What Is the Best LVP Option for Your Houston Home?

Since our heat, humidity, and busy lifestyles call for floors that can handle moisture and heavy wear, strong luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a popular choice in the Houston Heights area. However, quality makes a significant difference in how well you’ll enjoy your floors. So, how do you choose vinyl floors you know you’ll love?

Not to worry! Below, we’ll talk about how to choose the best luxury vinyl plank in Houston. We'll start with why LVP is a practical choice before covering what to look for and which is better, wood plastic composite (WPC) or stone plastic composite (SPC) flooring.

If you’re ready to shop some of the best vinyl options from the comfort of home, our team at Flooring Coverings International® of Houston Heights, TX, offers convenient in-home floor selections, and we’ll bring beautiful vinyl samples to you.

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Why LVP Works So Well in Houston

Houston’s warm, humid climate can damage traditional wood flooring, but since luxury vinyl plank handles the humidity without issue, it’s an ideal flooring choice.

Homeowners in Houston regularly opt for LVP because:

It handles humidity. Our subtropical climate means high humidity year-round, and unlike hardwood or laminate, LVP resists swelling, buckling, and warping from the changing humidity.
It has waterproof protection. Is luxury vinyl plank waterproof? Since the flooring is made from synthetic materials, it can be fully waterproof, which makes it an ideal choice for areas with the risk of flooding and everyday spills. It's also practical for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements that see plenty of moisture.
It's a comfortable flooring option. Vinyl is softer and warmer than tile, making it perfect for family homes. With built-in or added underlayment, it also offers sound insulation to make your home quieter.
It’s easy to care for. LVP is great for homes with pets, kids, and busy activities because all it takes to keep the flooring in beautiful shape is a simple sweep and occasional damp mop.
It works with every Houston home style. Luxury vinyl comes with multiple finish options that fit a wide range of interior designs.

How to Pick the Right LVP for Your Houston Home

To find the perfect LVP for your home in Houston Heights, it’s best to look for a balance of style and durability. Since conditions like humidity and heat can challenge some materials, evaluate the core material and wear layer durability to shop for floors that won’t warp or lift over time.

Vinyl Flooring Types: SPC vs. WPC

First, let's consider the core material. This is what makes the floors strong enough to handle heavy traffic, and depending on your choice, it can make your floors harder and more resilient against dents, or it can make your floors softer and more comfortable.

Luxury vinyl cores are either SPC or WPC. So, which is better, WPC or SPC flooring? Here's how the core material affects your floors:

Core material: The difference between SPC and WPC is that SPC flooring in Houston is made from a mixture of powdered limestone and stabilizers that make a strong, sturdy floor, while WPC is made of wood fibers, thermoplastic, and a foaming agent that makes the floors strong but softer and more comfortable.
Comfort and sound absorption: Thanks to the added foam, WPC flooring in Houston is softer and often quieter than SPC vinyl, making it more ideal for bedrooms and multi-level homes. A built-in underlayment also helps reduce echoes and improve comfort.

Scratch and Wear Layer Resistance

The resin coating that protects vinyl’s design determines whether your floors will scratch easily or not. Thicker wear layers protect the floors longer than thin layers. For most homes with pets and kids, 12 to 20 mil (thousandth of an inch) is a good thickness level. Looking for UV-resistant finishes can also prevent fading in areas with strong sunlight.

Texture and Design

Quality vinyl flooring looks and feels more realistic than it ever has with modern EIR (embossed in register) finishes. The method aligns the texture with the wood grain pattern to create the look and feel of hardwood. Combine that with realistic luxury vinyl plank flooring color options and beautiful matte finishes, and you get gorgeous floors that can fit any style as beautifully as true hardwood.

Climate-Ready Installation

In our warm, humid climate, proper installation is just as important as the materials. It helps to make sure your vinyl floors are designed with floating or click-lock installation that allows for natural expansion as the floors shift with temperature or humidity changes. Giving the planks time to acclimate to your home environment before installation also reduces the risk of lifting, gapping, or warping, so you can enjoy beautifully stable floors.

Ready to Upgrade Your Home with Top-Rated Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

The hot and humid conditions in Houston Heights are challenging for most flooring types. That's why many homeowners gravitate towards luxury vinyl: It's a durable, water-resistant flooring option that’s designed to withstand changing temperatures and humidity levels.

To find the best LVP for our humid environment, compare SPC vs. WPC cores, find a wear layer thickness that works for your home (most prefer 12 to 20 mil), and opt for a realistic EIR finish.

At Floor Coverings International® of Houston Heights, TX, we work with respected brands like Shaw Floors and Mohawk to offer some of the best LVP options on the market.

If you’re ready to browse our top-rated luxury vinyl plank flooring, call us at (832) 280-6646 or schedule a free in-home consultation today.