Luxury vinyl plank, also known as LVP, has grown in popularity every year it seems. The big question is, what does it cost? Or at least on average how much does luxury vinyl plank cost? Why is there such a big range in price when shopping for luxury vinyl plank? It’s all waterproof right? What could set these floors apart? We cover all the costs and main features of LVP and how the cost is so variable in nature.
LVP is designed to look like stone or waterproof hardwood flooring and is usually cheaper than hardwood or tile. Tiles, carpets, and hardwoods are starting to be replaced by luxury vinyl flooring. Its numerous benefits include cost as compared to other floor kinds, simple installation, easy upkeep, and its waterproof. But how much does luxury vinyl flooring cost on average?
Depending on the flooring features you want, luxury vinyl flooring is cheaper in general. The average price of luxury vinyl planks is between $2.00 to $4.50 per square foot. The average price of luxury vinyl tiles is similarly between $1.75 to $4.00 per square foot, making them slightly more affordable. This of course, doesn’t pay for installation, just the material. For the materials and labor required to install premium vinyl flooring in a 200-square-foot room, (and you’re not shopping with ReallyCheapFloors.com) you should budget about $1,000 to $1,500 depending on where you live If you shop our discount LVP flooring options, you shouldn’t pay nearly as much as this.
We strongly encourage you to learn how to install the flooring yourself. You can rent the tools for a weekend, and have a new floor installed in your home at half the traditional cost of having someone else install luxury vinyl plank for you. We believe LVP is easier to install than hardwood or tile because it is so light and they typically have a click lock system that can be a pain, but it’s still faster than nailing boards or grouting tile.
There are many features of luxury vinyl plank that affect the final price of your new floor. The list of the main pricing factors:
- The LVP’s manufacturer or brand
- The Vinyl Plank Core Type WPC or SPC
- Wear Layer Thickness
- Attached Foam Backing Pad
- A Vinyl Plank’s Overall Thickness.
- The Texture Applied to The Top
We cover these features and explain why these features increase the price or decrease the price of a vinyl plank floor below. First, let’s talk about what luxury vinyl plank flooring is and why it’s so popular.
What is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Luxury vinyl flooring gives the appearance of stone or hardwood without the high cost. It is generally made of hardened plasticizers (vinyl), wood composite, or limestone composite to create a rigid/tough waterproof core. The top of each plank is usually trying to mimic the visual look of stone, ceramic, or wood.
This type of vinyl flooring, also known as Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) or Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), is composed of several layers that help with the style, durability, and simplicity of maintenance of this fantastic flooring option.
Luxury vinyl is waterproof, unlike many flooring options, making it excellent for use in all rooms, particularly bathrooms and kitchens. Luxury vinyl can endure dampness, high foot traffic, scratches, and spills due to its unique construction, which quality products offer including tough wear layers and a solid core If you want to learn more about luxury vinyl plank click here. If you want to learn about our most popular offerings of Floorte Pro and COREtec options check out those links as well.
Pricing for Luxury Vinyl Flooring in Square Feet
Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and Luxury vinyl planks (LVP) are the two primary types of vinyl plank flooring.
Luxury Vinyl Plank typically costs between $2 and $6. Although LVP flooring is a great substitute for hardwood, you may also choose from various styles. Some high-end LVP models have urethane reinforcement for increased scratch and stain resistance.
LVT typically costs around $3 -$8. If you want to emulate stone tiles, which are very popular in kitchens, bathrooms, and country cottages, tiles are the best. Vinyl tiles are easy to repair if necessary because they are smaller than planks. LVT and LVP are both simple to install above or on top of pre-existing floors.
For high-traffic areas, commercial luxury vinyl flooring is an option for LVT and LVP. The price per square foot for this floor is about the same price but is mostly available in a glue-down product.
Vinyl Flooring Installation Costs
Depending on where you reside, placing luxury vinyl flooring might cost different amounts. Contractors typically charge $1-2 per sq ft.
Depending on what type of LVP flooring you wish to install, you might also need to purchase glue and backing in addition to the vinyl flooring. Furthermore, if old floors must be taken out to install new ones, contractors might charge more. Let’s examine the variables that can impact installation costs:
The kind of flooring you wish to install and other elements like adding underlayment or water resistance could also have an impact on the ultimate price (planks or tiles). For a 200-square-foot area, luxury vinyl flooring installation typically costs between 400 USD and 1,400 USD.
Pricing And Backing Types
Felt and fiberglass are the two main forms of backing for luxury vinyl flooring. Felt offers a more convenient option that needs adhesive to be installed. Although slightly more expensive, fiberglass is much simpler to install. With this backing, you only need to glue onto the edges of your floors; the rest of the installation is floating, requiring just that the planks and tiles snap into position.
Whatever the type of backing, glue is required to secure the flooring to the base. A gallon of luxury vinyl flooring sticky tape sells between 35 USD and 50 USD and covers 140 to 170 square feet.
Underlayment is a different consideration. Underlayment might be required even if you may not need it if your goal is to reduce pollution or if you’re using thinner vinyl. Prepare to pay an additional 0.5 USD per square meter if you choose to use it.
What Factors Determine Price?
1. The Look Of Your Vinyl Flooring May Affect The Cost
Do you want a vinyl floor that has the look of planks or tiles? The different vinyl flooring types will affect the flooring costs as tile visuals typically cost more that the hardwood look. Also, a tile pattern will have considerably more waste because the pattern has to be lined up. The installation cost will be higher for vinyl tile flooring as well.
2. LVP Features
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is a flooring type. Not all LVP products in this flooring type offer the same value. Typically, LVP features are missing or added to create different price points between the following features:
LVP Core: There are two primary LVP cores. These are WPC or SPC vinyl core constructions. WPC stands for Wood composite core. WPC is known for being the less durable option in general. SPC stands for solid polymer core. This core is a very durable option. If you want to learn more about these cores check our luxury vinyl plank blog on the topic.
LVP Thickness: The overall thickness of a vinyl plank product is typically a sign of stability and durability. Of course, the LVP core is the way to judge it. A thin SPC floor is more durable and stable than a thick WPC core. A thicker WPC floor is better than a thinner WPC floor. A thicker SPC floor is better than a thinner SPC floor.
LVP Wear Layers: Most LVP wear layers start from 6mil on to 12mil, 20mil, and even 20+ mils. Mils is a measurement of 1,000th of an inch.
LVP Acoustic Padding: Cheaper LVPs will not have an attached pad on the bottom of their planks. It’s not a sure-fire consistent sign of quality LVP floors is for them to have a bottom pad. However, in general, quality luxury vinyl plank products have a 1mm acoustic pad underneath each plank to cut out any noise when walking on them.
3. Rigid Vinyl Installation Types
Floating: The simplest vinyl floor type to install, made of click-together planks or tiles. However, the cost to purchase it is the highest. The cost per square foot ranges from roughly 4.5 USD to 6.5 USD. However, rigid base flooring can cost more.
Glue Down: The most expensive luxury vinyl flooring to install, glue-down is the least expensive to purchase. While most homeowners may easily install floating LVP themselves, glue-down flooring nearly always needs to be installed by a professional. The adhesive must also be purchased, which will raise the price even further.
Peel-and-stick: This kind of flooring has an adhesive backing that makes it simple to apply to the subfloor. Prices for this premium vinyl flooring range from roughly 1 USD to 5 USD each square meter, depending on the thickness and pattern of the floor. However, installation costs might vary greatly, primarily due to this kind of flooring needing a perfectly level substrate to adhere effectively. Because of this, you will be required to pay for your sub-floor fixed if it isn’t ideal.
4. Rigid Vinyl Floor Material
Although the name “luxury vinyl flooring” suggests luxury, not every vinyl plank or tile is made equal. What the material each LVP is made from adds to the expense as follows:
Cheap Stuff – Thin WPC flooring: Cheap WPC typically costs 1 USD to 2 USD per square foot, however, the majority of these planks do not have sufficient support in their core. You’ll find wear layers from 4mils to 6mils in thickness. Their overall thickness is typically 2mm or less. They won’t have an attached pad on the bottom, and they won’t have a texture applied to them in general. Their durability expectation is short, rarely surpassing ten years. This flooring also has a small selection of style possibilities and is simple to scratch or scuff.
- Expect WPC Vinyl Cores
- 4-6 mil Wear Layers
- No Attached Foam Backing Pad
- Overall Thickness is 2mm or less
- Minimal Texture
Value Flooring – Thick WPC & SPC: Materials typically cost $2-4 sq ft. Ordinary luxury vinyl flooring comes in a variety of styles and has a respectable lifespan of typically 10 to 15 years. For those on a tighter budget, this kind of flooring is a suitable choice. Our popular LVP shares many features of more expensive products, but still, sells from $1.69 – $2.99. The embossed-in-registered feature is a texture that makes any hardwood vinyl plank visuals match the fell of real knots and wood grain.
- Expect WPC and SPC at this price
- 6-12 mil Wear Layers
- Some Products Have Attached Foam Backing Pads
- Overall Thickness is 3mm to 6mm
- Embossed-in-Register Texture and Less texture
Expensive flooring: Materials of higher grade cost 4 USD to 6 USD per square foot. In this category, you’ll see very thick boards and very thick wear layers for the most part. You’ll find impressive visuals and embossed-in-registered textures that mimic the wood grain of the vinyl plank. Every part of these flooring options should have all the bells and whistles.
- Expect WPC and SPC at this price
- 20-21+ mil Wear Layers
- All Have Attached Foam Backing Pads
- Overall Thickness is 6mm to 8mm
- Expect Embossed-in-Registered Texture
The Flooring of the highest caliber: The price of high-end vinyl flooring ranges from 6 USD to 12 USD per square foot, however certain possibilities are more expensive. All designs, hues, and textures are included in this assortment. You can select among planks that almost perfectly replicate hardwood, patterns that resemble stone, or even abstract designs. The majority of manufacturers back this choice with an unlimited warranty because the product is engineered to last and the margins in them are so good.
- SPC at this price
- 20-24+ mil Wear Layers
- Some Products Have Attached Foam Backing Pads
- Overall Thickness is 8mm to 12mm
- Expect Embossed-in-Registered Texture
5. Features of Space
The cost of setting up luxury vinyl flooring might vary depending on your space in many different ways. Labor costs increase if the flooring requires a lot of trimming or if there are stairs, as would be expected. If your room doesn’t have many corners, door entries, columns, hallways, etc. your vinyl flooring installation will be less complicated and less expensive.
6. Flooring Style Installation Costs
Styles for luxury vinyl flooring range from stone or abstract designs to imitations of hardwood. The least expensive flooring options are the standard installation of natural stone and wood grain viny plank, although these effects don’t always look authentic.
One of the most expensive options comes in popular designs like solid oak finishes or reclaimed wood. The price varies for various effects and pattern installations are listed below:
- Marble 2 USD – 4 USD
- Stone 2 USD – 8 USD
- Slate 3 USD – 5 USD
- Wood 2 USD – 12 USD
- Metallic 3 USD – 9 USD
- Herringbone 4 USD – 6.5 USD
- Geometric patterns 5 USD – 8 USD
7. Brands of Vinyl Flooring
The price of premium vinyl flooring also differs between brands. This is where all questions about how much does luxury vinyl plank cost me come from! Budget-friendly solutions are a focus for some producers, like Shaw, whose products we carry from roughly $2 to $6 USD per square foot. The luxury vinyl flooring sold by businesses like Mannington costs 10 USD or more a square foot, which is at the other extreme of the range.
However, the majority of businesses, like Stainmaster and Armstrong, offer a variety of flooring solutions in all price ranges. We try to carry the best-featured LVP for the lowest price. That’s how do business.
How Much Does Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Cost?
Contrary to hardwoods or tiles, luxury vinyl plank flooring is more affordable, but you should still plan to spend per square foot like any other flooring budget. If you can buy some discounted flooring and install the flooring yourself, you’ll save a ton of money on the whole project.
The most expensive to buy, floating luxury vinyl flooring is also the easiest to install because, in most situations, you can do it yourself. The least expensive type of flooring is glue-down, however, installation is more expensive. Peel-and-stick flooring provides a suitable middle ground, but we recommend you go with a floating floor purchased at a low price from us. Don’t mess with glue or adhesives if you don’t have to!
What kind of luxury vinyl flooring do you intend to set up? Vinyl tiles or vinyl plank? Discount flooring options or high quality for high-dollar stuff? Don’t hesitate to share this post with your friends before you leave; this could help them figure out how much does luxury vinyl plank cost for their next flooring project.
Options To Save Money On LVP Flooring
One way to save money on vinyl plank flooring is to shop a liquidator like ReallyCheapFloors.com. We work with 2 large manufacturers of vinyl flooring whose manufacturing facilities are in the South, near our warehouses. We only sell LVP that is made in the USA. These partners send us their overstock and discontinued inventory, and we quickly get that first quality inventory to market at a much lower cost than our competitor. Where Home Depot or Lowe's will have 6 mil LVP flooring at an average cost of $3, we offer a 12 mil from Bruce at $1.39. Or a 20 mil at $1.79. Our business model requires flooring to move quickly, and these low prices make it happen. Please understand that we will not have 50 different looks to choose from, but what we have will be the most popular colors at the lowest prices.
