How to Protect Luxury Vinyl Flooring from Heavy Furniture
Luxury vinyl flooring is a popular flooring choice for homeowners who are looking to resemble true hardwood, without the cost. To the untrained eye, the difference is negligible, making it an excellent flooring type in a wide variety of homes.
Like all flooring though, a luxury vinyl installation is an expensive investment, and you want to protect your investment and maximize its lifespan. Unfortunately, heavy furniture has the potential to cause lasting damage to your vinyl, ruining your hard-earned money and the work of the installers. It can be challenging knowing what to do to prevent furniture dings and dents in the first place, but with this article, you’ll have all the information you need to keep your vinyl planks in perfect condition.
Pros and Cons of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Deciding on the proper flooring type for your home is a tough, time-consuming process. There are countless options out there available from manufacturers, and each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Luxury vinyl flooring is no different. Vinyl planks are no doubt one of the most frequently used styles, but why are they so popular? Let’s check out the pros and cons of luxury vinyl.
Pros
- Extremely Affordable: This is undoubtedly the single biggest reason why so many homeowners opt for luxury vinyl over hardwood. True hardwood flooring can be quite expensive, so if you don’t have the budget for it, vinyl flooring is a great alternative that looks the same. On average, it can be five to ten times cheaper.
- Easy Installation:. With some products, it can simply be glued to the subfloor. With others, planks are locked together like a jigsaw puzzle and create a floating floor that isn’t directly connected to the subfloor. Many homeowners choose to do the installation themselves, although it’s always recommended to hire a professional for the best quality.
- Waterproof: With true hardwood flooring you always have to worry about water soaking into the planks, causing permanent damage. Luxury vinyl is 100% waterproof so this is never a concern.
- Easy Maintenance: Luxury vinyl flooring comes with a protective layer that never needs refinishing or resurfacing. In most cases, all the maintenance that’s needed is frequent cleaning.
Cons
- Durability: Don’t let this confuse you - luxury vinyl flooring is still a very durable product. However, it is made of softer materials and is sensitive to scratches and gouges. Indentations from heavy items like furniture are also a concern.
- Fading: If exposed to direct sunlight for longer periods of time, luxury vinyl has a tendency to fade.
- Can Be Difficult to Remove: This is only the case if you’ve selected vinyl planks that are glued down to the subfloor. It can be challenging to remove these and the adhesives in order for other flooring to be installed, while click lock planks are incredibly easy to remove.
- Sustainability: Unlike hardwood, vinyl is not made from raw, natural materials and is usually constructed with synthetic compounds. For this reason, it’s not as environmentally friendly.
Source: The Spruce
How Much Weight Can Luxury Vinyl Flooring Hold?
As mentioned above, one of the drawbacks of luxury vinyl flooring is that it’s softer than true hardwood. As a result, it’s susceptible to bending and indentations when heavy loads are put on it. While it will have no problem withstanding normal household objects, specialized pieces like pianos and heavy appliances like refrigerators can be too much to handle.
According to Home Inspection Insider, a single vinyl plank can hold up to 500 pounds. Since most furniture will not go under just one plank, it is perfectly safe for bulky furniture and refrigerators to go on vinyl plank flooring. Vinyl plank flooring will not be damaged or cracked by home appliances’ weight due to its strong durability. However, most manufacturers will specify a lower weight, than its true capacity to prevent any damage. Many homeowners have had no problems, even with heavy items. A proper installation will increase the performance of your floor in holding up to higher weights.
Click-Lock Vinyl vs Glue-Down Vinyl Plank Flooring
The variety of luxury vinyl flooring you’re using will have a big determining factor on how much weight it can handle as well. Glue-down flooring generally can withstand much more weight as it’s adhered directly to the subfloor, leaving little gaps and no room for movement, leading to a harder surface. The only damage you’ll notice is smaller indentations directly on the face of the planks, particularly in areas where furniture legs are.
Click-lock is more of a concern. If enough weight is placed on it, the joints between the planks may begin to separate. This can cause buckling to occur, with some planks rising higher than others. To prevent this, try to disperse the weight across the floor so that it’s not concentrated over the joints.
Tips to Protect Your Luxury Vinyl Flooring From Furniture
When it comes to luxury vinyl, furniture is largely responsible for most of the damage that it suffers. As mentioned earlier, luxury vinyl flooring is softer than other flooring types like hardwood, and is prone to scratching, scuffing and indentations. This can be frustrating for a homeowner, as it’s not like you can remove the furniture from your home.
Luckily, however, there are a number of steps that you can take to lessen the impact of heavy furniture. If these tips are followed religiously, your luxury vinyl flooring should maintain an incredible lifespan without any serious damage.
Purchase Furniture Pads
Furniture legs are the biggest reason why furniture can damage your luxury vinyl flooring. This is because all the weight of the piece is spread out over four small contact points. These points can put an immense amount of pressure on the flooring.
One of the most preventative things you can do is purchase furniture pads to put under the legs. These pads help disperse the weight, while also preventing the rigid legs from digging into the flooring. It should be noted that rubber furniture pads are a no-go when it comes to luxury vinyl flooring, because the rubber may stain the vinyl. Opt for pads made of felt or cotton as they are less abrasive and will not cause staining.
Use Area Rugs
Area rugs are a great one-size fits all solution that prevents many heavy furniture issues at the same time. Rather than worrying about what type of furniture pad to use and making sure they stay on, you can simply use a rug.
Rugs look fantastic underneath large pieces of furniture like couches and easily accentuate the grain and style of your vinyl flooring. They can be placed throughout all portions of the home where flooring may come into contact with heavy items that may cause unexpected damage. Rugs can also be used in high-traffic areas where dirt from shoes may scratch or scuff the floor.
Use Furniture Glides
Furniture glides function much like furniture pads, except that they're a little more permanent than a felt stick-on pad. Glides feature a metal pin that is pounded into the wooden leg of the furniture, creating a secure installation. This can be very beneficial, as you won’t have to constantly check whether or not it’s come undone from the furniture. This is an ongoing concern with stick-on pads.
Furniture glides allow you to move the furniture frequently without worrying about scraping. This is useful if you like to rearrange your living spaces often. Like furniture pads, it’s important to purchase something that isn’t made of rubber so that your luxury vinyl flooring doesn’t staine.
Protecting Your Vinyl Floor When Moving Heavy Furniture
Moving furniture has a high potential to damage your flooring. Furniture is heavy, and accidents can happen when moving it, often to the demise of your luxury vinyl flooring. A good rule of thumb when moving furniture is to always lift it entirely off the ground. Employ the help of a few friends or family members to make sure that you’re not sliding it across the floor. Sliding can easily lead to scrapes and gouges.
If you’re moving a large number of items in and out of the home, it may also be worthwhile to protect high-traffic areas with runners or floor protectors. This will prevent dirt and debris from being tracked into your home and being ground down into the flooring. If moving heavy appliances, use an appliance dolly so that you don’t have to worry about any drops.
Preventative Measures You Can Take With Cleaning
The key to extending the lifespan of your luxury vinyl flooring, in addition to protecting it from heavy furniture, is cleaning it. If dirt and debris are left on your flooring, it’ll slowly degrade it and make it more susceptible to furniture-related dents and scrapes. By keeping a regular cleaning regimen and following the care instructions of your luxury vinyl flooring, your flooring will last its maximum lifespan. Some things you can do include:
- Sweep and Mop Regularly
- Avoid Scrubbing with an Abrasive Brush
- Avoid Vacuums with a power head
- Keep Shoes at the Door and Use Floor Mats
Source: The Spruce
Don’t Let Heavy Furniture Damage Your Luxury Vinyl
If you’ve recently installed luxury vinyl flooring in your home or you plan to do so soon, taking the necessary steps to preserve it is crucial. Heavy furniture is a common culprit of luxury vinyl flooring damage, but with a few simple precautions , you can easily avoid any damage from occurring. With this article, you’re well equipped to handle it.
When it comes to luxury vinyl flooring options, no one has a better selection than the experts at Stoller Floors. Take some time and browse our beautiful, complete product collection today.