The short answer: LVP (luxury vinyl plank) is the best all-around choice for hotel guestroom flooring. It's waterproof, durable, and cost-effective at $3.50-$6.50/sq ft installed. LVT (luxury vinyl tile) is LVP's tile-format cousin — same performance, different look, ideal for bathroom-adjacent areas. Laminate flooring costs less ($2.50-$4.50/sq ft installed) but isn't waterproof, which makes it a poor choice for any hotel floor that might see moisture. Within those categories, quality varies enormously based on wear layer thickness, core construction, and installation method. This guide explains exactly how to spec each product for different areas of the hotel. As a full FF&E supplier, Guangdong Wiselink Ltd. sources all three and we have clear rules about where each goes.
LVP is a floating-floor product with a rigid core — typically stone-plastic composite (SPC) or wood-plastic composite (WPC) — with a printed decorative layer and a transparent wear layer on top.
Wear layer: the single most important spec. In residential use, a 6-12 mil wear layer is standard. In hotel guestrooms, that's not enough. A 20 mil wear layer is the minimum for hotel guestrooms. A 30-40 mil wear layer for corridors and high-traffic areas. Here's why it matters: the wear layer is the only thing between foot traffic and the printed design. Once it's worn through, the plank looks faded and needs replacement. That's it. Simple.
Core type: SPC vs WPC. SPC (stone-plastic composite) is rigid, dense, and dimensionally stable. Handles temperature swings and direct sunlight better. It's the better choice for hotel guestrooms in most climates. Cost: $0.10-$0.20/sq ft more than WPC at the factory level. WPC (wood-plastic composite) is softer underfoot, slightly warmer, and has better acoustics. But it's less stable in temperature extremes. WPC can warp if the subfloor isn't perfectly level. We spec SPC for 80% of hotel projects.
Where LVP goes in a hotel: Guestrooms are the best application. Waterproof from spills, ice bucket drips, wet bathing suits dropped on the floor. A 20 mil wear layer handles 10+ years of traffic. Cost: $3.50-$5.50/sq ft installed. Corridors? Yes, with a higher wear layer (30-40 mil) and thicker core (5mm minimum). Corridors get luggage wheels, housekeeping carts, and higher foot traffic. LVP outperforms carpet in corridors for cleanliness perception — guests hate the "hotel corridor carpet" smell. Cost: $4.50-$6.50/sq ft installed. Lobby areas? Only if you're using commercial-grade LVP with a minimum 40 mil wear layer. Even then, we typically recommend LVT or porcelain tile for lobbies.
Installation methods: Glue-down (full spread) is best for commercial applications. The adhesive fully bonds the plank to the subfloor, preventing edge curling and movement. Requires a flat subfloor (1/8" over 10' tolerance). Installation: $1.50-$2.50/sq ft. This is what we recommend for hotels. Click-lock (floating) is faster and cheaper ($0.80-$1.50/sq ft) — acceptable for guestrooms but not for corridors or public areas. Looselay planks? Rarely used in hotels. Doesn't perform well in high-traffic.
LVT is structurally identical to LVP — same core types, same wear layer technology, same waterproof rating. The difference is the format and the visual. LVT comes in tile shapes (12"x24", 18"x18", 24"x24") and mimics natural stone, ceramic, or porcelain tile. The advantage over real tile is obvious: it's warm underfoot, doesn't crack, doesn't need grout (or uses flexible urethane grout that doesn't crack), and installs in a fraction of the time.
Where LVT goes in a hotel: Bathroom floors in guestrooms — fully waterproof and more comfortable underfoot than ceramic tile. A 12"x24" LVT with a 20 mil wear layer, glue-down, costs $4.00-$6.00/sq ft installed. Compare to porcelain tile at $7.00-$15.00/sq ft installed. The guestroom bathroom is where LVT makes the most economic sense. Kitchenette areas in extended-stay properties — water, grease, dropped food. LVT handles it all. Fitness centers — LVT with a 40 mil wear layer works well here. It's slip-resistant, waterproof, and more comfortable than tile.
LVT vs LVP: There's no performance difference. Choose by visual preference. If the designer wants a tile look, spec LVT. If a wood-plank look, spec LVP. They can even be installed in adjacent areas with transition strips between them.
Laminate flooring is a high-density fiberboard (HDF) core with a printed decorative layer and a melamine wear layer. It's not waterproof. The HDF core swells when it contacts moisture. Even "water-resistant" laminates only survive spills for 24-48 hours before the edges start swelling.
Here's the thing — don't use laminate in guestroom bathrooms, kitchenettes, corridors near ice machines, or any area with a water source. One housekeeping mop that leaves standing water, or one guest ice bucket spill, and the edges swell permanently. The only cure is replacement. Possibly acceptable in dry climate guestrooms, lower-tier economy properties, or seasonal properties. Even then, the savings over LVP is marginal ($1-$2/sq ft) and the risk is significant. Reception areas, offices, and dry back-of-house — laminate is fine there. Cost: $2.50-$4.00/sq ft installed.
Laminate uses a melamine-impregnated overlay for wear resistance, measured in AC ratings. AC3 is minimum for residential, AC4 for commercial, AC5 for heavy commercial. For hotel guestrooms, AC4 minimum. For corridors, AC5.
The real problem with laminate in hotels: once a plank swells from moisture, it doesn't go back. You have to replace the plank, which means disassembling the floor from the nearest wall to that point. In a 200-room hotel, you'll be doing this multiple times per year. The "savings" disappear quickly.
Let's look at the numbers per hotel area:
Guestroom main floor (14' x 16' = 224 sq ft): LVP (20 mil, SPC core, glue-down) runs $4.50/sq ft = ~$1,008 per room. Lifespan: 10-15 years. Laminate (AC4, HDF core): $3.50/sq ft = ~$784 per room. Lifespan: 5-8 years before moisture issues. Carpet (commercial grade): $3.00-$4.00/sq ft installed. Lifespan: 3-5 years in guestrooms.
Guestroom bathroom (5' x 8' = 40 sq ft): LVT (20 mil, glue-down): $5.00/sq ft = ~$200 per room. Porcelain tile: $10.00/sq ft = ~$400 per room.
Corridor (4' wide x 100' = 400 sq ft per floor): LVP (40 mil, SPC core, glue-down): $6.00/sq ft. Carpet: $4.50-$5.50/sq ft installed. Lifespan: 3-4 years — replace twice as often as LVP.
The math for a 200-room hotel: choosing LVP over carpet in guestrooms adds roughly $200,000 upfront but eliminates $80,000 in carpet replacement every 4 years. By year 8, LVP has paid for itself.
At Guangdong Wiselink Ltd., our default flooring spec is: guestrooms get SPC-core LVP, 22 mil wear layer (our proprietary spec — more than the 20 mil minimum but priced competitively), 5mm overall thickness, click-lock with glue assist. Stone-wood neutral colors only. Cost: $4.20-$4.80/sq ft delivered. Guest bathrooms get the same LVP in a tile-format LVT if the designer wants a visual break, or continuous LVP for the seamless look. Corridors get LVP with 40 mil wear layer, glue-down. We don't allow carpet in new-build corridors anymore unless the brand standard mandates it. And laminate? We won't spec it anywhere in the wet zone. We'll provide it for a dry office if a client insists, but we don't recommend it.
Q: Can LVP be installed over existing tile or sheet vinyl?
A: Yes, with proper surface preparation. The existing floor must be clean, flat (1/8" over 10' tolerance), and structurally sound. Cracked or loose tiles must be repaired. A self-leveling underlayment may be needed. Floating LVP cannot be installed over carpet or cushioned vinyl.
Q: Is LVP slippery when wet?
A: LVP with a textured finish has a wet COF (coefficient of friction) of 0.5-0.6, which meets or exceeds ASTM C1028 standards. Higher texture means harder to clean. We spec a medium-texture finish that achieves 0.55+ wet COF without being a dirt trap.
Q: How does LVP handle hotel furniture (bed legs, dressers, luggage racks)?
A: Heavy furniture can dent LVP if the furniture has small, hard feet. Spec furniture with wide, flat glides (minimum 1" diameter) and felt pads underneath. The 5mm SPC core resists indentation better than the 3.5mm cores found in residential LVP.
Q: Does LVP need expansion gaps?
A: Yes, for floating installations. A 1/4" expansion gap around the perimeter is standard, covered by base molding. For glue-down installations, expansion gaps aren't needed because the adhesive holds the planks in place.
Q: Can I install LVP over radiant floor heating?
A: Yes. SPC-core LVP is compatible with radiant heating up to 85°F (29°C) surface temperature. WPC-core LVP has lower thermal conductivity. Always check the manufacturer's temperature rating.
Copyright © Guangdong Wiselink Ltd. -- Privacy Policy
EN
