Many times when redoing a rental property, a landlord may wonder what floor they should put in their property that looks good, is relatively inexpensive and perhaps most importantly will outlast the wear and tear of everyday life? A few years ago this could have been a hard question to ask but more recently flooring companies have been producing vinyl flooring which looks like hardwood. That’s right, this isn’t same vinyl flooring from the 1980’s which came in large sheets and was glued to mimic tile. Vinyl plank flooring is now becoming a popular choice among renovators and Ontario landlords.
What are the benefits of vinyl plank flooring?
- Easy to install; typically requires a knife to cut loose ends and some PL glue to be applied under.
- You don’t necessarily have to remove the floor underneath if it is hardwood or tiles in some cases.
- When you factor in time and labor to install other floors, vinyl can come out considerably cheaper as a good quality vinyl plank floor costs $4‐7 CAD per square foot plus the few materials to install.
- If one plank get damaged it can be easily taken out and replaced.
- Vinyl planks look like hardwood and although you might not be put them in a very high end rental property, putting them in a mid-market rental property can certainly be acceptable especially if it is a better quality vinyl plank, this in turn can increase you rents.
- Because the floor is made out of vinyl it means they are waterproof and can withstand some water damage (if it is a lot of water damage though your sub‐floor may become compromised)
- Maintenance is very simple and usually requires a simple floor cleaning.
So what are cons of vinyl plank flooring?
- Scuff marks can be left if moving something heavy.
- Can be difficult to remove if glued down.
- If you drop a heavy or sharp object it can puncture the floor (but theoretically this can be said
- about any floor)
As mentioned above vinyl flooring might not be the best suited for all rentals but is definitely a top contender for many rental properties where Ontario landlords are trying to save money and make their property look better while being very durable.
Below, you can find a photo sent in by a Humberview Insurance client who recently renovated their Toronto rental property with vinyl plank flooring. We think it looks pretty good.