One of the most common interactions I have selling flooring is when a customer comes in and says they are looking for the flooring that is waterproof. When this occurs, I always ask the same questions, what is the application they are looking for and what is the most important feature they are after, waterproof or durability? I would like to explain why I ask those questions by explaining the difference between Waterproof Flooring and Water-Resistant flooring and their commonly used applications.
Waterproof and water-resistant are not the same thing, and picking the wrong option for a high- moisture room is a common flooring mistake that homeowner make. The difference comes down to how long the flooring can be exposed to moisture before damage occurs. It is also important to remember that while some flooring types boast 100% waterproof, very few, if any, have no reaction to moisture. Especially in the case of larger spills and flooding where water or moisture reaches a wall and moves down to the subfloor and walls causing damage. If so, while the materials may not be damaged it may still be required to remove the flooring to dry or replace the affected areas and once installed, even if undamaged, the planks cannot be re-installed.
Waterproof: The most common examples of waterproof flooring are SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) plank or Resin or Vinyl core LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank). Waterproof flooring can handle liquid spills, standing water, and most moisture-related accidents without damaging the planks themselves. Even with that prolonged or severe flooding can still cause damage over time both to materials and your home. More commonly used in high moisture areas like bathrooms and basements where moisture, accidents, and floods are likely to accrue.
Water Resistant: Water-resistant flooring, on the other hand, is designed to handle minor spills or accidents when addressed in a reasonable time. Most water-resistant floorings have levels of guaranteed or warrantied time for stagnate moisture before critical failure occurs, often between 48 – 96hrs. Laminate floorings are amongst the most common water-resistant floorings, offering a good middle ground in moisture protection between LVP’s and engendered hardwoods, while often offering superior indentation and scratch resistance over both LVP and SPC vinyl flooring. The most common applications for water-resistant floorings are living areas, bedrooms, home offices, hallways and kitchens.
The second part of the question is specifically about what is the most important to the customer; waterproof or durability? I ask the question this way due to LVP Resin or vinyl core being far more flexible, making it far less indent and scratch resistant to other materials. SPC solves a good amount of this issue but are not 100% waterproof being damaged with prolonged submergence. Lamanites and some engendered hardwoods that carry high moisture resistance warranties are far more durable offering far higher levels of indentation and scratch resistance. There is always a trade-off however, the more waterproof you become the more you give up durability. That is why it is always good to use the proper material for the application. Educating yourself with deeper research and dealing with an experienced installer at a local business can save you from making the same mistake a lot of homeowners make and lead to longer lasting beautiful floors in your home.
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