LVT Flooring Derby

Vinyl flooring has come a long way since the 1940s. In recent years it has been made to resemble natural stone and wooden planks, and to create striking floors that nothing natural could produce. Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) are the next level: individual tiles and planks rather than a roll, excellent at imitating ceramics and wood, far more durable and easier to maintain than the materials they copy, and cheaper too.

LVT is built in layers. The wear layer on top is a clear protective layer that decides how well the floor resists scratches, stains and general wear. Below it, the decorative layer carries the printed design. The vinyl core gives the tile its strength and stability, and the backing layer supports it. Some products add a sound-absorbing backing or a built-in adhesive layer.

The most useful number when comparing products is the wear layer thickness, quoted in millimetres or microns, and the usage class under EN ISO 10874. Class 23 covers heavy domestic use; classes 32 to 34 cover increasing levels of commercial use. A thicker wear layer costs more but lasts longer in a busy hallway, kitchen or commercial space. We'll tell you where the extra spend is worth it and where it isn't.

Our fitters specialise in laying luxury vinyl. LVT is offered by plenty of flooring companies, but not all of them have the in-house experience to fit it properly, particularly in patterns. We measure and cut accurately around fixtures and fittings, and we set out patterns so the room looks right from the doorway.

Most important of all is the floor underneath. Nothing shows a poor subfloor faster than LVT: every dip and lump telegraphs through the tile. We level and screed the floor before laying, and where the floor is bouncy or sagging, we can replace the boards or joists first.

For small areas LVT can sometimes go straight over an existing floor, as long as that floor is sound, clean and genuinely flat. We'll tell you honestly which approach your room needs.

Luxury vinyl is an excellent bathroom floor. It's durable and water-resistant, which suits a room prone to moisture and spills, and it comes in everything from traditional wood and rustic plank effects to bold colours. It's easy to clean, which makes it practical for a busy household.

It also works well with electric and wet underfloor heating, which is a large part of why it's so popular in kitchens as well as bathrooms. One thing to check: most manufacturers set a maximum floor surface temperature, usually around 27°C, and the system needs commissioning properly before the floor goes down. We'll match the product to the heating when we quote.

Karndean is the best known LVT brand and we fit it regularly, but we work with a range of manufacturers. Commercial ranges carry an enhanced wear layer and suit high-traffic premises.

If particular brands or characteristics matter to you, tell us at the start. If you can share your initial design thoughts too, we can narrow down the samples we bring, because the choice is wide enough to make a decision hard otherwise.