LVP and LVT are the same basic flooring technology in two different formats. Both are luxury vinyl, using a printed decor layer beneath a clear wear layer and over a durable core. The main difference is the shape and look they are designed to replicate: LVP is plank-shaped and typically mimics wood, while LVT is tile-shaped and usually mimics stone or ceramic.
If you’re comparing LVP vs LVT, that format difference affects where each option works best, how it is installed, and how it changes the feel of a room. This guide explains the difference between LVP and LVT, including cost, installation, durability, appearance, and the best applications for each room.
Whether you’re considering LVT floors for a bathroom or LVT flooring for a kitchen, we’ll help you decide which option makes the most sense for your Charlotte home. Both are available through our luxury vinyl flooring service in Charlotte.
What is LVP?
Luxury vinyl plank comes in long, narrow boards — commonly 6” to 9” wide and 36” to 60” long — printed and textured to look like hardwood. It installs as a floating click floor or glue-down, and it is the format people mean when they say “vinyl plank flooring.”
LVP is the right choice anywhere you would otherwise want wood: living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, kitchens, open-plan first floors.
What is LVT?
Luxury vinyl tile comes in squares or rectangles — 12”×12”, 12”×24”, 18”×18” and similar — printed to look like stone, marble, slate, terrazzo or ceramic. Some LVT is designed to be installed with grout, which makes it nearly indistinguishable from real tile at a glance.
LVT belongs where you would otherwise want tile: bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms, entryways, and anywhere you want a stone look without the cold or the weight.
LVP vs LVT side by side
| Feature | LVP (plank) | LVT (tile) |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Long planks | Squares and rectangles |
| Imitates | Hardwood | Stone, marble, ceramic |
| Best rooms | Living, bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, whole-home | Bathrooms, laundry, mudrooms, entryways |
| Waterproof | Yes (rigid core) | Yes |
| Grout option | No | Yes — grouted LVT reads as real tile |
| Underfoot | Warm, forgiving | Warm, forgiving (unlike real tile) |
| Installation | Click float or glue-down | Usually glue-down; click available |
| Cost | Comparable | Comparable |
| Makes a room feel | Longer, larger, more continuous | More defined, more formal |
They are equal on the things people worry about
Durability is set by wear layer thickness, not by shape. A 20 mil LVT and a 20 mil LVP will last the same length of time. Waterproofing is set by the core. Rigid-core products in either format handle standing water. Cost is broadly the same per square foot at equivalent specification. LVT installations sometimes run slightly higher in labor because glue-down and grouted installs take longer.
So the real decision is not durability or price. It is what you want the room to look like.
When to choose LVP
Choose plank format when you want the warmth and continuity of wood, when you are flooring a large open area (planks make rooms read longer), when the floor runs through multiple connected rooms, or when the rest of the house has wood floors you want to relate to.
When to choose LVT
Choose tile format for bathrooms and laundry rooms where a stone look is more natural than a wood look, when you want the appearance of tile without the cold underfoot or the weight on an upper floor, for entryways and mudrooms where a defined “landing” reads better than continuous plank, or when you want a pattern — checkerboard, herringbone tile, large-format stone — that plank cannot deliver.
If you want the genuine article rather than a convincing imitation, see our tile flooring service.
Can you use both in one house?
Yes, and it is what we specify most often. LVP through the main living areas for continuity and warmth, LVT in the bathrooms and laundry for a stone look. Because both are luxury vinyl, they sit at the same height — so transitions between them are flush and clean rather than a raised strip you catch a toe on. That is a real practical advantage over mixing vinyl with real tile.
What to look for in either format
The specifications that matter are identical: wear layer (20 mil for households with kids or pets), core type (SPC for stability, WPC for comfort), and texture (embossed in register for realism). Our full guide: how to choose vinyl plank flooring — every principle in it applies to LVT as well.
FAQs
What is the difference between LVP and LVT?
Format. LVP is plank-shaped and imitates wood; LVT is tile-shaped and imitates stone or ceramic. The underlying material, durability and waterproofing are the same.
Is LVT better than LVP?
Neither is better — they suit different rooms. LVT for bathrooms, laundry and entryways where a stone look fits; LVP for living areas where wood does.
Is LVT more expensive than LVP?
Broadly comparable at equivalent wear layer and core. LVT installation can run slightly higher when glue-down or grouted.
Can LVT be grouted?
Yes. Grouted LVT is convincing enough at a glance to be mistaken for ceramic — with none of the cold and considerably less weight.
Is LVT waterproof?
Rigid-core LVT is fully waterproof, which is why it works in bathrooms and laundry rooms.
Can I mix LVP and LVT in the same house?
Yes, and it is a good design move. Same height means flush transitions between the two.