Discover Waterproof LVT at Tile Outlets of America with Kendra

Want to learn more LVT at Tile Outlets of America? Then follow along on a virtual tour!

Kendra Weaver recently recorded a Facebook Live during which she walked us through the LVT sections of the Fort Myers store.

Note that this is a large section! You have over 65,000 square feet of luxury vinyl flooring in stock to choose from. In total across all three Tile Outlets' stores, that's over 250,000 square feet.

Learn About LVT with Kendra

First things first. LVT stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile or Planks. It is not laminate. In fact, you'll soon discover that it is much better than laminate.

As a category, LVT includes products such as SPC - stone polymer composite. Essentially, these are multilayer flooring products where the top layer is a wear layer. Beneath you have different layers that can include stone composite or vinyl layers.

>> See Discover Stone Polymer Composite Flooring aka SPC Flooring on Suncoast View

Looks Like Wood Without the Fuss

Overall, this category is incredibly popular, wears well, and looks great. One of the biggest appeals is that it truly looks like natural wood planks, yet isn't susceptible to wear or water the way real wood is.

In other words, it's much harder to damage this product.

Furthermore, it installs easily as you'll see further in the article and - most important - looks beautiful.

The beauty comes from the embossed natural look and feel of the surface of the product. Kendra shows you in the video how each piece has a wood-grain texture that adds dimension to the floor.

By the way, you'll notice that each luxury vinyl flooring display at Tile Outlets of America includes a basket where you can find sample pieces. These allow you to evaluate within your own home how the product will look based on your lighting and color scheme.

You can also use the Visualizer.

High Variation from Plank to Plank

In the video, you'll frequently hear Kendra refer to how variegated the look of these products is. Even for those that are more uniform in look, you'll find high levels of variation from plank to plank.

In other words, these products exhibit a range of colors, that don't appear regularly. Remember, this product tries to look like mother nature. For that reason, you'll find a rich variation in patterns and colors within each style.

When you install it, you'll want to do a loose lay (and/or mockup) to see how the planks look and possibly rearrange them.

>> See Consider a Mockup for your Tile Installation Project

This is an added reason for sampling the product you like with one or two of the samples available in the basket.

Easy to Score and Water Resistant

Spoil alert! In the video, Mark teases us a bit with a water bucket. It's okay. No one gets hurt in this prank, not even the product.

Why? Because luxury vinyl flooring is water-resistant.

It's also easy to score as Mark demonstrates. You'll see how he simply marks where he needs to make a cut, scores it three times with a basic box cutter and then snaps off the piece.

Let's Count the Benefits that LVT Offers You!

Luxury vinyl flooring offers you the following benefits as Mark explains:

1. Residential products come with a lifetime or limited lifetime warranty depending on the style
2. It's impact resistant
3. It's resistant to household chemicals
4. No need to fear, it's slip-resistant
5. If you crave underfloor heating, no problem using LVT
6. It's abrasion-resistant
7. No need to fear formaldehyde emissions; there aren't any
8. It's stain-resistant
9. It's flame-resistant
10. If you have pets, you'll love that It's scratch-resistant
11. It's also light-resistant - a big deal in Florida especially in the wintertime when you might keep your doors and windows open to enjoy the sunshine

LVT is Easy to Assemble and Install

You'll find that luxury vinyl planks make for an ideal do-it-yourself flooring product given how easy it is to install.

Watch how Mark demonstrates the easy click system.

You can learn more by reading this article titled Shop Luxury Vinyl Flooring at Tile Outlets of America! which includes installation tips.

By the way, Kendra points out how the final installation requires no grout joints.

Can LVT be installed over tile?

One of the other benefits of luxury vinyl flooring is that it can go over many different types of floors. Yes, you'll need to prepare that floor to ensure that it is level, however, you can install it over tile, wood, and concrete.

LVT Trim Pieces

You'll notice in the image at the top of this article - and also in the video below - that each product display includes underneath coordinating trim pieces.

These are end caps and T-moldings that allow you to easily transition from VLT to carpet, for example, and professionally complete an installation. Kendra shows you how that looks in the cabinetry area with the flooring is LVT.

How to Evaluate LVT Products

Fort Myers store manager Mark Scott shares valuable advice on how to evaluate different LVT products.

Make sure to pay attention to specific information when you are buying Luxury Vinyl Tile so you can properly evaluate the options available.

As Mark explains, LVT comes with numbers.

• The first number on the Tile Outlets' signs refers to the total thickness of the plank. It is in millimeters (mm). The planks available range from 3 mm to 4.5 mm.
• The second number indicates the thickness of the wear layer on the top. It is measured in mils. The larger the number, the thicker the wear layer on top. 20 mils and above, for example, is thick enough for a commercial installation with high traffic. You won't find any products with a wear layer lower than 8 mils at Tile Outlets of America.

At TIle Outlets, you'll find 8 and 12 mil products for residential and light commercial use and 20 mil for commercial use. Other stores sell products below 8 mil, so be sure to confirm the data so you can properly evaluate your options.

Some products come with padding; others come without and you can purchase padding separately. As Kendra points out, many condominium associations require padding for sound suppression.

>> See Shop Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Ready to Get Started with LVT in Your Home?

You can watch Kendra's 14-minute video below as she shows you the LVT selection available in the Fort Myers store and details for you what to expect from this exciting product category.

Let us know of any questions. We look forward to helping your dreams become reality when you visit one of the three Tile Outlets of America stores in Fort Myers, Sarasota and Tampa.

Thanks for reading and watching.