
Much like wood flooring, the product is installed piece by piece and has an adhesive backing that secures the material to the floor. Vinyl plank is also incredibly easy to install. From an ownership perspective, the long-term cost savings provided by vinyl plank create an appealing option despite upfront costs that can be up to three times greater in comparison to carpet. All or portions of units are frequently recovered with vinyl plank, which is installed in areas where carpet is the traditional selection. Sherwin-Williams, which provides flooring services to multifamily buildings, is fielding more requests from properties that want to transition away from carpet. “For apartments that are frequently replacing carpet as units turn, vinyl plank may be a good option,” said Brazie. In fact, in 2017 carpet accounted for only 51 percent of flooring in residential units compared to 2006, when it made up 62 percent. This enables a better return on investment for property owners than many other flooring options and is why around half of the top real estate investment trusts in the country are installing vinyl plank at properties in varying scales. While floor coverings like carpet last around two to five years, the average life of vinyl plank is 10 or more years. One of the biggest benefits of vinyl plank is its longevity. Having a floor covering that can stand up to pets and high-volume traffic has never been more important. This makes vinyl plank a particularly attractive option for property owners as growing volumes of people move to the city-many wanting to bring their pets. Additionally, water-resistant finishes are becoming more and more sophisticated, with many manufacturers now selling 100 percent waterproof vinyl plank. Modern vinyl plank stands up to heavier traffic volumes and is easier to maintain than its predecessors. Today’s vinyl plank options are much higher quality than even what was available five to 10 years ago. Since becoming a household fixture following Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition in 1933, vinyl flooring technology has improved drastically. To steal a phrase from the World Floor Covering Association, this is not your grandmother’s kitchen flooring. Below are a few reasons it is a smart choice for facility managers working on a new property or planning a refresh. Why vinyl plank? This growth in popularity is caused by several factors, including cost savings and the right combination of features. “Apartment owners continue to replace carpet with vinyl plank in all areas of a space.” “One major trend we see is the shift from soft-surface goods like carpet into the realm of hard-surface throughout the unit,” said Justin Brazie, director of marketing-applicators and decorative products at Sherwin-Williams. The rise of vinyl plank follows the move away from soft- to hard-surface alternatives, and plank is fast covering entire units or replacing flooring in areas that have traditionally been topped with carpet. By providing a combination of key features, it has gained popularity to become one of the dominant flooring options in multifamily, often replacing soft-surface alternatives such as carpet. Vinyl plank has quickly become a mainstay in the flooring industry.



Floor Trends: Vinyl Plank Remains Popular in Multifamily Industry
