Luxury Vinyl Tile - Realistic Stone Effect Flooring
Main Image: Karndean - Da Vinci Collection - CER15 Dune
The Best Flooring Option To Create An Authentic Looking Stone Floor
Are you wanting to create a stone floor in your home or commercial property but worry about using natural materials? Luxury Vinyl Flooring may be the answer! Luxury Vinyl Flooring is a versatile flooring solution which authentically replicates the appearance and texture of real stone flooring with the added benefits of the characteristics of vinyl.
Effortlessly stylish and one-of-a-kind, Luxury Vinyl Flooring is incredibly popular due to its incredibly realistic designs (of which there are a great many!), its additional benefits of being more cushioned underfoot, warmer and sound dampening whilst also being kinder on the wallet than its natural counterparts.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (or LVT) and Luxury Vinyl Plank (or LVP) are almost indistinguishable from the real thing when it comes to natural material effects! This is primarily due to advancements in the manufacturing process and the multi-layer construction of Luxury Vinyl Flooring.
With small variances between brands, Luxury Vinyl Flooring is generally constructed from a solid vinyl backing followed by a rigid core, upon which a print film layer is placed then layered with a clear protective material and finished off with a polyurethane coating. Depending on the brand of Luxury Vinyl Tile there are sometimes a different number of layers used in the process but ultimately the effect remains the same. Because of this process, the aesthetics of the vinyl flooring are incredibly durable and long lasting with most products boasting at least a 10 year guarantee and with many offering an even longer warranty! One of the many reasons for the popularity of Luxury Vinyl Flooring is the long term cost effectiveness of the system as the flooring is modular in its construction and laying meaning that any areas which are inadvertently damaged these can be replaced at minimal cost and disruption whether in the home or in a commercial space.
Like Real Stone But Better!
There are a handful of downsides to a real stone flooring including the potentially high costs of materials and installation, the level of sound created by walking upon its surface, the propensity for scratches and cracks and a coldness to touch which in balmier climes would be a benefit. If you are looking for the appearance of stone flooring without the associated downsides, Luxury Vinyl Flooring could be the flooring solution for you. Suited to all kinds of locations, stone effect Luxury Vinyl Flooring is the long-lasting, attractive and cost effective option which comes with additional benefits!
At Hamilton flooring we work with some of the leading brands in the industry and our go-to's for all things luxury vinyl are Karndean and Amtico. Find out more about how these brands differ in our article ‘Karndean or Amtico...what’s the difference?’
When it comes to realistic stone effect vinyl flooring solutions, Karndean and Amtico really are leading the pack! Both companies use the latest technology to achieve outstanding true-to-life stone effect vinyl options which feature intricately nuanced details and the unique textures of real stone and ceramic tiles to provide the unmistakable appearance of the natural materials! It’s so convincing, no one needs to know it's not the real thing!
Why Choose Luxury Vinyl Flooring Over Real Stone?
This is a really good point - if LVT is so realistic, what makes it better than the real thing? It goes without saying that Luxury Vinyl Tile can’t ever fully compete with the authenticity of real stone flooring but equally, with that authenticity comes some drawbacks. Natural stone and ceramic tiles are cooler underfoot so if you are looking for something a little warmer, LVT is the choice for you. Furthermore, Luxury Vinyl Flooring is suitable for use with underfloor heating systems. LVT also has the additional benefit of being sound dampening, softer underfoot, incredibly durable and with an astounding array of design options!
Natural Stone Vs Stone Effect LVT: Maintenance
Natural stone flooring and ceramic tiling are known for the intensive level of maintenance which is required to ensure that the floor remains attractive, protected and durable. Specific treatments and regular maintenance are required to prevent staining and damage to natural stone flooring which can be quite porous. The process of cleaning and applying protectants are often costly and time-consuming. With its double protective top layer, Luxury Vinyl Flooring will never ‘wear-out’ - contrary to popular myths about synthetic stone flooring options - as the incredibly high quality ‘image’ is protected by both a protective layer and top coating. The same goes for stone effect Luxury Vinyl Flooring which has embossed elements to add to the textural realism of the product, these layers are always protected by a coating which can be recoated to refresh the flooring - although this is not normally required in the first decade of use. In terms of maintenance, Luxury Vinyl Flooring requires only basic sweeping and mopping as needed and does not require specialist products (although you will be advised on products which are not suitable for use with this flooring by nature of overly harsh abrasion which will affect the longevity of the flooring).
Natural Stone Vs Stone Effect LVT: Cost & Comfort
Although it was once true to say that natural stone flooring was something of a costly luxury, there are now more affordable options available in certain types of stone products and ceramic tiles. That being said, it remains a costly exercise and a labour of love to source the perfect stone and maintain it. Luxury Vinyl Tile has the added benefit that the visual appearance of the product can be managed, unlike natural stone. Design options are available with more of an organic feel which will feature more variation in colour tone etc but also if you are looking for a sleeker finish, LVT allows you to control this more.
With Luxury Vinyl Flooring there are a huge variety of costing options and you can create the effect of an extremely expensive ceramic or stone flooring for a fraction of the cost with the additional benefits associated with a synthetic flooring solution. One of the main benefits is the increased level of comfort experienced with Luxury Vinyl flooring when compared to natural stone. There is additional cushioning with LVT as well as the benefit of extremely tight connections and faux grouting which unlike real grouting wont have you on your hands and knees with a toothbrush trying to get clean!
Although extreme exposure to UV light is not recommended from an aesthetic perspective for LVT, the materials used within the layers which make up LVT are resistant to changes in temperature and are resistant to moisture. On that note it should be said that unlike sheet vinyl, LVT is water resistant rather than fully waterproof. If there were to be a flooding situation, LVT can be taken up, dried out and relaid, or sections replaced because of its modular laying system.
Natural Stone Vs Stone Effect LVT: Design Options
Both Karndean and Amtico boast a huge selection of design options for their stone effect Luxury Vinyl Flooring. Both brands offer a wide choice of realistic natural stone effect designs, from contemporary slate to more traditional limestone, and everything in between. All of the designs across both Karndean and Amtico are crafted to perfection to reflect the unique patterns and variance of real stone.
From a huge variety of colour options to embossing, from a variety of stone types and effects to a multitude of laying patterns - the sky really is the limit when it comes to Luxury Vinyl Flooring. Choosing Vinyl over the real thing never has to mean a compromise!
Examples of Realistic Stone Effect Luxury Vinyl Flooring
It would be almost impossible to showcase all of the options available, so here at Hamilton Flooring, we have selected three different stone effect Luxury Vinyl Flooring options from both Karndean and Amtico that we really love. Just to reiterate though, there are numerous styles available and with so many options to navigate, it can be hard to decide on the perfect flooring system and design choice for your flooring needs, that's where the experts at Hamilton Flooring come in! We are here to help you explore the LVT possibilities and advise on the most suitable options for your needs.
Hamilton Flooring’s Top Picks: Stone Effect Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Karndean
The dramatic feel of this LVT makes it a wonderful choice for the home, particularly the bathroom. With the feel of a really luxury spa, Oakeley Slate has a rich tone and takes its inspiration from an original piece of slate recovered from the largest underground slate quarry in the world, Oakley Quarry, based in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales, before its closure in April 2010. Welsh slate is a sought after and distinctive stone with its range of greys and greens giving it that understated yet intriguing feel.
Michelangelo MS2 Navarra Chalk
From the Michelangelo collection is the exquisite Navarra Chalk which has a beautiful and natural feel to it. The LVT brings together a variety of warm and sandy tones with a tactile surface and the aesthetic of pebbles placed in poured concrete - truly a rustic and calming flooring option. Unlike the 'real thing' this LVT is soft underfoot whilst still achieving that feeling of smooth raised pebbles with none of the roughness that would be experienced by natural sand and stone flooring. This is a stylish option for any home or commercial space.
The Knight Tile York Stone is an example of the beauty of subtlety. This stone effect Luxury Vinyl Tile is classic style with the everyday functionality which is achieved with vinyl flooring options. The warm sandy tones with a granular design are incredibly realistic and with the large 18x12" scale tiles you can create a dramatic effect with ease. This colourway works wonderfully with bold colour schemes as well as neutral decor and would be ideal in both residential properties as well as in bars, shops and hotels. It's a brilliant all-rounder!
Amtico
We couldn't resist the inclusion of the intense emerald green of the Encaustic Tourmaline tile although we suspect it comes under 'mineral effect' rather than stone but the luxurious colour is too good not to include. Perfect for creating an accent colour in a space or adding a unique twist to your commercial space.
Spacia - Century Concrete SS5S3069
Concrete is having something of a revival in interior design and we think that Century concrete is a gorgeous example of this. With its neutral mid-grey tone is complemented by the variation within each tile which replicates the effect of real concrete - but softer. This is an understated take on the industrial look which has been popular in recent years but softened with a classic laying pattern.
Amtico Click - SB5S6100 - Smart Ceramic Frost
Ultra modern and cool, Ceramic Frost creates an air of tranquility to a space. The subtle pattina in the tile adds depth to this fresh tile and adds to the authentic appearance of 'ceramic' with all the comfort of LVT. The brightness of this option is refreshing and well suited to areas of calm and relaxation such as spas, luxury shopping boutiques and residential homes.
Luxury Vinyl Flooring at Hamilton Flooring
The applications of Luxury Vinyl Tile and Luxury Vinyl Planks are varied and adaptable, with so many options to choose from and so many locations to which it is suited. Hamilton Flooring are your local flooring specialists and LVT installation experts and are here to help you with any project big or small, residential or commercial and everything in between. To find out more about our Luxury Vinyl Flooring services and to book a consultation, get in touch today
Unless otherwise stated, Images are used for illustrative purposes and do not represent work untaken by Hamilton flooring - examples of work completed can be found in our Gallery