LVT

Back

If you love the look of a real wooden floor but not the upkeep, then luxury vinyl tiles are the way forward. Available in a variety of designs that mimic the effect of natural wood or stone, LVT flooring is practical, hardwearing, and stylish. The fact that it's also water- and slip-resistant is an added bonus! Understandably, you might have some questions about luxury vinyl tiles, so take a look at the most asked ones below and get in touch if you want to know anything else.

What is a wear layer?

This is a term that will come up when shopping for smooth flooring and can be quite confusing at first. To put it simply, the wear layer is a clear top surface that provides durability, stain and scratch resistance for your LVT flooring.

In order to decide which is the right wear layer for you, you will need to determine the usage of the flooring beforehand. If you have children, pets, or there is a lot of foot traffic in your home, you should consider a thicker wear layer to ensure you can enjoy your new LVT flooring for many years.

Do you fit LVT?

Yes, we do! Fitting LVT or any other type of flooring purchased from Tapi is an additional service that we can arrange if you need us to. To fit LVT costs £17.50 per m2 - just let us know if you want fitting included in your quote. We can also arrange to uplift and remove your old flooring at the same time for an additional fee. Ordering flooring from Tapi gives you complete flexibility, so if you decide you just want to order LVT from us and use your own fitter or install it yourself, that's absolutely fine!

I have a box of LVT flooring left over, can I return it?

Whilst many of the products we sell are available to purchase in square metres, our luxury vinyl tiles are purchased by the box. When estimating the appropriate amount of coverage for your installation approximately 5% (rounded up to the nearest box) should be added to your order to allow for colour matching between boxes and wastage during fitting. 

If you have a spare box left over, we would suggest these be stored on a flat dry surface for future use as these are often useful to be kept should an accident occur enabling you to swap any damaged tiles for new ones. We refresh our ranges on a frequent basis, therefore we can't promise your specific design or colour will be available in the future should a box be needed so we'd always recommend you keep any boxes that might be left over for these reasons. 

If you would like to return your extra box, we can offer a refund for an unopened and undamaged box of 50% of the original order value. This is because we can't return the excess packs to the manufacturers as they won't accept them, and, as these are ordered in specific batches (just like paint is purchased with specific batch numbers). it's important for each customer’s order to be from the same batch. We also don't have sufficient storage space in our stores.

To arrange your refund, simply contact the store where you placed your order. Alternatively, you can contact Customer Support via the ‘Submit a Request’ button and if you supply your order details, they will put you in touch with the right person who can provide further assistance.

I’ve spilled something on my LVT flooring, what should I do?

You can breathe a huge sigh of relief! Luxury vinyl tiles are very easy to clean. Thanks to their PU protection shield layer, they're totally water-resistant and have an exceptional resistance to scratches and stains. Our Tapi Floor Care Guide is full of helpful information to help you tackle any kind of spillage like a pro. You should have received this when you placed your order, but you can also download it here.

Will I need to prepare my floor before installation?

To ensure a smooth finish, some works may be required and our fitting partners offer a huge choice of services to help prepare your bare flooring to ensure a worry-free finish. This is especially important when considering smooth flooring such as LVT or Vinyl as any imperfections in the subfloor may affect the appearance of your new flooring.

Our estimators and home consultants will be able to point out any potential concerns that may need to be addressed prior to fitting, as well as provide a quotation for any additional services required if they have access to confirm the condition of your subfloor.

Do I need underlay for LVT?

Luxury vinyl doesn't require traditional underlay. With dryback LVT, you can either use HT adhesive or our LVT flexible self-adhesive 'underlay' - a sticky sheet that can be trimmed to size that's so quick and easy to install. Our flexi underlay is also compatible with click LVT; however, all our current ranges of click LVT have underlay already built in - clever!

Do you do LVT repairs?
Unfortunately, we don’t do any flooring repairs. Whilst our fitting partners can repair some subfloor issues, we can’t help with aesthetic flooring repairs.
 
Our care guide can help you rectify most household stains that might seem beyond repair - you can download it here. If you have a minor repair affecting your luxury vinyl and you have some spare planks or tiles left over, this should be fairly easy to repair yourself. For more major repairs, you might want to check your home insurance policy to see if these repairs are covered under accidental damage.
 
How much does an LVT floor cost?

Luxury vinyl is one of the more expensive smooth flooring options, but thanks to its durability, it’s a long-term investment - some styles have a lifetime wear guarantee!

Our fitting costs £17.50 per m2 for click and dryback LVT, and our cheapest luxury vinyl is £29.99 per m2. This means it will cost under £570 to install LVT in a 3x4 metre room, then you’d need to add on any door bars, and in the case of dry back LVT, add on glue as well. There might also be some extra costs to prepare the subfloor for a new smooth floor, depending on its condition. To get a full quote for new luxury vinyl flooring, head to your nearest Tapi store, or play around with our handy LVT flooring cost calculator (found on all of our LVT product pages).

Are luxury vinyl tiles waterproof?

Yes! Luxury vinyl floor tiles have a special waterproof coating, so they're the perfect flooring choice for bathrooms, utility rooms, and kitchens. However, there's a small chance moisture or water could get in the joins between each tile, so it's best to clean up any spills right away and take care when mopping your floor.

How do I prepare my subfloor for fitting luxury vinyl flooring?

Preparing your subfloor is key to getting the best performance out of your new LVT flooring. Unlike carpet, smooth flooring will show up any imperfections in the subfloor, so you need to make sure your subfloor is dry, smooth, structurally sound, and free from debris. Our guide to preparing your subfloor will tell you all the things you need to know.

If you're not sure of the condition of your subfloor, we can assess it for you during a home visit or when we do our measurement checks. If it turns out your subfloor needs repairing or replacing, we can provide you with a quote, and arrange this additional service with our fitting partners if you’re happy to go ahead. 

How to cut LVT flooring

We’d recommend you ask a professional to do this for you, such as our trusted fitting partners. We also offer a free measuring and planning service where we can advise you how to fit any unusually shaped areas, should you want to fit LVT yourself.

Can't find what you're looking for?