LVT stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile, and this is a category of flooring which encompasses a wide range of vinyl products. These are designed to mimic the look and feel of natural materials such as wood and stone and are available in a wide range of styles, offering a luxury feel at an affordable price, while also being hard-wearing and water-resistant.

Most laminates are composed of a medium- or high-density fibreboard core, finished with a layer of decorative paper. A clear wear layer is then added over top to protect the design of the flooring from everyday wear and fading with exposure to UV light.

LVT is also composed of multiple layers. A glue down vinyl floor may be made up of a base layer of vinyl, followed by a sturdier layer to provide stability and the printed décor layer; this is then protected by a clear way layer and UV coating. A rigid click vinyl is composed of similar layers, though these will have a stone composite core with a click system, and many come with a built-in underlay.

While they do share some properties, LVT and laminate flooring are very different, and it’s important to understand the qualities and limitations of the type of flooring you choose for your project.

“SPC” stands for Stone Polymer Composite, which is the blend of materials that makes up the core of this type of click vinyl. “Rigid core” refers to the fact that this type of flooring is not designed to flex and requires solid subfloor preparation prior to installing.

This combination provides many benefits, making SPC stronger and more durable than a 100% vinyl flooring.

For more detailed information on SPC flooring and installation, please see here.

As we operate as an online business, we are unable to provide a fitting service on the products we sell. However, if you are located in the northwest of England, our Southport and Wirral stores do offer fitting services in the local area.

For kitchens and bathrooms, which often see more messes and spills than other areas of the home, we would recommend opting for an LVT flooring. This type of flooring is hardwearing and water resistant, comes in a range of finishes, and is available in both click and glue down formats, so you can find the perfect flooring for your space and requirements.

LVT is a great choice for pet owners, as this type of flooring is generally scratch-resistant, resilient to moisture and easy to clean. Loose pet hair can be easily brushed from the surface, spills can be wiped with a damp cloth and for more stubborn messes, an appropriate vinyl cleaner can be used.

To minimise the likelihood of damage to your LVT flooring in a household with pets, we would recommend ensuring that your pets’ nails are kept trimmed, and a mat or runner suitable for use in conjunction with a vinyl floor can be laid in any areas where extra protection is needed.

LVT flooring typically includes a durable wear layer which is considered scratch-resistant, but please note that no flooring is truly scratchproof and as such proper care should be taken to clean and maintain your LVT floor to minimise the likelihood of any surface damage.

While a sample isn’t required, we do strongly advise that you obtain a sample when one is available. Requesting a sample piece is still the best way to ensure that you’re happy with the appearance or feel of a flooring before committing to an order.

As we don’t keep stock of all Karndean and Polyflor ranges at our warehouse, unfortunately we are unable to provide samples of these floorings. However, our online sales team can direct you to the specific manufacturer’s sample service, where you can obtain samples of your desired flooring free of charge.

Our online sales team makes every effort to send out sample orders within 2-3 working days. These are sent 1st Class with Royal Mail, so most sample orders are received the day after dispatch.

If you think your sample may have been lost in the post, please contact our online sales team and we would be happy to re-send this for you.

The quickest way to calculate the required square meterage is to multiply the width and length (in metres) of the space in which the flooring will be installed.

We do also recommend allowing an additional ~10% for wastage.

If you are unsure of the dimensions, it would be advisable to have the space measured up by a professional to ensure you have an accurate figure before purchasing.

“Wastage” refers to the percentage of flooring recommended by the manufacturer or fitter in addition to the area of the install location. Wastage allows for the flooring to be cut down in areas where a specific shape or size is required, while still ensuring that you have enough to complete your project.

All floorings, from carpet to LVT, will have a waste factor when installing. This can be slightly higher or lower depending on several factors, such as the experience and ability of your fitter, the shape of the room and the pattern in which the flooring will be installed.

The correct adhesive for your installation would depend on the requirements of the space in which the flooring will be laid.

For most domestic settings, a general-purpose acrylic adhesive is suitable. In areas with underfloor heating or where the flooring will be exposed to lots of direct sunlight, such as a conservatory, a high temperature adhesive should be used.

Finally, a pressure sensitive adhesive can be used in settings with lots of foot traffic, such as a commercial space.

Matching door bars and scotia beading are available on our website – if ordering these alongside your flooring, there’s no need to worry as we’ll select the closest match. If you’re ordering these accessories separately, please let our online team know which flooring these are to match.

If your flooring is designed to be glued down, then there is no need to purchase underlay – you’ll want the flooring to be adhered directly to the subfloor.

For click floorings, underlay can be used for insulation or sound dampening; however, it’s important to note that if your flooring comes with a built-in underlay, you should not use any additional underlay. You also need to ensure that you select the correct underlay for the type of flooring, as laminate underlay has a different thickness and compressive strength when compared to that which is designed for click vinyl.

For stock items, orders are typically dispatched the following day after purchase. While most orders arrive the following working day after dispatch, we always recommend that you allow 2-4 working days for delivery. For non-stock items and carpets or sheet vinyl, we would expect an additional lead time of 2-4 working days. In instances where
the wait time for stock will exceed those listed, our online sales team will contact you to inform you of any delays.

While we endeavour to offer free shipping to the entirety of mainland UK, some areas
do incur an additional charge for delivery via our courier partners. The surcharge may vary depending on your location and the size of the order – please contact our online sales team for further information.

We send all our customer orders via a next working day service at no charge – this is one of the fastest delivery services available from our courier partners and as such we cannot offer a more expedited delivery option as standard.

Please contact our online team if you require an AM or Saturday delivery.

Although we will do our best to honour customer requests regarding delivery dates, please note that we are unable to guarantee a specific delivery date and any dates provided by our sales team are estimates based on typical delivery times, or on information provided by the courier which may be subject to change.

Tracking of delivery with our courier partners is available through the following links:

• DHL Track & Trace
• Track My DX
• TPN Connect Track & Trace

If you’re having trouble with any of these services, our online team is always happy to help and answer any queries you may have regarding delivery.

To comply with insurance guidelines, our courier partners operate a kerb side delivery service. The driver will unload your goods from the delivery vehicle and can move them outside the property, but we would always advise that you have able-bodied person(s) available when taking delivery of your flooring, especially for larger orders or those containing SPC flooring.

Unfortunately, we are not able to cancel and refund orders which have been dispatched. Once the goods have left our distribution centre and are in transit, if you wish to return your order, please contact us upon receipt of delivery.

We ask that you inspect the contents of your order upon delivery – if there is any damage, please note this with the driver if possible and then get in touch with our sales team. If, after unwrapping your flooring, you discover damage that renders the product unusable, do let us know and we can arrange a replacement.

LVT flooring can be installed over an existing timber or solid substrate (such as concrete) subfloor, though the exact requirements for the subfloor may vary depending on the manufacturer and installation method of your chosen flooring.

It is important to read and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for this. As a general rule, your subfloor should be stable, level and free of debris.

For subfloors with a high moisture content, a damp-proof membrane should be installed prior to laying your flooring.

LVT flooring can be installed in conjunction with an underfloor heating system; however, it is important to ensure that the LVT is not in direct contact with
any heating elements, and that the surface temperature of your flooring does not exceed 28°C. Temperatures greater than this will negatively affect the vinyl component of your flooring.

For glue down floors, a high temperature adhesive should be used to ensure the longevity of your flooring.

The expansion gap at the perimeter of your floor is typically masked by skirting boards or scotia beading, which can be used effectively to disguise an expansion gap of up to 15mm.

For expansion breaks in doorways, we would recommend a matching door bar – please note that, with floating floors, these should be fixed to the subfloor and not the flooring itself, as this has the potential to restrict natural expansion and
contraction.

LVT flooring is relatively low maintenance compared to some other types of flooring, such as engineered wood, and is much easier to clean as a result.

Spills or messes should be cleaned promptly whenever possible. We would recommend Dr Schutz or QA Luvanto products for cleaning your vinyl flooring, as these are tested with the floorings on our website, though other products designed specifically for vinyl can be used. Heavy or alkaline cleaning solutions should be avoided, as these will damage the PU coating.

For dry maintenance, a dustpan and brush or vacuum cleaner can be used to lift any dirt or debris, but a soft parquet attachment is recommended for your vacuum cleaner to avoid scratches.

Using a steam mop on your laminate or vinyl flooring is not recommend – heat and moisture from steam can penetrate the protective wear layer of your flooring, which can cause the planks to warp or swell. This can lead to expansion issues with a floating floor and weaken the adhesive when used over a glue down LVT. Lifting of the planks will allow dirt and bacteria to accumulate and ultimately, this will only negatively impact the longevity and appearance of your flooring.

We are happy to accept complete order returns. Information regarding returns, including our return address, can be found in our Refunds & Returns policy. We kindly ask that you inform our online sales team before returning any items, as warehouse staff may refuse an unexpected return.

Over time, manufacturers may change the specifications or overall design of a particular flooring, and our warehouse stock is refreshed/replenished on a regular basis, so we can’t always guarantee that the same flooring will be available in the future.

If you have one or two boxes remaining after your flooring has been laid, we recommend storing these flat in a dry location, as it’s a good idea to keep any spare boxes from the same batch. This is in case you ever need to repair or replace a small area of flooring because of accidental damage.