LVT flooring terms.
From label to specification.

Luxury vinyl tile. The term is also used broadly for decorative vinyl flooring supplied as modular tiles or planks. A typical multilayer product has a printed visual beneath a transparent wear layer.

Before ordering Identify the construction and fitting method as well as the LVT name.

Luxury vinyl plank. LVP normally describes the elongated plank format, often with a wood visual. The acronym alone says nothing about a flexible or rigid core.

Before ordering Specify plank dimensions, structure and intended installation.

A vinyl tile or plank with a pliable body, unlike rigid-core flooring. Flexible LVT can be supplied for different fitting methods; flexibility alone does not define how it is installed.

Before ordering Ask for the actual backing and installation instructions.

Rigid core describes a stiff structural body. SPC commonly means stone plastic or stone polymer composite, a mineral-filled polymer core. Some sellers include rigid products within a broad LVT or LVP range.

Before ordering State the core construction explicitly rather than relying on category names.

Vinyl composition tile is a distinct resilient-flooring category. VCT and conventional multilayer LVT can have different constructions, appearance and maintenance regimes.

Before ordering Check the product identity before comparing price or maintenance cost.

Dry back, also written dryback, usually means a non-self-adhesive LVT supplied for bonding with a separately selected flooring adhesive. Glue-down describes the fitting method.

Before ordering Agree the adhesive, substrate preparation and site conditions.

LVT with mechanical edge joints that connect neighboring pieces. Click describes the joint; it does not establish that the floor has an SPC core.

Before ordering Confirm the joint profile, core and permitted installation layout.

Also written looselay: a modular vinyl system designed around its backing and restraint arrangement, often allowing convenient individual replacement. Adhesive or tackifier may still be required.

Before ordering Obtain the fixing rules for room size, sunlight and expected loads.

Vinyl supplied with a factory-applied adhesive and a removable release liner. This is different from dry back, which normally needs a separate adhesive.

Before ordering Check substrate compatibility and the intended service conditions.

The transparent protective material above the printed design in conventional multilayer LVT. Wear-layer thickness is one durability input; it does not by itself determine scratch, dent or slip behavior.

Before ordering Record wear-layer thickness separately from total gauge.

The thickness of the finished floor covering. A quotation should say what the measurement includes, especially when a backing or pad is present.

Before ordering Define the measurement basis and the permitted variation.

A surface finish may be described by its curing process, such as UV-cured, or by chemistry, such as polyurethane (PU). These labels describe different attributes and may both apply.

Before ordering Confirm the actual finish; UV-cured does not mean fade-proof.

The layer carrying the visible wood, stone or abstract image. Its visual detail, color and pattern scale are separate from the wear-layer specification.

Before ordering Approve a full-size sample, not only a screen image.

The underside of the tile or plank. Depending on the product, it may be an adhesive-bonding surface, a friction backing, a self-adhesive layer or an attached pad.

Before ordering Specify its function; do not assume every LVT includes foam.

An internal reinforcement, such as a glass-fiber component, used in some constructions to help control movement. It is not present in every product.

Before ordering Request a construction breakdown where reinforcement matters.

A mil is one thousandth of an inch: exactly 0.0254 mm. A millimeter is a different unit. A 20 mil wear layer converts to 0.508 mm.

Before ordering Choose a controlling unit and keep rounded equivalents separate.

Nominal is the stated target or reference dimension. Tolerance is the agreed allowable variation. A nominal description is not automatically a guaranteed minimum.

Before ordering Put the minimum, tolerance and measurement method in the approval record.

A physical texture formed into the surface. A wood-grain texture can be present without following the exact printed grain beneath it.

Before ordering Approve texture and ease of cleaning on a physical sample.

Embossed in register means the surface relief is aligned with features in the printed décor. EIR describes visual and tactile alignment, rather than a performance class.

Before ordering Inspect print-to-texture alignment and confirm availability by décor.

An edge treatment that defines the joint visually. A micro-bevel is generally a small bevel, but the term does not specify a universal angle or depth.

Before ordering Agree the edge shape, color and assembled appearance.

Gloss describes reflected sheen; matte describes a lower-sheen appearance. Words such as super-matte are not interchangeable numerical specifications.

Before ordering Retain a finish reference and a measurement basis when needed.

Pattern repeat describes recurrence of the printed image. Multiple faces can vary the installed appearance, but a face count alone does not show how natural a whole floor looks.

Before ordering Review a multi-plank layout and the intended mix.

Herringbone uses rectangular pieces arranged in a broken zigzag. Chevron uses angled ends to form continuous V shapes. Layout names do not establish that a given click joint can make the pattern.

Before ordering Confirm piece geometry, joint compatibility, layout and cutting allowance.

The permitted variation of the supporting surface across a stated distance. Flatness measures local unevenness; level describes whether the floor is horizontal.

Before ordering Record the flatness limit and measurement span for the selected floor.

The appearance of substrate ridges, joints or other imperfections through the finished floor. Thin flexible LVT can make an inadequately prepared surface visible.

Before ordering Agree smoothing and repair work before installation.

Bringing flooring into the required installation conditions when the product instructions call for it. Storage, unpacking and temperature requirements vary.

Before ordering Use the selected product procedure rather than a universal waiting period.

The interval after adhesive application before placement, where required. Adhesive makers use terminology differently, so the named product instructions control.

Before ordering Check when laying may start for the substrate and site conditions.

The usable placement period after adhesive application, as defined by the adhesive supplier. It changes with the adhesive, application and environment.

Before ordering Plan spread size and placement within the approved window.

PSA means pressure-sensitive adhesive. A tackifier provides tack or restraint in an approved system; the terms do not establish identical bond strength or removability.

Before ordering Approve the named product and application method for the flooring.

Rolling seats the floor into an adhesive bed when specified. Curing is the subsequent development of bond properties; a floor that looks finished may not be ready for loads.

Before ordering Confirm rolling, traffic, furniture and cleaning release times.

An expansion gap is clearance allowing movement where required, particularly in floating systems. Building movement joints have their own detailing requirements.

Before ordering Follow the product rules and project joint design; avoid a universal gap figure.

Underlay is a layer beneath the floor, while UFH is a heating system. Neither is automatically compatible with every LVT, adhesive or click joint.

Before ordering Get approval for the complete assembly, temperatures and heating procedure.

These claims need a defined exposure and scope. Resistance of the vinyl material to water does not make the joints, adhesive, substrate or entire room a waterproof system.

Before ordering Check permitted rooms, spill handling and substrate moisture limits.

The ability to retain dimensions under defined exposure conditions. A stability result depends on the test and does not mean the floor never expands or contracts.

Before ordering Ask for the method, conditions and result for the selected construction.

The depression remaining after a specified load has been applied and removed under test conditions. It is a different property from resistance to abrasion or scratches.

Before ordering Match the evidence to furniture supports and the intended loading.

Behavior under moving wheels or repeated castor traffic. Wheel material, contact pressure and the flooring-and-adhesive system can affect the outcome.

Before ordering State the actual equipment and obtain relevant product evidence.

A use class has meaning within a named classification system. Commercial grade on its own is a broad sales description, not a complete project approval.

Before ordering Ask for the classification basis and relevant performance documents.

VOCs are volatile organic compounds. An emissions report concerns release under stated test conditions; a claim about ingredient content answers a different question.

Before ordering Match the report or certificate to the exact product and required market scope.

A measured description of sound behavior for a tested floor or floor-ceiling assembly. Impact sound, walking sound and airborne sound are different concerns.

Before ordering Compare matching test methods and assemblies, not backing thickness alone.

SKU means stock keeping unit, an identifier for a saleable configuration. TDS means technical data sheet, the document describing the product and its stated properties.

Before ordering Keep the SKU, TDS revision and sample identification together.

OEM describes production under an agreed buyer program. Private label means the product is sold under the buyer’s brand. Either arrangement needs a clear scope of customization.

Before ordering Agree product, artwork, packaging and document responsibilities.

A retained, identified sample used to record agreed appearance or construction. It supports inspection but cannot replace written measurable requirements.

Before ordering Record approval date, décor, finish, specification and acceptance criteria.

A production grouping used for color and traceability control. Different lots can differ in appearance, and some within-design variation may be intentional.

Before ordering Approve the shade range and retain carton batch information.

MOQ is minimum order quantity. Lead time is the period for a specified stage of supply; production time and arrival at destination are different milestones.

Before ordering Confirm quantity per décor, mixed-order rules and the start and end events.

Carton coverage is the installed area represented by the packed pieces. Order allowance is extra material planned for cutting, layout and future repairs.

Before ordering Reconcile pieces, dimensions and area; agree allowance separately.