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Building a Home Flooring

LVP- 12mil vs 20 mil?

4 years ago

So....we're building. We have two boys and a chocolate lab. Will we be happy with a 12 mil product vs a 20? Anyone with experience in this? It's a nexxacore product which I can't seem to find many reviews on. Thanks for your input.

Featured Answer

SJ McCarthy

3 years ago

The 12mil wear layer is traditionally not good enough for Americans. The average US customer is HARD on flooring. The 12mil is good enough for two 'empty nesters' who are NOT in wheelchairs, do not use canes and do not need walkers. And who do NOT have pets. Even in this setting the 12mil floor is worth about 12-15 years. I've heard of vinyl with 12mil wear layer looking HIDEOUS after 5-7 years of regular life (as in your family).

If you cannot afford the product with 20mil wear layer than you will want to work with the most expensive laminate you can find. A 'great' laminate will out perform 'entry level' vinyl any day of the week (twice on Sundays) and will cost the same as said 'entry level' vinyl.

The call is yours. It is your money. But ask yourself if you will be 'happy' with a floor that looks trashed inside of 7 years. If that makes you angry then I suggest moving up the ladder.

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Comments (12)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
4 years ago
I do not know what you are talking about.
Kyleigh Glass thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
Kyleigh Glass
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for responding Mark! Luxury vinyl planks. The thickness is measured in mil.
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It looks like the Titan 5.5 is a 5.5mm (hence the name) thick vinyl plank. It has 12mil wear layer. That is 'ho-hum' when it comes to toughness. It is 'good enough' for residential (1-2 people in the home...NO pets) but it is not a very tough finish. Many home owners who have used a vinyl with 12mil wear layer have been disappointed. In today's flooring world, the consensus is: 20mil wear layer = light commercial = exactly what is needed for today's North American homeowner. The Titan 5.5 is not cheap. The cost is roughly the same as many CoreTec products. I'm sure your designer can find something in the same visual with a better wear layer.
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OK...first things first. Everything scratches or shows wear - eventually. What you are asking is what will look GOOD in 6 years. The best options are: 1. Stone 2. Porcelain 3. Ceramic 4. Epoxy over Concrete 5. HIGH END vinyl (commercial grade) 6. High end laminate 7. Sight finished hardwood with high-end finish OK...so you are asking about 'middle of the pack' performance. The HIGH END LVP products (or SPC or WPC...your choice) can perform very well. They should cost $7/sf and be rated for commercial/light industrial traffic. Those bad-boys should have a wear layer between 30mil and 40mil. A regular high end product comes in at 20mil (good enough for most American homes). These ones have a price range of $5-$7/sf. To be clear, a high-end laminate ($5-$7/sf) will out perform the 'regular high-end vinyl' (20mil wear layer). The question becomes: Why replace everything now? If you are selling in 6 years, you might as well wait another 3-5 years so that the floor you put in will be hyper-accurate for trend AND look amazing.
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The WEAR layer is what gives homeowners the most amount of 'satisfaction' when it comes to vinyl. The average USA homeowner is SUPER tough on their floors. By average we mean house of 4 people + pets (gold fish probably don't count...but you never know). For the USA the MINIMUM wear layer *should be 20mil. I know...there are brands that say "Residential" quality with 12mil. They are correct...if they talk about EUROPE. Or Asia. Or even Canada. The USA has a very different concept of how a floor should LOOK after 5 years of people trashing it. So...do yourself a favour and work with products that have 20mil or THICKER wear layer. That's the easiest place to look for the 'cut off' point. The TOTAL thickness of the plank (without the underpad) is also KEY. Thicker is BETTER (do not count the underpad). Right now that is the LUXWood product. Remember: most vinyl products do NOT like 'underpad'. You must find out if an underpad is allowed under the Lux Wood. I know it will NOT be allowed under the Timberlux....'cause it already has an underpad attached. Do NOT listen to the sales person. Read the installation instructions yourself. If it DOES NOT say "underpad" (as in mentions the thickness and material make-up of the underpad) then the product is NOT ALLOWED. The flooring industry writes INCLUSIVE instructions. That means if it is ALLOWED it is INCLUDED in the instructions. It is easier to write what IS ALLOWED then to write down the THOUSANDS of things that are not allowed.
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User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
The OP is talking about the thickness of the wear layer of imitative PVC resilient flooring. Flooring sales jargon can be baffling to those not currently shopping for the stuff.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
4 years ago
Can you tell I never specified Luxury Vinyl Planks.
User
4 years ago
Nor I.
Ashley Shirey
3 years ago
What did you end up choosing? We have two boys and one lab... the lady at our local flooring store said 12mil is plenty, but we aren’t sure.
Dana Dengel
3 years ago
Thank you SJ McCarthy! I own a flooring store and I get beat up with prices all the time, when other retailers guarantee 12 mil goods (or less) are good enough. The fewer mils a product has, the less expensive it is. I am always concerned with the end result, which is a long lasting floor! When comparing these products, some could be up to a dollar or so more per square foot, but last for years, longer! 12 mil and less is totally fine for low traffic areas (bathrooms, two person households, etc.). If you’re spending the money, more miles are worth the longevity!
dan1888
3 years ago
Modin from Flooret is direct sales. They offer 40mil wear layer for 3.95/SQF 9x72" plank. 15 colors. Or you can get 20mil for 2.75/SQF 6x48" plank. 6 colors. Here.
HU-820695044
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
What did you end up using and how has it held up so far?
Suzanne Kapusta
2 years ago
Great discussion! I just wish the color I love was made with 20 mil as an upgrade option! The 12 mil is tempting me since brand new it looks perfect. Guess I’ll keep looking. Installation is so expensive, no use wasting money on something that won’t last.
HU-19849795
26 days ago
I have two kids and 125 lb dog. Pay the extra money and go 20mm or higher, it will last longer.

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