LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) Flooring Explained

LVT, luxury vinyl tile, has become one of the most popular flooring choices in UK homes over the past decade, and for good reason. It looks convincingly like wood or stone, handles moisture without warping, and costs a fraction of the real thing. Expect to pay £20–£60/m² fully fitted depending on the product quality and installation method.

Despite the name, LVT comes in plank formats as well as tiles, so it covers everything from herringbone wood effects to large-format slate-look tiles. This guide explains how it is constructed, what the specs mean, and how to pick the right product for your room.

How LVT Is Constructed

LVT is a multi-layer product. From the bottom up you typically get:

1. Backing layer, foam or felt underlay, sometimes pre-attached
2. Core layer, rigid (SPC or WPC) or flexible PVC
3. Printed design layer, a high-resolution photographic image
4. Wear layer, clear PU-coated PVC that takes all the foot traffic
5. Surface texture, embossed to mimic wood grain or stone

The wear layer is the single most important spec to check. It is measured in millimetres:

Treat the pairings above as a rough guide: makers declare a use class on the box or data sheet, and that declared class is the figure to compare between products. For a family home, 0.3 mm is the minimum to specify. Landlords and rental properties should use 0.5 mm or above.

Core Types: SPC, WPC, and Flexible LVT

SPC (Stone Plastic Composite)

SPC has a rigid core made from limestone powder and PVC. It is very dense and heavy, which makes it dimensionally stable and resistant to denting. SPC is often preferred over underfloor heating because it conducts warmth efficiently. The rigidity also means minor subfloor imperfections show through less than with flexible vinyl.

WPC (Wood Plastic Composite)

WPC replaces some of the mineral filler with wood fibre, making the plank slightly lighter and warmer underfoot. The foam core also gives a more cushioned feel. WPC is less dense than SPC and better at absorbing the feel of minor subfloor undulations, but it is slightly less suitable for UFH because the foam core resists heat transfer.

Flexible / Heterogeneous LVT

Traditional glue-down LVT is a thinner (2–3 mm), more flexible product. It bonds directly to the subfloor and has no floating layer, which makes it suitable for use under doors and in rooms where overall floor height is critical. It is common in commercial fit-outs but less popular in domestic renovation because laying it requires a very flat, clean subfloor.

Click vs Glue-Down Installation

Click LVT uses the same tongue-and-groove locking system as laminate. Planks float over the subfloor on a thin underlay. Installation is faster and fully reversible, ideal for rental properties or staged renovations. Leave the perimeter expansion gap the maker specifies; it is a manufacturer’s requirement, not a Building Regulations one. Karndean’s rigid-core instructions, for example, ask for a gap of at least 5 mm around the room and every fixed object, more in very large rooms or conservatories.¹

Glue-down LVT is adhered to the subfloor with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Once down, it is permanent. The advantage is a thinner overall floor build-up (useful in kitchens where appliance clearance matters) and no hollow sound underfoot.

LVT Cost Guide

Labour rates for LVT fitting run £12–£20/m² depending on region and room complexity. London and the South East sit at the higher end. Herringbone or chevron patterns add roughly 20–30% to laying time and cost.

Subfloor Requirements

LVT is less tolerant of a rough subfloor than people assume. Flatness is usually checked by laying a 2 m straightedge on the floor and measuring the largest gap beneath it.⁴ Each maker sets its own tolerance: Karndean’s rigid-core click instructions, for example, allow no more than 5 mm of unevenness below the level over 3 m in any direction.¹ Glue-down LVT needs a smooth base as well as a flat one, because every ridge and hollow shows through a thin flexible tile.⁵

On timber joisted floors, any movement or squeaking must be fixed before LVT goes down. Unsupported flex will crack the locking joints over time. If the subfloor is boarded, fill any gaps and screw down at 150 mm centres. A self-levelling compound (SLC) over concrete is the most reliable way to achieve a flat base.

Underfloor Heating Compatibility

Most SPC LVT is suitable for underfloor heating.⁶ The key specs to check are:

• Maximum surface temperature: typically limited to 27°C⁶
• Thermal resistance: as low as possible, including any pre-attached underlay; check it against the figure your UFH designer allowed for

If the product comes with a thick foam backing, it may add more resistance than the system was designed for and void both the product warranty and the UFH system warranty. Always cross-reference both data sheets.

Acoustic and Thermal Performance

LVT does not provide significant thermal insulation (low R-values), but click products with a pre-attached acoustic underlay can improve impact sound insulation; the data sheet gives the improvement in decibels. Part E of the Building Regulations sets sound insulation standards for the floors of new flats and of flats formed by a material change of use, so on those projects the whole floor build-up has to meet them, and LVT alone rarely does.⁷ Replacing the floor finish in an existing flat is not normally building work, but many leases require an acoustic underlay under hard floors, so check yours first.

What to Look For When Buying

• Wear layer 0.3 mm minimum for any domestic living space
• Registered emboss, the texture aligns with the printed grain rather than being a random pattern; this looks far more realistic
• Waterproof core, all SPC/WPC is inherently waterproof, but check that the click joints are also sealed
• Declared use class, the EN ISO 10874 class on the box or data sheet (for example 23 for heavy domestic use); AC ratings are a laminate scale and do not apply to LVT
• Underlay pre-attached or specify separately; some budget products omit it

Products with an independent low-VOC certificate, such as FloorScore, are worth specifying in bedrooms and children’s rooms where air quality matters.

Is LVT Right for Your Project?

LVT is an excellent all-rounder but it is not without limits. It can feel hollow or plasticky underfoot compared to real wood or stone. Repairs to a damaged plank in a glue-down installation are difficult. And although it is water-resistant, it is not designed to be submerged, water ingress under the edges (around toilets, at shower thresholds) will eventually cause adhesive failure or lifting.

For kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and open-plan living spaces it is hard to beat on value. For bedrooms where warmth and softness matter most, engineered wood or carpet may be preferable.