LVT Luxury Vinyl Flooring: The Versatile Choice for Homes and Businesses

Luxury Vinyl Tile — better known as LVT — has become one of the most requested flooring products we fit at Oaknwool. And it is not hard to see why. It combines the look of natural materials with a level of durability and practicality that few other floors can match. Whether you are renovating a family home in West London or fitting out a busy commercial space, LVT delivers.

LVT is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product engineered to replicate the appearance of wood, stone, or tile — with far greater resilience. Each plank or tile is made up of several bonded layers:

• A wear layer — a clear protective coating that resists scratches, scuffs, and staining
• A printed design layer — a high-resolution image layer that replicates the look of oak, walnut, slate, marble, or concrete
• A core layer — rigid or flexible depending on the product type, providing stability and comfort underfoot
• A backing layer — for acoustic performance and subfloor adhesion

The result is a floor that looks genuinely convincing, performs exceptionally well, and requires very little maintenance.

LVT is one of the most practical choices for busy family homes. The wear layer on a quality product resists the daily punishment of children, pets, and heavy foot traffic without showing it. Unlike hardwood, it will not scratch easily from pet claws or dent under furniture legs. Unlike carpet, it does not trap allergens or hold onto spills.

LVT is 100% waterproof — which makes it one of the few flooring options genuinely suited to kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms. There is no risk of swelling, warping, or mould from moisture. You get the warmth and visual appeal of a wood or stone look without any of the maintenance concerns those natural materials bring in wet areas.

Many of our residential customers have underfloor heating, and LVT is one of the best flooring types to use with it. Its low thermal resistance means heat transfers efficiently from the system into the room — and it remains dimensionally stable at the temperatures involved, unlike solid hardwood which can gap or cup.

Commercial spaces place enormous demands on flooring. Retail units, offices, restaurants, hotels, and healthcare environments all require a floor that can handle constant foot traffic, heavy furniture, trolleys, and frequent cleaning — without deteriorating quickly or looking tired.

Premium LVT products are rated by their wear layer thickness, typically measured in microns. Commercial-grade LVT starts at 0.55mm wear layer and above — significantly thicker than domestic products. At Oaknwool, we specify the correct wear layer for the intended use, ensuring the floor performs as expected over its full lifespan.

In commercial environments — particularly offices and hospitality spaces — acoustic comfort matters. Many LVT products include an integrated acoustic backing that reduces impact sound transmission between floors. We can also recommend and fit additional acoustic underlays where the specification requires it.

For businesses, downtime is costly. LVT can often be fitted directly over an existing subfloor with minimal preparation, reducing installation time significantly compared to other flooring types. Depending on the product and subfloor condition, a commercial space can be back in use within 24 hours of fitting.

Supplying a quality product is only half the job. LVT fitting requires the same level of care and precision as any other flooring type — and poor installation will compromise even the best product.

Before any LVT goes down, we assess the subfloor thoroughly. LVT is less forgiving of an uneven surface than carpet — any high spots or dips will telegraph through the wear layer over time, particularly with rigid core products. We level where necessary and address any moisture issues before fitting begins.

LVT can be fitted using full-spread adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or as a floating floor depending on the product and subfloor type. Using the wrong method — or the wrong adhesive for the conditions — leads to lifting, bubbling, or movement. We specify the correct approach for every job.

Around doorways, thresholds, and fixed obstacles, precise cutting is essential. Our fitters take the time to get these details right — because the quality of a floor is often judged at its edges, not its centre.

The range of LVT products available is vast, and the differences between them are significant. Wear layer thickness, core type (rigid vs flexible), plank width, emboss depth, and finish all affect how the floor looks and performs.

We stock a carefully selected range of LVT products at our Chiswick showroom, and we are happy to talk through the options for your specific space — whether that is a single bathroom or a multi-floor commercial fit-out.

Our showroom is at 229B Chiswick High Road, London W4 2DW, open Monday to Friday 10:30am–5:00pm and Saturday 11:00am–4:00pm.

Call us on 020 3802 2074 or send us an enquiry online to arrange a free consultation or home visit. We offer a price match promise — if you find a genuine like-for-like quote elsewhere, we will match or beat it.

LVT is one of the most versatile floors we fit. Let us help you find the right product for your space.