The LVT flooring buyer's guide: types, jargon, prices and how to compare

This guide is for anyone in the UK choosing a luxury vinyl tile floor for the first time, and for anyone who has been handed a quote full of words they do not know. It explains what LVT is, the types you can buy, what every term on a spec sheet means, how to compare ranges fairly, what it costs to buy and fit, and the mistakes that cause most of the complaints we hear. The prices and specifications in the tables are from our own catalogue and were checked on 9 November 2026. They include VAT.

LVT key facts

Fact	The figure	Where it comes from
What LVT stands for	Luxury vinyl tile	Industry name
Usual home wear layer	0.3 mm	Residential standard across UK ranges
Commercial grade wear layer	0.55 mm and above	Use class 33 ranges, EN ISO 10874
Glue down thickness	2.0 to 3.0 mm	Ranges in our catalogue, November 2026
Click SPC thickness	5.0 to 6.0 mm	Ranges in our catalogue, November 2026
Price range, supply only	£17.95 to £42.99 per m² inc VAT	Our catalogue, 9 November 2026
Fitting labour, plank	About £15 to £30 per m²	UK cost guides, 2026; herringbone costs more
Waste to add	10% for plank, 15% for herringbone	Standard fitting allowance
Adhesive coverage	3 to 3.5 m² per kg	Adhesive data sheets
Underfloor heating limit	Floor surface 27°C	EN ISO 12524, Daytona test sheet
Subfloor moisture limit	Under 75% relative humidity	BS 8203

What LVT is, in one minute

LVT is a floor made in layers. A printed picture of wood or stone sits on a vinyl core, under a clear, hard top coat called the wear layer. It comes in planks, tiles and small blocks for herringbone. It is thinner than laminate, far tougher than sheet vinyl, warmer underfoot than ceramic tile, and it wipes clean. Most of what you see in UK homes, shops and offices that looks like oak boards is LVT.

Despite the name, nearly all of it is planks, not tiles. The "luxury" part only separates it from cheap roll vinyl. We do not lean on the word. If you want the longer version, read What is LVT flooring?, which has a short video.

The three types you can buy

Every LVT floor is fitted one of three ways. This choice matters more than the colour, because it decides who can fit it, how it feels and what it costs.

	Glue down (dryback)	Click SPC (rigid core)	Loose lay
How it is fitted	Stuck to a smooth, flat subfloor with adhesive	Planks click together and float on the subfloor	Heavy backed tiles sit under their own weight, no adhesive
Thickness	2.0 to 3.0 mm	5.0 to 6.0 mm, often with an attached foam underlay	About 5 mm
Who fits it	A professional fitter	A confident DIYer or a fitter	Either
Feel	Solid, flush, no joints you can feel	Firm, slight give from the underlay	Solid
Herringbone and borders	Yes, this is where it shines	Some ranges only	Rarely
Subfloor demands	High. It shows every bump	Lower. Bridges small flaws	Medium
Underfloor heating	Yes, on rated ranges	Yes, on rated ranges	Check the range
Taking it up later	Hard work	Easy	Easy
Typical supply price	£17.95 to £42.99 per m²	£26.95 to £40.99 per m²	Not something we stock

Our plain advice: glue down for a floor you want to keep for 20 years, for herringbone, for commercial spaces and for any floor over underfloor heating. Click SPC for a DIY job, a rental you may change, or a room where the subfloor is sound but not perfect. Read the longer comparison in glue down vs click LVT.

The jargon, explained in plain English

These are the words you will meet on spec sheets, quotes and product pages. Each one is explained in a sentence or two, with the number to look for where there is one.

Wear layer

The clear top coat that takes the footfall, grit and chair legs. It is the single most important number on the sheet. 0.3 mm is the usual home standard. 0.55 mm is commercial grade. 0.7 mm is heavy commercial. Our own Daytona range has a 0.55 mm wear layer, which is 83% more than the 0.3 mm residential standard. More depth means more protection. See wear layers explained.

Total thickness

The whole plank, from backing to top. It is not the wear layer. A 6 mm click plank can have a thinner wear layer than a 2 mm glue down plank. Compare the two numbers separately. Thickness matters for door clearances and for how the floor meets the next room.

Use class (EN ISO 10874)

A two-digit code for where the floor is meant to go. The first digit is the setting: 2 is home, 3 is commercial, 4 is industrial. The second is how hard it is used: 1 light, 2 general, 3 heavy, 4 very heavy. So class 23 is a busy home and class 33 is a busy shop or office. A floor rated 33 will shrug off a family hallway.

SPC and WPC

Two kinds of rigid core used in click floors. SPC is stone plastic composite: dense, stable, thin, good over slightly uneven subfloors. WPC is wood plastic composite: thicker, softer and warmer underfoot, but less common now. All the click floors we sell are SPC.

Dryback

Trade slang for glue down LVT. The back of the plank is dry, and the fitter supplies the adhesive. If a quote says dryback, it means glue down.

Heterogeneous and homogeneous

Heterogeneous vinyl is made in layers with a printed design, which is nearly all LVT. Homogeneous vinyl is one material all the way through, used in hospitals and schools. You will rarely see homogeneous sold for homes.

Registered emboss

The surface texture lines up with the printed grain, so the knots and grain you see are the knots and grain you feel. Floors without it have a texture that ignores the picture. It is one of the biggest differences between a convincing floor and one that looks printed.

Bevelled edge and micro bevel

A small angled cut along the edge of each plank, so the joints read as separate boards. A micro bevel is a very small version. Square edged planks fit flush and read as one surface. Herringbone usually uses a micro bevel so the pattern is crisp.

Slip ratings: R values and DS

Two tests. DIN 51130 is a ramp test, where a person walks on an oiled ramp that tilts until they slip. R9 is the lowest, R13 the highest. R10 is the standard for homes and most dry commercial rooms. EN 13893 measures dynamic friction and classes a floor DS if a moving shoe gets enough grip. Daytona is R10 and DS. Treat these as test results, not a promise that nobody will slip on a wet floor.

Fire class: Bfl-s1

The European fire rating for floors. B means limited contribution to fire. fl means it is a floor covering. s1 means low smoke. Specifiers ask for it in commercial work. Most quality LVT reaches Bfl-s1.

Underfloor heating and the 27°C rule

Most LVT is fine over water or electric underfloor heating, as long as the floor surface stays at or below 27°C. The heating system, not the floor, has to be set up for that. Warm the floor up and cool it down slowly. See flooring and underfloor heating.

Subfloor, DPM and smoothing compound

The subfloor is what the LVT sits on: concrete, screed, floorboards or plywood. A DPM is a damp proof membrane, a barrier that stops ground moisture rising into the floor. Smoothing compound, also called self-levelling compound, is a thin layer poured over the subfloor to make it flat. Glue down LVT needs a smooth, flat, dry subfloor, and this is where most fitting costs and most problems live. Read subfloor preparation.

Moisture test and 75% RH

Before laying, a fitter should test a concrete or screed subfloor for moisture. British Standard BS 8203 says the relative humidity should be under 75% before a resilient floor goes down. A new screed can take weeks or months to dry. If your fitter does not mention a moisture test, ask.

Acclimatisation

Leaving the boxes in the room they will be fitted in, at normal room temperature, usually for 24 to 48 hours before fitting. It lets the planks settle to the room so they do not move after they are laid.

Expansion gap

Click floors float, so they need a small gap around the edge of the room to move. It is hidden under the skirting or a trim. The maker states the gap. Glue down floors are stuck fast and do not need one.

Pack size and price per m²

Flooring is priced per square metre but sold by the pack. A pack covers a set area, often 2 to 4 m². You buy whole packs. Always compare prices per m², then check the pack price you will pay. Our flooring calculator works out packs from your room sizes.

Waste allowance

The extra you buy to cover cuts at the walls and mistakes. Add 10% for plank laid straight, and 15% for herringbone, chevron or diagonal lays, because every edge needs an angled cut.

Batch number

A code on each box showing which production run it came from. Shades vary slightly between batches. Ask for all your packs from one batch, and keep a spare pack from the same batch for repairs.

Herringbone, chevron and parquet

Herringbone is rectangular blocks laid in a zigzag, with each block meeting the next at a right angle. Chevron blocks have angled ends so they meet in a point and form an arrow. Parquet is the general word for any floor made of small blocks. All three cost more to fit than planks. See herringbone laying patterns.

Castor chair test and residual indentation

Two tests you will see on commercial sheets. The castor chair test (EN 425) rolls an office chair over the floor many thousands of times. Residual indentation is how much of a dent stays after a heavy weight is lifted. Under 0.1 mm is very good.

Phthalate free and A+ indoor air

Phthalates are softeners used in older vinyl. Quality LVT is now made without them. A+ is the best grade in the French indoor air emissions scheme, which many UK ranges are tested to. Both are worth looking for if anyone in the house has asthma or you are fitting a nursery.

Compare-at price or "was" price

The crossed-out price next to the sale price. Some sites invent it. If a floor has always been £30 per m², a "was £45" means nothing. Judge the real price per m² against the wear layer and use class.

The six numbers to compare, in order

1. Wear layer. 0.3 mm for a quiet bedroom. 0.55 mm for the rest of the house and for any business. 0.7 mm where the traffic is heavy.
2. Use class. Look for 23 as a minimum at home, 33 for commercial.
3. Total thickness and fitting type. Decides who fits it and how doors and thresholds work.
4. Slip rating. R10 and DS for kitchens, halls and any commercial floor.
5. Guarantee, stated two ways. A good range says how long for a home and how long for a business, because they are different. A guarantee that gives one figure without saying which setting it covers is a flag. Daytona is 25 years residential and 10 years commercial, backed by us.
6. Price per m² including VAT, then the pack price. Only after the five above.

Range by range: what we sell and who it suits

Every range we stock, cheapest first, with the numbers above. Prices are per m² including VAT, checked 9 November 2026. All glue down ranges listed are suitable for underfloor heating.

Range	Type	Wear layer	Thickness	Price per m²	Who it suits
Nordikka plank and herringbone	Glue down	0.55 mm	2.5 mm	£17.95 to £19.95	The lowest price for a 0.55 mm wear layer we sell. Rentals, whole-house projects on a budget.
Kulta	Glue down	0.3 mm	2.0 mm	£18.99	Bedrooms, spare rooms, light use. Includes herringbone at the same price.
Daytona, our own LVT range	Glue down	0.55 mm	2.0 mm	£22.99 plank, £24.99 herringbone	Whole house, kitchens, halls, shops. Use class 23 and 33, R10 and DS, 25 years residential and 10 years commercial guarantee. Six oak-effect shades in both formats.
Invictus Primus	Glue down and click	0.3 mm	2.0 mm, click 5.0 mm	£24.99 to £29.99	A branded floor at an entry price. Bedrooms and living rooms.
Nordikka SPC	Click	0.55 mm	5.0 to 6.0 mm	£26.95	DIY fitting with a commercial grade wear layer. Plank and herringbone.
Textures	Glue down	0.55 mm	2.5 mm	£29.99 plank, £35.99 herringbone	Realistic wood effects and six stone-effect tiles. Kitchens and open plan rooms.
Invictus Maximus	Glue down	0.55 mm	2.5 mm	£29.99 to £38.99	The core Invictus range. Planks, parquet and patterned tiles.
Nordikka Naturals	Glue down	0.7 mm	3.0 mm	£32.49 to £37.49	Heavy use at home or in business. Plank, herringbone and a stone tile.
Elements Inspirations	Glue down	0.7 mm	2.5 mm	£35.99 plank, £39.99 herringbone	The heaviest wear layer in our catalogue. Busy family homes, shops, cafés.
Invictus Maximus Click	Click	0.55 mm	6.0 mm	£39.99 to £40.99	A premium click floor, some with a cork backing for quiet.
Invictus Ultimus	Glue down	0.7 mm	2.5 mm	£42.99	Parquet and chevron with a heavy commercial wear layer.
Amtico Spacia	Glue down	0.55 mm	2.5 mm	Price on request	The widest choice of plank, tile, parquet and stripwood shapes. Price is shown when you enter an email on the product page. Samples from amtico.com.
Amtico Click Smart	Click	0.55 mm	6.0 mm	Price on request	Amtico's click floor, with parquet blocks in some shades.

Two things stand out from the table. First, the wear layer does not follow the price. Nordikka at £17.95 and Amtico Spacia share the same 0.55 mm. Second, click floors cost more per m² than glue down for the same wear layer, but you may save the fitting cost. Work out the whole job, not the floor alone.

Room by room

• Hallway. The hardest-working floor in the house. 0.55 mm or more, glue down, R10. A good doormat is the cheapest thing that will make the floor last longer.
• Kitchen. Spills, dropped pans, chairs dragged in and out. 0.55 mm, R10 and DS. Glue down sits flush so there are no joints for water to find. Wipe up standing water.
• Bathroom and en suite. LVT is water resistant, so splashes and condensation are fine. It is not a wet room floor. The subfloor must stay dry, and we do not recommend any LVT where water will sit or where a shower drains onto the floor.
• Living room. Anything from 0.3 mm up. Spend the saving on the subfloor or on herringbone.
• Bedroom. 0.3 mm is enough. Felt pads under the bed legs.
• Conservatory. Big swings in temperature. Choose a range with a tested dimensional stability figure (Daytona is 0.15% or less), use glue down, and shade the glass in summer. Ask before you buy.
• Rental and let property. 0.55 mm glue down. It survives tenants and cleans up between lets. Keep spare packs from the same batch for repairs.
• Shop, café, office. Use class 33, 0.55 mm or more, R10, Bfl-s1, castor chair pass. Ask for the commercial guarantee term in writing, separately from the residential one.

What it costs: a worked example

A hall and kitchen of 20 m², laid in Daytona plank at £22.99 per m² including VAT.

Item	The working	Cost
Area to order	20 m² plus 10% waste = 22 m²
Packs	22 ÷ 3.685 m² per pack = 5.97, so 6 packs	6 × £84.72 = £508.32
Adhesive	22 m² ÷ 3 m² per kg = 7.3 kg, so one 14 kg tub (a 6 kg tub is not enough, two would cost more)	£149.99
Delivery	Free on every floor from us	£0
Fitting labour	20 m² at £15 to £30 per m² (UK guide figures, plank)	£300 to £600
Subfloor preparation	Smoothing compound and labour if needed. Varies a lot	Often £5 to £13 per m²
Total before subfloor work		£958 to £1,258

Herringbone on the same room would need 15% waste (23 m²), herringbone packs of 2.926 m² (8 packs at £73.12, £584.96) and higher fitting labour, because every block is cut at the walls. Run your own rooms through the flooring calculator and the adhesive calculator. Both show every step of the sum.

Twelve things fitters wish buyers knew

1. Order samples and look at them in the room. Morning light, evening light, next to the kitchen units and the skirting. A sample looks different in a shop than on your floor. Ours are free, up to five per order.
2. Read the wear layer, not the thickness. Thick is not tough. 0.55 mm on a 2 mm plank beats 0.3 mm on a 6 mm one.
3. The subfloor is most of the result. A £40 floor on a bad subfloor looks worse than an £18 floor on a good one. Budget for smoothing compound.
4. Ask for a moisture test on any concrete or screed floor. Under 75% RH, or wait.
5. Acclimatise the boxes for 24 to 48 hours in the room at normal temperature.
6. Buy from one batch, and keep one spare pack. A repair in five years will not match a new batch.
7. Add the right waste. 10% plank, 15% herringbone. Running out mid-job costs you a week and a batch mismatch.
8. Use the adhesive the floor maker names, and a high temperature adhesive anywhere with big windows or underfloor heating. Coverage is 3 to 3.5 m² per kg.
9. Check the guarantee says both terms. Residential and commercial, in years, in writing.
10. Felt pads and a door mat do more for a floor than any cleaner. Grit is what scratches.
11. Clean with a neutral pH cleaner, never bleach, steam or polish. Sweep first.
12. Get three fitting quotes, and ask each what subfloor work is included. The cheap quote often is not.

When LVT is the wrong choice

We sell it, and we will still tell you when not to buy it. Do not fit LVT in a wet room or anywhere water will pool. Do not glue it to a subfloor you are not willing to make flat and dry. Do not expect it to add value the way real wood sometimes does, because buyers see it as vinyl however good it looks. And do not fit any floor over underfloor heating that cannot be kept to 27°C at the surface. If you are between LVT and the alternatives, read laminate vs LVT.

Buyer's checklist

• Wear layer in mm, written down.
• Use class.
• Glue down or click, and who is fitting it.
• Slip rating, if it is a kitchen, hall or business.
• Guarantee: residential years and commercial years.
• Price per m² including VAT, pack size, pack price.
• Waste added: 10% or 15%.
• Adhesive named and quantity worked out.
• Subfloor checked for flatness and moisture.
• Samples seen in the room.
• Delivery cost and lead time.
• Returns terms for unopened packs.

Questions people ask before buying LVT

What is a good wear layer for LVT?

0.3 mm is fine for a bedroom. 0.55 mm is the right choice for halls, kitchens, living rooms and any business. 0.7 mm is for heavy commercial traffic. Buy the wear layer for your busiest room.

Is thicker LVT better?

Not on its own. Total thickness affects feel and how the floor meets doors and other rooms. Durability comes from the wear layer. Compare both numbers separately.

Glue down or click: which is better?

Glue down gives a flush, solid, long-term floor and suits herringbone, commercial spaces and underfloor heating, but it needs a professional and a prepared subfloor. Click SPC is for DIY fitting and forgives small subfloor flaws. Neither is better in every room.

Can LVT go in a bathroom?

Yes, for a normal family bathroom, as long as the subfloor stays dry and standing water is wiped up. It is not suitable for a wet room or anywhere water pools.

Can LVT go over underfloor heating?

Yes, on ranges rated for it. The floor surface must stay at or below 27°C, and the heating should be warmed up and cooled down gradually. Check the adhesive is rated for underfloor heating too.

How much does LVT cost in the UK?

Supply only, quality LVT runs from about £18 to £43 per m² including VAT. Fitting labour adds about £15 to £30 per m² for plank and more for herringbone. Subfloor preparation and adhesive are extra. A 20 m² room in a 0.55 mm glue down floor comes to roughly £1,000 to £1,300 fitted, before any subfloor work.

How much extra should I order?

Add 10% to your measured area for planks laid straight, and 15% for herringbone, chevron or diagonal lays. Round up to whole packs and keep one spare pack.

Can I fit LVT myself?

Click SPC, yes, if you are a confident DIYer with a sound subfloor. Glue down is a professional job. The subfloor must be smooth, flat and dry, and adhesive mistakes are hard to put right.

Is LVT the same as vinyl flooring or lino?

No. Sheet vinyl comes on a roll and is thinner, with a light wear layer. Linoleum is a different material made from linseed oil. LVT is thicker, made in layers, and comes as separate planks or tiles with a proper wear layer.

How long does LVT last?

A 0.55 mm glue down floor on a good subfloor is a 20-year floor in a home. Our own range carries a 25 year residential guarantee and a 10 year commercial guarantee. Grit control, felt pads and a neutral cleaner are what keep it looking new.

Next steps

Order free samples of up to five floors and look at them in your own rooms. Then run your measurements through the flooring calculator. If you would like us to check the packs for a room, send the sizes through the contact page or ring 0800 870 8795.

Flooring Monster is an online LVT specialist based in Lancashire. We sell glue down and click LVT, our own Daytona range, adhesive and floor care, with free delivery on every floor across the UK. Prices and specifications in this guide were checked on 9 November 2026. Editors and bloggers are welcome to quote the tables and the glossary with a link to this page.