kitchen luxury vinyl

Just like bathrooms, kitchens have long since been associated with vinyl floors. Any spills can be quickly mopped up leaving no residue and the stain resistance of these tiles means no unsightly marks are left behind. Luxury vinyl tiles will make your kitchen something special.

Lounge luxury vinyl

Luxury vinyl flooring will bring a sense of opulence to your living room. Available in a range of designs of different wood types and shades, there’s sure to be a design that suits your interior style, and with the warmth and comfort these tiles bring, your lounge will be super cosy too.

Bedroom luxury vinyl

Just like the lounge, comfort is king in the bedroom and luxury vinyl flooring has this in spades. It works particularly well in children’s bedrooms - any spills are easily and swiftly dealt with - and that protective coating has the chance to show you just how tough it is! Plus your kids will be cosy and warm each and every night.

Hallway luxury vinyl

Hallways are busy areas of the home that have to deal with regular wear and tear, from outdoor footwear to dripping wet umbrellas to muddy paw prints. Luxury vinyl flooring for hallways is a fantastic option as vinyl tiles mean you don't have to compromise on functionality, durability or a quality finish.

Dining room luxury vinyl

An incredibly practical flooring choice, luxury vinyl flooring is perfect for your dining room, especially in open plan spaces where your flooring needs to flow into the living area. The wipe clean, stain resistant surface means any spillages are dealt with easily leaving your floor looking fabulous.

Conservatory luxury vinyl

In a room subject to changing temperatures, strong sunlight, and moisture, luxury vinyl just makes sense for a conservatory. First and foremost, it’s the most practical flooring choice but with the range of designs available, you don’t have to worry about compromising on style.

There are two LVT flooring types - plank and tile – with the option of dry back (stick down) or click installation. Dry back LVT is thinner whereas click fit is thicker as it has an underlay built in. As an LVT thickness guide, a plank is usually between 2mm and 6mm thick, but it’s the thickness of the wear and tear layer that’s most important.

Plank design

Plank luxury vinyl flooring can be used to create the illusion of real wooden flooring planks. A popular alternative to real wood flooring, luxury vinyl flooring is cheaper, quick to fit and easier to maintain - plus it is also more comfortable and quieter underfoot. If you want to bring pattern and texture into a room, herringbone LVT flooring brings a unique look with practicality to boot.

Tile design

Tile luxury vinyl flooring mimics the distinctive repeat tile pattern of a natural stone or slate floor. Large square tiles are used to create a unique and characterful surface, making them an ideal alternative to real stone. Again, they are cheaper, quick to fit and easier to maintain.

The breadth and quality of luxury vinyl flooring designs out there will have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief. There are colours and styles to suit every taste, from timeless oak effect planks to rustic stone and deluxe marble tiles. Some even have a registered embossed finish where the textured surface perfectly aligns with the grains, knots and veins on the design layer underneath for an extra dimension of authenticity.

Oak effect

Oak is one of the most sought-after materials for flooring with good reason. Its classic effect is super stylish and complements pretty much any style of home. Real oak flooring is also one of the priciest materials on the market, but with oak vinyl tiles you get all the effect of oak at a fraction of the price and very little upkeep.

Stone effect

Stone effect vinyl tiles will create an incredibly authentic looking floor, but you’ll appreciate the warmth and comfort they bring most of all. Just as easy to maintain as the real thing, the fitting of these tiles is much simpler and less costly than the real McCoy, but visitors to your home will never be able to tell the difference.

Marble effect

Our beautiful marble effect luxury vinyl tiles are perfect for adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to any room in your home. The natural marble colourings of crisp white and classic grey will elevate your kitchen or bathroom, and thanks to its slip-resistance, LVT is a much safer flooring option than real marble.

If you were on the fence about luxury vinyl, perhaps we’ve swayed you towards the ‘pro’ camp? All that’s left to do now is order a bunch of free LVT samples online or book a free home visit and we can measure up at the same time. For more design inspiration, use our PictureIT tool to see in it situ and play around with various styles until you find the one, or head in-store where our fabulous floorologists can help.