What’s the difference between waterproof and water-resistant flooring?

You're in the market for a floor that is resistant to water. You've heard of water-resistant floors but also waterproof floors. So what is the difference between the two?

The difference is time
Time is the most significant difference between water-resistant and waterproof flooring. Water-resistant floors give you a time limit after being exposed to water, and waterproof floors have none.

Water-resistant materials will usually have a space of up to 72 hours by which you need to clean up the mess, leak, or spill. After clean-up, your floors look great and remain functional. These floors are suitable for some areas in the home. Places like kitchens, child rooms, living rooms, and foyers are good places for water-resistant flooring.

On the other hand, however, waterproof floors are pretty impervious to liquids. With waterproof floors, you can have a piece of mind. There is no impending danger from a leak or spill, and some homeowners use waterproof flooring for all their flooring needs in the home. This ensures complete protection.

Options
There are some waterproof options that you have. With luxury vinyl and tile, you can get waterproof flooring. With luxury vinyl, you have a core that is either Wood Plastic Composite or Stone Plastic Composite. These are core materials that will not ripple, peel, or warp when exposed to water. It doesn’t matter how long the exposure is. You can have a luxury vinyl floor that looks great even after exposure to water. It’s a powerful deterrent for liquids.

With tile, there is waterproof tile and vitreous tile. Vitreous tile tends to soak up water, so it isn't advisable to put it outside. Impervious tile, however, is entirely resistant to all liquids. Porcelain is a waterproof tile and can go indoors or out. When choosing tile for your kitchen and laundry room, be sure to pick the impervious tile. Ask our staff about it.

Let us help
We are here to help at The Flooring Gallery. We have a showroom in Egg Harbor Township and Pleasantville, NJ. We serve the areas of Northfield, Longport, Linwood, Mays Landing, Somers Point, and Galloway. Visit our showroom and see what all you have available for waterproof flooring options. You deserve the best for your home. Call us today!