The Best Vinyl Plank Flooring for Every Room in the House

Our market analysts began this project by identifying the vinyl plank brands and products that you’re most likely to find in stores and online. Hands-on assessment then took place in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

To determine stain resistance, we applied 2 teaspoons of mustard, chocolate, mud and other stubborn ingredients onto vinyl flooring samples. We immediately tried to remove one of the sticky substances with paper towels and all-purpose cleaner. After one hour of drying time, we tried to clean the other. Most vinyl flooring proved highly stain resistant.

To measure water resistance, our experts dropped 250 milliliters of water on each vinyl floor sample and let it sit for one hour. The best models showed no signs of seepage, thanks to their water-tight joints.

The abrasion test is where our experts saw the most range in results. We use an abrasion machine that delivers hundreds of passes of fine-grit sandpaper, simulating years of foot traffic, to measure wear- and scratch-resistance. Flooring with thick wear layers tends to offer the best wear-resistance.

To assess appearance, our design experts compare samples to determine which have the most convincing patterns, whether its the graining of a wood-look product or the color and veining of one that's meant to simulate natural stone. Finally, our experts take into consideration ease of installation, including how easy the material is to cut, as well as the fit of tongue-and-groove profiles.

When it comes to vinyl plank flooring, generally the less expensive models are more DIY-friendly, though they tend to come with some trade-off in looks and performance. Here are the key factors that will help you land on the perfect vinyl.

✔️ Type: Vinyl plank flooring refers to any flooring with a vinyl top layer. As you shop around, you’ll encounter a few subcategories:

• Luxury vinyl tile, often called LVT for short, is a high-end vinyl that can cost nearly as much as natural wood and stone flooring. Construction quality is usually excellent and you'll find a wide range of design options, which are often indistinguishable from the real materials they're meant to imitate.
• Rigid core vinyl is another premium vinyl plank option (in fact, a lot of LVT is also rigid core). Though it looks great, its biggest advantage is its durability and ability to repel water. It consists of multiple layers, including a protective top coat, the vinyl design layer, a composite core and a cushioned underlayment that provides softness underfoot and sound insulation.
• Flexible vinyl is easy to install — that's what sets this category apart. The thin vinyl planks can be cut to size using a utility knife (unlike the mechanical saw required with sturdier flooring materials), then glued down with construction adhesive. At the low end of the category, most flexible vinyl comes with peel-and-stick backings that make for even easier installation.

✔️ Thickness: Two specs apply here:

• Plank thickness represents the thickness of the plank itself, measured in millimeters (mm). Thicker planks, around 5mm and up, are generally more durable, but they're harder to work with during installation.
• Wear layer thickness relates to the thickness of the protective wear layer, measured in mils (one mil is a thousandth of an inch). A thicker wear layer, say 12 mm or higher, will perform best in high-traffic areas.

✔️ Underlayment: Better vinyl flooring has an attached pad that can eliminate the need for a separate underlayment during installation (damp basement floors may still need an additional polyethylene water barrier). Whether made of foam, cork or rubber, the backing will help muffle sound, nice for vinyl floors that are being installed on an upper level of the home.

✔️ Authentic patterns: Most vinyl flooring consists of a photo of actual wood or stone that’s sandwiched between a substrate and a clear-plastic protective wear layer. While the latest printing technology can result in incredibly authentic grain and vein patterns, too much repetition can be a giveaway. Typical pattern repeat is every six planks, but some vinyl flooring has a pattern repeat of 10 or 12, creating a more realistic variation across the floor.

Vinyl plank flooring is relatively easy to install, so capable DIYers will only have to carry the cost of tools and materials. Many products are so-called "floating floor" systems, with planks that snap together with a tongue-and-groove profile.

Flexible vinyl flooring is another DIY-friendly option, featuring easy-to-cut planks or tiles that can be glued to any clean, stable substrate, such as concrete, a wood subfloor or even an existing floor made of vinyl or tile. With either approach, a fair amount of complex measuring is needed to get the flooring just right.

If you don’t have the time or skill set, professional installation of vinyl flooring averages $2,500, according to Angi, the home services marketplace. For a single room or area of the home, expect to spend $2 to $10 per square foot (that works out to $400 to $2,000 for a 200 square-foot kitchen). The variation is due to the wide range of quality in the vinyl category, as well as the condition of your existing substrate.

Because vinyl plank flooring is a mass-market product, it’s easy to find and you won’t have to deal with long lead times, unless you choose a specialty item. Choose from these major retailers.

✔️ The Home Depot: With some 2,300 locations nationwide, the biggest home center carries a wide range of vinyl floor products. It’s a big seller of LifeProof, a reputable brand that performed well in our latest tests. The Home Depot also offers installation service and a certified technician will even come take in-home measurements, so you don’t have to worry about getting the order wrong.

✔️ Lowe’s: The country’s second biggest home center is another safe bet for vinyl flooring. Its service offerings are even more robust, including in-home flooring measurements, design consults, professional installation and free shipping on flooring samples.

✔️ LL Flooring: Formerly known as Lumber Liquidators, LL Flooring has more than 400 locations across 47 states, plus an excellent website that makes it easy to find the right flooring and receive up to four free samples.

✔️ Floor & Décor: Though LL Flooring has the most locations, Floor & Décor sells the most flooring, so you’re guaranteed to find a wide selection of vinyl floors at all price points. The site has an extensive library of virtual how-to clinics, for those looking to save by installing their flooring themselves.

I've covered the residential flooring market for more than two decades. In that time, I've tested every major flooring material — not just vinyl, but also laminate, stone and all types of wood. I've also written countless how-to articles on the installation and maintenance of floors, working closely with professional installers to understand the latest techniques and innovations. In my role at the Good Housekeeping Institute, I oversee all flooring testing, working closely with our team of engineers and product experts. I also manage consumer surveys designed to capture homeowners' experiences with various flooring materials. And I'm a regular at trade shows and industry events, where I keep up with the latest trends in the marketplace.

For this report, I worked closely with Alec Scherma, test engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where he helps create and implement new product testing methodology across home, cooking and cleaning appliances, wellness and tech products and more. Scherma graduated from Drexel University’s College of Engineering with a B.A. in mechanical engineering.