The flooring industry offers property owners hordes of options to choose from. Unless you have some prior knowledge or have an expert by your side, it will be difficult to find the right product for your space.
The selection of a flooring material depends on where exactly you want to lay down the covering. Living rooms, hallways, lobbies, kitchens, bathrooms – each of these present unique challenges when it comes to choosing the most ideal flooring product. Each flooring material comes along with its pros and cons. While you must be aware of the different types of products, have you ever compared luxury vinyl planks with carpet flooring? Luxury vinyl planks (LVP) have gained a lot of popularity over the recent past. Carpets, on the other hand, have long remained the go-to flooring both for residential as well as office or commercial spaces.
If you are confused or have difficulty in choosing between luxury vinyl planks and carpet flooring, let us shed some light on the pros and cons of each and find out which one can be a better choice and why.
Amount of Design Versatility
Whichever product you select, you will always want the look and style of the material to complement the overall design of the space where it is going to be installed. That is why it is crucial to look at both LVP and carpets from this point of view and find out which one offers more design versatility.
It is interesting to note that both LVP carpets offer plenty of design patterns and color choices. Luxury vinyl planks are available in a wide range of colors as well as patterns. No matter what kind of decor you have in your home or office, you can always find a suitable flooring match in the LVP products category. Plus, you can also be creative with the installation of vinyl planks to achieve a unique look. But carpets too offer multiple design and color options. If you are looking for a broad range of colors, you will come across several carpeting solutions to suit your needs. Pattern-wise too, carpets offer too many options. However, it may not always be possible to find carpets with the most ideal color and patterns at the same time.
So, you should first determine the colors and patterns you are looking for and then make a selection between LVP products and carpet flooring. The point is to find a product that enhances the overall design of your home or office and creates a unique ambiance and visual aesthetics.
Strength and Durability
When it comes to choosing a flooring solution, it is the durability of the material that matters the most. So, it is important to understand the difference between luxury vinyl planks and carpets in terms of durability.
Carpets are made up of fiber or synthetic fiber. While carpets are long-lasting, they are not resistant to wear and tear. Over time, the color and the quality of the fiber can degrade. If you install carpets in your home or office, you will need to pay serious attention to their care. Different types of carpets gather dust and dirt, but you can clean them with proper vacuuming. However, spills and stains are a problem with carpets. Since the carpet material is porous, stains can enter into the fiber and become stubborn, unless taken care of in time. Crushing, matting and mold are other key concerns that you may need to deal with if you install carpets.
The arrival of carpet tiles has resolved some of the concerns that are common with carpet flooring. In the future, you can expect to see more improvement in carpeting technology for better durability.
Being non-porous, luxury vinyl planks are highly durable and free from many issues you may have with carpeting. Dust, dirt, and allergens cannot penetrate the LVP due to its non-porous feature. This type of flooring is also resistant to moisture, spills, and stains. With simple regular cleaning, you can keep luxury vinyl flooring clean and free from stains and spills.
Low Traffic vs High Traffic Spaces
Even though the flooring industry is continuously evolving, carpets have not lost their popularity as an ideal solution.
You’ll find carpets installed in homes, offices, lobbies, corridors, etc. The flooring material is used both in residential and commercial spaces. However, luxury vinyl planks have provided property owners with a more viable solution, particularly suited for commercial and business spaces.
When deciding whether luxury vinyl or carpet flooring is more ideal for a space, you should consider the amount of foot traffic the space receives on a daily basis. Luxury vinyl planks are witnessing increased usage in areas that receive high traffic including halls, lobbies, entrances, corridors, etc. LVP products are made up of PVC, which makes them very strong. Compared to carpets, luxury vinyl planks are far more resilient. If you are looking to lay down flooring in a high traffic area, you should better go for LVP products than carpet flooring. Industries such as healthcare and hospitality are leaning more towards luxury vinyl when it comes to flooring installation in common areas. Luxury vinyl planks are also being widely used as the main flooring surface in a wide range of commercial spaces.
Acoustic
Depending on where you want to install the flooring, acoustic will play a key role. If you are laying down the covering in a hotel room, lobby or office, you will certainly want to prevent noise as well as the transfer of noise from one room or area to another. In that sense, carpeting remains far ahead of luxury vinyl flooring. In fact, carpets are the perfect choice for noise reduction.
With luxury vinyl planks, you can reduce the noise level as well. To achieve this, you will need to lay down a subfloor between the flooring and the concrete slab. Using a high-quality underlayment, you will be able to have the kind of sound control that is required in a particular space or area. Plus, there are multiple varieties of luxury vinyl with different features and qualities in terms of sound control. If you need the help of a specialist or a flooring contractor to select the right option, you should reach out to Minuteman Floors. Based in Manchester, NH, the company deals in high-quality flooring products and their professional installation.
Pricing
Budget planning is crucial when you are looking for a flooring solution. If you are on a tight budget, you should opt for carpet instead of LVP flooring. Carpet is less expensive than luxury vinyl plank flooring.
Carpet is sold at an average price of $3-$5 per square foot. This includes the cost of installation as well. If you want to install carpeting in your bedroom, you can choose to buy low-price carpets. Carpets are available in a broad range and the price varies accordingly as a result. On the other hand, luxury vinyl planks (including installation) costs more than carpeting does. When weighing in LVP and carpets installation, you should also factor in the cost of long-term maintenance in both cases to get a clearer picture of the total cost.
FAQ
To make decision-making easier, here are a couple of common questions regarding LVP flooring and carpeting.
Q. Does luxury vinyl flooring have a longer lifespan than that of carpet?
A. The average longevity of carpeting is between 5-7 years. Premium quality carpets last longer than cheaper ones. Luxury vinyl planks are more resistant to wear and tear and last much longer. On average, you can expect LVP flooring products to last for a period of 15 to 25 years.
Q. Is carpet installation less expensive than LVP flooring?
A. Yes, it is. The average cost of carpeting (including installation) comes around $3-$4 per square foot. Since luxury vinyl planks are very resilient and durable, the product costs more than carpets.
Q. Does vinyl flooring increase the value of the home?
A. Hard surface does increase the value of your home and help you attract potential buyers to the market. However, it is not the same with all kinds of hard surfaces except hardwood and laminate flooring. Luxury vinyl planks certainly carry at least some benefit over carpeting in this regard.
Q. Is the design of vinyl customizable?
A. Unlike carpets, you can customize the design of vinyl flooring. Technicians use a variety of advanced methods to design vinyl in a way that replicates the style and look of various flooring materials. You can modify vinyl to acquire the appearance of concrete stone and wood among others.
Talk to a Flooring Installation Specialist
Hopefully, you have now understood the pros and cons of the luxury vinyl plank as well as carpet flooring. Based on the comparison, you will find it easy to select a covering that suits your specific needs best. If you still have more questions, you should feel free to get in touch with one of our experts at the Minuteman Floors in Manchester, NH. No matter where you want to lay down flooring, we will equip you with the most practical tips and recommendations.
You can reach out to our office via a phone call or write us an email using the contact form on our website.