In the world of Real Estate, the word “luxury” doesn’t generally precede the words “vinyl flooring.” For most people, these words instead allude to an inexpensive, albeit durable, shiny flooring material found in the kitchens and baths of most starter homes. My earliest memories of childhood involve playing in my mother’s kitchen atop the orange diamond-patterned late 1970s-inspired inspired glossy vinyl floors. Of course, vinyl flooring has come a long way since then. There are countless attractive patterns and styles available on the market today. Eastwood Homes offers some beautiful options in vinyl flooring, in fact. It’s still a very popular and sensible flooring option.
Traditional vinyl flooring still comes in immense rolls, much like a giant roll of paper towels. The benefit of the large rolls is that very few seams are necessary for most average-sized rooms. Some vinyl products come in smaller pieces and can be installed side by side to form more of a tile pattern, but the seams allow for water to get beneath the surface unlike the rolled surface with few seams. The installed product looks more like real tile, but the lack of variety in the surface texture generally gives it away.
A new generation of vinyl flooring has gained in popularity in recent years. Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) are the hottest new trends in affordable luxury flooring.
LVP comes in plank-sized pieces, and once installed, looks very similar to real hardwood and most people often mistake it for just that.
LVT comes in square tile sizes, and again mimics the look and feel of real tile.
Some luxury vinyl products are installed with glue and some interlock. Unlike traditional vinyl “tiles,” when the individual pieces of LVP and LVT are installed correctly, they create a nearly impervious surface.
There are many benefits to luxury vinyl flooring products, but the absolute best feature of this type of flooring is its appearance. Most LVP products look so much like wood that even at close range (I’m talking about on hands and knees) it would be difficult to distinguish between LVP and real wood. Most LVP products feature a hand-scraped surface that looks nearly identical to that of real wood. LVP comes in a variety of styles and designs. If you have a favorite wood species, it’s likely that you can find a Luxury Vinyl Plank that matches it. Similarly, LVT is meant to capture the appearance of natural stone without the concerns of sealing and staining. With a good quality LVT, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish between the vinyl version and real natural stone. Lastly one of our favorite features about LVP is that is 100% water-resistant. So any animal, child, or spill won't damage your floors. It's the perfect solution if you are looking for a long-lasting investment!
Eastwood Homes offers the LVP in all 8 of our divisions, and we have heard only positive feedback on the product. Our homeowners love LVP because it gives them the look of real wood in a material that is even more durable than wood. When installed correctly, LVP is impervious to water and holds up incredibly well to the wear and tear of real life. Unlike the “real thing,” LVP can be used in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements where the possibility of water damage restricts homeowners from choosing wood. It’s a dream come true for dog owners, parents, or anyone who appreciates low-maintenance and high-durability flooring. Plus, LVP is more affordable than wood! Seriously, what's not to love?
At Eastwood Homes, we even use Luxury Vinyl Plank products in our sales centers. It is the perfect flooring material for the offices that we construct in the garage space of our model homes. The product withstands heavy traffic with ease. It stands up to water at the door and in the public restroom area, and it looks fabulous. It’s also relatively easy to remove when it comes time for us to convert the office space back into a functioning garage.
The Luxury Vinyl trend has been around since 2013 and we expect it is here to stay. Manufacturers will likely improve upon their already impressive designs and colors.
For more on types of Vinyl Plank Flooring, check out our Enhanced Vinyl Plank Flooring (EVP).
Eastwood Homes is excited to introduce its newest community in our Raleigh division, Clearwater Creek! Clearwater Creek offers brand new, personalized homes in Franklinton, NC. Just 10 minutes from Wake Forest, this neighborhood will allow residents easy access to the main thoroughfares.
With summer winding down, many of you are probably gearing up to get back to school! With a new “season” starting and all the tasks that come with getting back into the swing of things.
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Eastwood Homes is now building in the Atlanta metro region! This marks continued growth for privately-held, family-owned Eastwood Homes. Atlanta is now our eighth division, solidifying our presence as a builder in the Southeast United States.
