Luxury vinyl plank, or LVP, is the most practical flooring option for restaurants and the food service industry. It boasts a host of benefits, including stunning design options, and unmatched longevity.
LVP is known for its resemblance to hardwood flooring, though there are options that mimic stone and tile. Indeed, it's one of the most versatile flooring options, with a vast range of choices sure to match your needs.
Today we consider why LVP is the best flooring option for restaurants and food service industries by taking a look at several LVP floors and their unique features.
Among the topics we’ll look into are:
- The best LVP brands in the world
- What makes LVP flooring a great option
- Where to find the best deals on LVP flooring
Types of Luxury Vinyl Plank
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is available in many varieties with endless features to suit different use cases. If you’re in the market for high-quality commercial-grade LVP, look no further than Floor City.
At Floor City, we stock the three best luxury vinyl plank flooring brands on the planet—what we like to call the “Big Three.” Specifically, these include:
- Armstrong Luxury Vinyl Planks: We consider LVP flooring from Armstrong the leader of the pack because of their durable and multi-layer construction. Armstrong also uses the best quality materials to deliver unmatched stain, scratch, and water resistance.
- COREtec Luxury Vinyl Planks: COREtec LVP flooring is known for its distinct four-layer build. This provides added durability and cork underlayment, making their floors quieter to walk on. The underlayment layer also gives them better sound absorption which is great for applications where sound control is an issue.
- Shaw Luxury Vinyl Planks: Technically, Shaw owns the COREtec brand, which is a great start. They also provide high-quality LVP flooring under the Floorte brand, which is highly regarded across the industry thanks to its indomitable durability and vast style and color options.
Now that we know which brands to look for, let's go through a few products from the Big Three that are perfect for restaurants and other food service establishments in a bit more detail.
1 - COREtec Pro Plus XL Enhanced Vinyl Plank Flooring
COREtec is considered the OG waterproof luxury vinyl plank manufacturer. They offer a wide selection of vinyl plank flooring options that have the appearance of natural wood or stone with matching texture and warmth.
These planks are available in two distinct categories: Plus, designed for residential use, and Pro, for commercial use.
While both options are robust and guaranteed to deliver great durability, the Pro sub-brand is specifically engineered to withstand high foot traffic, like you would have in a restaurant.
For example, let's consider the COREtec Pro Plus XL Enhanced.
COREtec Pro Plus XL creates a sense of grandeur with its long planks and hyper-realistic painted bevels.
The COREtec Pro Plus XL line of LVP is known for its high durability thanks to its sturdy construction, composite core, and water resistance.
But that’s not all these luxury vinyl planks have to offer. The table below describes a few more key features to keep in mind.
| Feature | COREtec Pro Plus XL Enhanced |
| Material | Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) |
| Thickness | 8 mm |
| Wear Layer | 20 mil |
| Installation Method | Click System |
| Water Resistance | Waterproof |
| Warranty | Lifetime Residential, 10-Year Commercial |
Expert Tip: Floor City provides COREtec coordinating transitions and moldings for this and other COREtec LVP floors. Talk to a Floor City sales rep for details.
Find More Options From the COREtec Pro Line2 - Shaw Floorte Pro Endura Plus Vinyl Plank Flooring
Shaw luxury vinyl plank flooring is built to endure. In fact, “endure” is baked into the name of the Shaw LVP we’re highlighting today—the Floorte Pro Endura Plus.
In this LVP, Shaw combines durability, style, and waterproof technology to deliver a luxury vinyl plank unlike anything else on the market.
The Floorte Pro Endura Plus also features a rigid core for added strength and a thick wear layer that ensures unmatched scratch and stain resistance.
The table below includes a few more notable features of the Shaw Floorte Pro Endura Plus LVP.
| Feature | Shaw Floorte Pro Endura Plus |
| Material | Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) |
| Thickness | 6–8 mm |
| Wear Layer | 20 mil |
| Installation Method | Click System |
| Water Resistance | Waterproof |
| Warranty | Lifetime Residential, 10-Year Commercial |
3 - Armstrong LUXE Plank With Rigid Core
The Armstrong name is effectively synonymous with quality and durability in the flooring world. Indeed, the Armstrong LUXE Plank with Rigid Core does not fall short of this mark.
This robustly built LVP offers the perfect balance between design and performance, making it a favorite in high-foot-traffic, high-moisture, and high-impact applications.
Additionally, this LVP is completely waterproof and comes with a cork underlayment that helps bridge minor subfloor irregularities. This makes installation easy, especially given the angle-locking plank design.
If you’re in the market for the best LVP flooring for your restaurant, you can’t go wrong with the Armstong LUXE Plank with Rigid Core.
The table below describes some other Armstrong LUXE Plank With Rigid Core features that are worth noting.
| Feature | Armstrong LUXE Plank With Rigid Core |
| Material | Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) With Rigid Core |
| Thickness | 5–8 mm |
| Wear Layer | 20 mil |
| Installation Method | Click System |
| Water Resistance | Waterproof |
| Warranty | Lifetime Residential, 15-Year Commercial |
Common Features of Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
As you’ve seen, there are many different types of luxury vinyl plank floors from different manufacturers. However, they share common features that make them ideal for use in restaurants and other food service businesses. These include:
1 - LVPs Are Highly Durable
With proper care and maintenance, your LVP flooring will easily last up to 20 years. Their rigid construction is engineered to take on the rigors of constant use, even in high-traffic areas, with minimal wear and damage.
Additionally, the level of maintenance they need to achieve this longevity is a fraction of what their traditional counterparts, like natural hardwood or stone, require.
Expert Tip: Your luxury vinyl plank floor’s wear layer will determine its durability. The thicker the wear layer, the more durable your flooring.
2 - LVPs Are Water Resistant
LVP flooring typically features a rigid core made from composite material, giving them structural integrity and water resistance.
While water resistance may vary from brand to brand, most luxury vinyl planks will survive exposure to moderate amounts of moisture like spills or during cleaning.
High-end LVPs take this water resistance one step further and are rated as waterproof. This means they can survive more moisture, even complete submersion, without sustaining damage.
Note: Only top LVP flooring brands offer waterproof planks.
3 - LVPs Are Easy to Maintain
Luxury vinyl planks feature a robust wear layer that makes them resistant to scuffs, scratches, and punctures. They’re incredibly easy to maintain
Regular cleaning is typically enough to keep LVP flooring in tip-top shape. However, in the event of a tough stain, a mild cleaner and some elbow grease are all you need to get the job done.
Some brands, like Armstrong, also provide a special polish to buff your floors when they get old and dull.
See Also: Best LVP Flooring Brands | Luxury Vinyl Wood Plank Flooring
Discover Floor City: Your Luxury Vinyl Plank Partner
Floor City is a locally owned and run flooring store and top supplier of luxury vinyl floors in Vancouver, WA.
At Floor City, we take great pride in providing our customers with the best quality products at affordable prices—whether they’re our neighbors in Portland and Hazel Dell or across the country.
We operate out of our showroom at 5909 NE 109th Ave, Vancouver, Washington 98662. We also have a distribution network to serve our clients all over the U.S.
If you live in or near Vancouver, WA, drop by our showroom; we’d be happy to help you find the perfect LVP for your restaurant. Alternatively, you can place an order through our online store and enjoy expedited delivery through our network of pick-up centers.
But don’t take it from us; here are what some happy shoppers have had to say about their experience with Floor City.
"Competitive pricing, excellent inquiry communication, easy ordering, and quick delivery."
"Service, price, dependability, communication, politeness: they excel at everything."
"The staff were all great to work with … They kept me well informed about my order. The delivery guy was great as well [and] the product was exactly as ordered."
Share on Pinterest:
