
The brown and beige luxury vinyl tile features a matte finish and a 12-mil wear layer.
#Vinyl tile flooring series#
MSI’s Cranton from the Cyrus series is a perfect example of the wear layer coating controlling the sheen. Plus, with advances in technology, some coatings include UV protection, too, just one of the luxury vinyl tile benefits that helps keeps floors in tip-top shape. The clear coating provides further protection, keeps your floors looking fresh, and controls the desired sheen for the finished product. This serves as the first line of defense against scratches before wear-and-tear begins to show on the actual wear layer. Many manufacturers incorporate additives like aluminum oxide, ceramic beads, or nylon beads into the wear layer’s coating. On top of the wear layer is typically a clear, urethane-based coating with some sort of additive, although there are some products on the market that don’t include an extra coating. And, the thicker 20-mil wear layer means that you can provide different levels of texturizing for this gray and brown flooring.

When you have a strong variation of color and pattern like you do with MSI’s Bracken Hill from the Prescott series, then you know it’s going to contain plenty of embossing to enhance the beautiful wood-look style. The wear layer is what makes the vinyl flooring care and maintenance so simple and easy, too! The embossing can also help to provide some slip resistance as opposed to a solid, slick surface. Some vinyl flooring may only have a few grooves per plank, while others may have lots of texture across the top, all depending on the look and style of the LVT or LVP.

The wear layer is often textured or embossed to give it a more realistic look. The various gray tones in this LVT with 12-mil wear layer contrast beautifully with the warm wood tones and minimal décor. Now that you understand what a wear layer is, you can see how important it is to protect the design like in MSI’s Woburn Abbey from the XL Cyrus series. In fact, it’s the only thing stopping spills and scratches from damaging the paper print film that showcases the beautiful wood- or tile-look designs. The clear wear layer is made up of virgin or recycled PVC or vinyl and serves as the main protection of the flooring.
#Vinyl tile flooring install#
Some planks may or may not include an attached backing underneath the core depending on the install type. The wear layer then covers the print design that sits on the vinyl core. Luxury vinyl plank flooring consists of several layers, starting with the top wear layer with or without a coating. In this guide, you’ll learn what makes up a wear layer and why it matters most when it comes to your new luxury vinyl floors. Choose wisely because this critical component protects the print design of your vinyl from daily wear-and-tear to more serious damage.

What is it, you ask? Well, besides loving the look of your new luxury vinyl tiles or planks, this top layer is one of the most important features of your floors. One of the most common questions about vinyl flooring is about the wear layer.
