Choosing LVT Flooring: What to Check Before You Buy
How to choose LVT flooring: wear layer and rating, click or glue down, plank, tile or herringbone, underfloor heating, brands and what to check on samples.
To choose LVT, decide five things in order: the wear rating the room needs, click or glue down, the format (plank, tile or herringbone), whether it will sit over underfloor heating, and only then the colour. Buyers who start with the colour often fall for a board that is the wrong grade or fitting method for the room.
This checklist works whether you buy supply only or fitted, and it is the same order we follow when we walk a customer round the samples in our Gillingham warehouse.
1. Wear layer and rating
The wear layer is the clear top film that protects the printed design. A thicker wear layer lasts longer. The rating tells you the traffic the board is designed for: domestic ranges for homes, and heavy commercial ratings of 33 or 34 for shops, offices and busy public floors.
Our LVT wear layers guide explains the numbers in detail. For a family hallway or kitchen, it is worth going up a grade.
2. Click or glue down
Glue down LVT is bonded to a prepared subfloor and is more stable in large open plan rooms, conservatories and commercial spaces. Click LVT locks together and floats, which is quicker and easier to lift later.
Both need a flat base. Glue down needs the smoothest one, because the board follows the surface exactly.
3. Format and pattern
Pattern layouts take longer to fit and use more material, so they cost more. Borders and feature strips add character but also add time.
| Format | Looks like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Plank | Wood boards | Living rooms, bedrooms, open plan |
| Tile | Stone or ceramic | Kitchens, bathrooms, hallways |
| Herringbone or chevron | Parquet | Feature rooms and period homes |
4. Underfloor heating
LVT works well over underfloor heating, and every brand we stock is compatible within the manufacturer's surface temperature limit. The heating should be commissioned before fitting and brought back up gradually afterwards. Our underfloor heating guide covers the process.
5. Brand and range
We fit ranges from Karndean, Amtico, Polyflor and Moduleo. Within each brand, ranges differ in thickness, wear layer, surface texture and bevel, so compare ranges rather than brands alone.
How to judge a sample properly
- Look at it in the room's own light, morning and evening
- Place it next to kitchen units, doors and skirting
- Check the edge for a bevel, which hides minor height differences
- Run a fingernail across it to feel the texture
- Ask which subfloor preparation the range needs
Frequently asked questions
- What wear rating do I need for LVT?
- Domestic ratings suit most homes. For shops, offices and busy public floors choose heavy commercial LVT rated 33 or 34.
- Is click or glue down LVT better?
- Glue down is more stable in large rooms and commercial spaces. Click is quicker and easier to lift. Both need a flat, prepared subfloor.
- Can LVT go over underfloor heating?
- Yes. The brands we stock are compatible within the manufacturer's surface temperature limit, with the heating commissioned and brought up gradually.
- Which LVT brands do you fit?
- We fit ranges from Karndean, Amtico, Polyflor and Moduleo, and can show samples in our Gillingham warehouse or at your survey.
- Can I buy LVT supply only?
- Yes. We offer supply only as well as supply and fit, and can advise on adhesive, underlay and subfloor preparation for your fitter.
Keep reading
LVT explained for first-time buyers: how luxury vinyl tile is built, click versus glue-down fitting, wear layers, and which rooms it suits best in a home.
How LVT wear layer thickness and AC/commercial use class ratings relate to durability, and which specification suits which room.
What drives the price of LVT flooring — click vs glue-down, tile thickness, subfloor prep and fitting labour — with guide-only UK cost ranges.
See how we survey, prepare and fit LVT across Kent.
Talk it through with a fitter, not a call centre
Visit our Gillingham warehouse to see full LVT boards, or book a free survey with samples brought to you.