Vinyl Flooring Cost Guide

Vinyl Flooring Prices and Installation Cost Guide 2022

How much does Vinyl Flooring cost, is certainly the most basic concern, you’ll be likely to have, just as you’re about to acquire the treatment. And you might be surprised to know that there are a number of significant factors involved in generating the whole cost of the product as well as the installation expenses.

Thus, it is needless to say that learning about all those influential factors will not just help you to settle for a suitable and pocket-friendly choice, but also to determine where and where not you actually need to spend. 

Before we proceed with further emphasis, let’s have a quick idea about the cost of vinyl flooring.

Vinyl Flooring cost per sq. ft. ranges between $1 and $3 per square foot, depending on the type you’re about to make use of.

Vinyl Flooring Cost Factors

Content Navigation

By the time you’ve decided to switch to Vinyl Flooring, there are certain aspects for you to consider, prior to jumping to any conclusion (final selection!). This involves certain structural comprehensions, comparisons, installation essentials, comparisons and a number of accessories to ensure flawless results.

Let’s get down to all what one needs to keep in mind, while opting for Vinyl Flooring Choice. 

Vinyl Flooring Prices By Quality

The all-time smart, sustainable, adorable and practically favorable Vinyl Flooring gets segregated into 4 main types, based on the structural differentiation and the distinction of the ways in which it is installed. 

Cheap

The name implies the quality as well, as this is more of a clearance discounted kinda flooring. Not recommended for commercial-grade usage in any way and as far as the residential usage is concerned, you can expect it to be functional for up to 10 years, on average. 

The price for Cheap Vinyl Flooring is around $1.19 per square foot

This flooring is considered a Poor Selection and there is mostly SPC core available in this category.

Basic

Basic is somewhat of a more luxury version of Vinyl Flooring and besides a residential setting, you can also expect a commercial usage lifespan of up to 7 years. And the rest of the durability depends on how you get to maintain this flooring.

The average cost for Basic Vinyl Flooring ranges between $1.89 to $2.19 per square foot.

This flooring is a Good Selection and in general there comes a blend of different cores within this category. 

Medium/ Better

This popular category involves both LVP and LVT and you can find several good collections at almost all manufacturers. It can stay durable for up to 15 years in residential spaces with moderate traffic and as for commercial setting, the estimated lifespan is around 7 to 12 years.

The general pricing for Better Vinyl Flooring is from $2.40 to $3.99 per square foot.

The flooring in this category is considered an Excellent Selection and the cores are generally WPC or Vinyl ones. 

High/ Best

This category involves premium quality LVP and LVT and serve as top-tiers of a vast majority of brands. It is excellent for residential usage for more than two decades under the circumstances of light footfall. For the commercial setting, this category works for up to 15 years, at best.

The cost for Best Vinyl Flooring goes $4 per square foot.

This category flooring, of course, is considered to be the Excellent Selection and usually there are Vinyl and WPC cores available. 

Vinyl Flooring Average Prices

CategoryAverage CostEstimated LifespanConstructionOffered Warranty Areas Of Application
Cheap$1.9 per square foot5 to 10 yearsSPC Core 5-10 years residential/ No commercial warrantyLow foot traffic areas like bedrooms, guest rooms, etc.
Basic$1.89-$2.19 per square foot8 to 12 yearsDifferent Core Materials 15-25 years residential warranty/ Varying commercial warrantyResidential spaces with moderate traffic, commercial areas with least traffic
Medium/ Better $2.40-$3.99 per square foot10 to 15 yearsWPC or Vinyl CoreLifetime residential warranty/ 10-15 years commercial warranty High traffic residential areas, Moderate traffic commercial areas
High/ Best$4 per square foot12 to 20 years WPC or Vinyl CoreLifetime residential warranty/ 20 years commercial warranty High traffic residential areas, Heavy traffic commercial areas

Vinyl Flooring Cost Per Square Foot

For sure the size of your working side will decide how much you need to pay. And while per square foot estimate might not be your thing to be okay with (It’s fine to be a math hater!), you can definitely come up with the perfect determination when given the standard prices of mainstream room/area sizes.

Vinyl Flooring can cost you around $1 - $2 per sq. ft.

P.S. You’ll need to multiply the length and width of your intended room together, in order to come up with the definitive surface area to buy/order flooring accordingly.

Given below are the general standards 

Square Footage Cost Of Vinyl Flooring (Material Only)
100 sq.ft$100 to $1,200
200 sq.ft$200 to $2,400
300 sq. ft$300 to $3,600
500 sq. ft$500 to $6,000
1000 sq. ft$1,000 to $12,000

Vinyl Flooring Cost By Types

The very version of vinyl flooring you’re about to choose, is meant to affect the overall project cost like none other. Besides, the type of Vinyl Flooring being used also implies that whether or not you’ll be requiring professional assistance for installation. 

Vinyl floor cost by types

Ahead are the major types of Vinyl Flooring.

Sheet Vinyl

The constant, super flexible and great-sized sheet Vinyl flooring is just the perfect and most practical choice to settle for. Besides the easiest DIY installation, it’s a highly sustainable floor treatment option, as well. And most importantly, this type is totally waterproof, too, an absolute plus!

For a Sheet Vinyl Installation Project, you’ll need to pay around $1 to $3 for a square foot

LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile)

The incredibly designed, low-maintenance and supremely durable tile format of Vinyl Flooring is the versatile choice for both residential and commercial uses. Moreover, you get multiple design choices in terms of textures, colors and effects. Also, there are numerous shapes and sizes available, too.

The cost of LVT Flooring starts from $1 and goes all the way to $10 per square foot 

LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank)

The compressed layer-based and visually adorable plank shaped version of Vinyl Flooring is a wonderfully aesthetic way to mimic the look of real hardwood. You get all the versatile and sustainable benefits of Vinyl and don’t really need to trouble your budget for the treatment, as well. 

The price for LVP Flooring ranges from $2.5 to $12 per square foot

Rigid Core Vinyl Plank Flooring

This flooring is a “click-type” version of the Vinyl Plank Flooring and has been quite a popular choice of considerable folks lately. The most mainstream advantage of this flooring is the fact that you don’t require any adhesive to have it fitted and the overall functionality is super cost-effective, too.

Rigid core Vinyl Plank Flooring costs up to $2 to $4 per square foot 

Waterproof Vinyl Flooring

Otherwise known as WPC, this, as shown by the name, is the 100% waterproof flooring, thanks to its highly durable core (a wood and plastic blend). It feels quite comfortable underfoot and is an excellent residential choice, with the suitable versatility for every single space.

The average cost for Waterproof Vinyl Flooring is up to $4.29 per square foot 

Cost Comparison Of The Major Vinyl Flooring Types 

Vinyl Flooring Type Pricing 
Sheet Vinyl $1 to $3 per sq. ft
LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile)$1 to $10 per sq. ft
LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank)$2.5 to $12 per sq. ft
Rigid Core Vinyl Plank Flooring$2 to $4 per sq. ft
Waterproof Vinyl Flooring $4.29 per sq. ft

Vinyl Flooring Cost By Core Type

Now one noteworthy aspect that makes our dearest Vinyl Flooring stand out is the engineering and build quality of its core. The core not only serves as the innermost layer of this incredible flooring but also is the reason for all the sustainable durability. 

Based on the materials involved, there are three main types of Vinyl Flooring cores. 

WPC (Wood Polymer Core)

  • WPC contains polymers along with wood or bamboo dust and often comes with a pre-attached padding

  • The thickness ranges from 4 mm to 10 mm and makes up a softer and floating floor

  • The standard rate for WPC Vinyl Flooring is between $4 and $12 per square foot

SPC (Stone Polymer Core)

  • SPC is the least expensive type and contains plastic polymers along with crushed limestone

  • The thickness ranges from 2 mm to 4 mm and makes up a reasonably dent-resistant floor

  • The standard rate for SPC Vinyl Flooring is between $800 to $1,200 per square foot

Solid Vinyl Core 

  • Solid Vinyl is a relatively new concept and entirely contains vinyl in its construction

  • LVT and LVP with a Solid Vinyl Core have a thickness ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm 

  • The standard rate for Solid Vinyl Core Flooring is from $2 to $4 per square foot

Vinyl Flooring Installation Cost

If you’re opting for professional services regarding the next Vinyl Flooring installation project within your house, you’ll need to set aside the labor cost, as well. Not to mention the fact that it’s a very fool-proof approach of yours, to go for professional installation!

Cost To Install Vinyl Flooring Regarding Different Types 

Type Of Vinyl Flooring Installation Cost
Sheet Vinyl $1 to $3 per square foot
LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile)$1 to $3 per square foot
LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank)$1 to $5 per square foot
Rigid Core Vinyl Plank Flooring$1.50 to $2.75 per square foot
Waterproof Vinyl Flooring $10.5 per square foot 

Vinyl Flooring Installation Cost By Style and Effect 

Vinyl Flooring is quite a smart and incredible floor treatment choice and you can easily and timelessly achieve the best of aesthetics with it.

For instance, if you’re a lot into wooden floors, then you can easily flaunt your interiors with the adorable looking Vinyl flooring having the most realistic wooden appearance.

Plus, the efficient and sustainable advantages of Vinyl are always there!

Vinyl Flooring Installation Cost By Style and Effect 

Let’s take a look at the available styles, patterns, textures and grains of Vinyl Flooring

Stone

You can find a number of versatile design options in this very dimension, those that depict different types of stoned looks. The pricing you can anticipate to pay in this regard lies between $2.99 and $3.99 per square foot. 

Wood Look

There are multiple choices at hand when it comes to wood-like Vinyl Floors and you can even acquire the most natural-looking rustic and grained patterns too. As for the pricing, it goes from $3 to $12 per square foot. 

Herringbone

This warm-toned and fancifully finished styling dimension of Vinyl Flooring is designed to give off the look of intricate real wood floors, within numerous choices of colors and patterns. One general cost estimate goes around $12.13 to $17.55 per square foot.

Marble

Marble look Vinyl tiles is a definitely inexpensive and effortless way to flaunt your interiors with realistic marble designed floors. There are nearly innumerable choices available in this regard and you can expect to pay between $0.99 to $4.49 for this adorable flooring treatment. 

Plank 

You can literally find any and every distinctive design profile when it comes to the plank profile of Vinyl Flooring and in most cases, this flooring is amazingly easy to install yourself, as well. The average rate for plank Vinyl Flooring roughly lies between $2.50 and $12 per square foot. 

Cost For Vinyl Flooring Replacement

Vinyl Flooring, considering a moderate residential usage, is likely to serve you for more than two decades. And certainly you can always increase it’s lifespan with considerate maintenance. 

Nevertheless, it’s nearly an unavoidable point when your Vinyl Flooring asks for a replacement or even when you feel the need to replace any of your other existing flooring with Vinyl Flooring. 

As a matter of fact, the national average cost for Vinyl Flooring goes up to $2,092. This comes from a standard project cost of Vinyl Plank flooring installation that ranges from $881 to $3,336.

Additional Cost Factors For Vinyl Flooring

At this point, we’re nearly done with all the major cost-affecting factors, however, there’s still a lot left to go through and to make up the mind accordingly. 

Afterall, it’s an undeniable fact that there are a bunch of other influential aspects too, that hold equal significance within an under consideration Vinyl Flooring installation project. And at the end of the day, the very point of the entire payment is to ensure a flawless and long-term sustainable flooring installation.

1. Flooring Removal

Though this job is meant to sound way too nasty, we can’t deny that it’s majorly crucial at the same time. For those of your hardwood floors, carpets or floating floors, be prepared to pay around 35 to 75 cents per square foot, in terms of removal.

As for the difficult ones such as ceramic tiles, you might need to pay up to $4 per square foot with the added benefit of included disposal, as well. 

2. Method For Installation

If you’re going with the glue down method of installation or literally any other way that requires any adhesives or additional supportive elements, you’ll need to pay more, as compared to the floating floor installation cost.

3. Trimming Requirement

Your installers are going to charge you extra for the major requirements of trimming for those small spaces around. More trimming means more bucks!

4. Furniture Movement/Removal

This is more of a varying dimension and if you successfully manage to remove all the furniture and stuff from the working site yourself, you can, of course, save those bucks. However, if you rely on the professionals for the movement or removal of your furniture, you’ll be needing to pay for the labor. 

5. Location

Your residence is a major factor according to several manufacturers and flooring experts and it’s more of an obvious aspect too, i.e. your locality can hugely impact the amount you’re about to pay for the flooring treatment. 

6. Stairs

Stairs are almost always more tricky to deal with, as compared to flat surfaces and since every single procedure such as stair nose addition, measuring, gluing, cutting etc. is meant to consume reasonable time, be prepared to pay around $60 to $100 for each step. 

7. DIY Or Professional Installation 

You can, by all means, save yourself the installation money by being a little more cautious, adventurous and risk-taking. And keeping the jokes aside, installing Vinyl Flooring is literally more easy than you can think of. So get your equipment checked and your head up, if you don’t wanna spend for the professional installation! All you’ll need is a wise approach to proceed your DIY Vinyl Flooring installation with.

8. Accessories/ Equipment

These elements, as a matter of course, serve as a strengthening of the Vinyl Flooring, ensuring that the installation is done the right and risk-free way. So, it’s always the favorable dimension of investment!

9. Underlayment

Underlayment is basically a padding usually made of synthetic or recycled materials such as bamboo, cork, wood, foam, fiber or plastic and works as a source for providing cushioning underfoot. It’s a must-have with floating floor systems such as the Vinyl plank flooring. As for the expenses, underlayment mostly cost around 30 to 85 cents with synthetics being the cheapest and premium corks being considerably costly.

10. Adhesive

Adhesive, of course, is a requirement with the glue-down Vinyl Flooring and a single gallon of the glue costs around $30 to $50, covering around 140 to 170 square feet of the flooring.

11. Moisture Barrier (Vapor Barrier)

This is a waterproof layer which does the job implied by the name, i.e. prevents the vinyl plank flooring from moisture coming from the ground level. It’s a crucial requirement even if your chosen flooring is waterproof (the LVP!) so as to not let mold and bacteria find a home underneath, eventually staining it a lot.

12. Bullnose/ Stair Nose

It’s the material that’s present on the front edge of a stair step, in order to give off a well-finished look. The cost per linear foot gets about $1.75 to $3.50. 

13. Transition Strips

These are either metal, wood or synthetic strips with a structure featuring side slots for the fitting and fastening of the flooring. Their major purpose is to conceal the seam as one type of flooring gets installed over the other one, with a cost range of $1.75 to $3 per linear foot. 

Vinyl Vs Laminate; Which One Is Better?

So our protagonist Vinyl Flooring has got this counterpart and somewhat of a rival which we’re generally aware of as Laminate Flooring. The very floor treatment choice of Laminate Flooring is likely to give Vinyl Flooring a tough competition at certain points.

For in depth comparison of Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring

And this eventually gives rise to a sense of indecisiveness, i.e. which one to go for. So here we are with a sound comparison that will rest the case, in a reasonably satisfactory manner!

Vinyl Vs Laminate; Cost Comparison 

Vinyl Vs Laminate Cost Comparison
Vinyl Flooring Laminate Flooring
Gives off a realistic and deeply embossed look of the intended floor style Gives off a close three-dimensionally embossed look with images 
Is completely resistant to moisture damage Is susceptible to getting damaged due to moisture
Is extremely low-maintenance and highly durable Is quite low-maintenance, however, the durability can be questionable at times
Has general warranties of up to 20 years Has the mainstream lifespan of 25 years 
The cost ranges roughly from $1 to $5 with premium versions being costly The cost relatively rises up to $5 from $1 

Vinyl Flooring Prices By Brands

Ahead are the renowned suppliers of Vinyl Flooring, along with the expense ranges. 

Shaw

The general pricing estimate for Vinyl Flooring from Shaw is $2.50 – $3.50 per square foot.

SmartCore 

Here you can get reasonably budget-friendly Vinyl Flooring options ranging from $2 to $2.90 for a square foot. 

NuCore

NuCore has exclusive lines for all the major genres of Vinyl flooring with a 22 mil thick wear layer and the overall cost ranging between $2.49 to $3.79 per square foot.

Armstrong

The cost estimate for Vinyl flooring types available at Armstrong lies somewhere between $3 to $5 per square foot. 

COREtec

COREtec owns a number of Vinyl Flooring lines with different quality extents such as One or Plus Enhances, with the pricing ranging from $2.90 per square foot to $5.50 per square foot. 

Cali Bamboo

Cali Bamboo Vinyl Flooring costs around $4.29 per square foot all the way to $4.99 per square foot.

LifeProof 

$1.50 to $6.00 for a square foot is the budget-friendly range for the Vinyl Flooring from LifeProof and there are multiple basic and premium versions available.

Vinyl Flooring Installation Cost By Brands

Let’s get to see how much you’ll be needing to pay in order to get Vinyl Flooring Installation services from the famous big box retailers. 

Brands/RetailersInstallation Expenses 
Home DepotStarting from $15 per square yard 
LowesStarting from $1000 for 1000 square foot
ShawStarting from $400 for 200 square foot
PergoStarting from $1.50 per square foot
MohawkStarting from $.60 per square foot

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions 

What Do You Put Under Vinyl Flooring?

Underlayment is a necessary addition under Vinyl Flooring in order to not just make it last long but also a lot more functional in terms of comfort provision and acoustic protection. Apart from underlayment, it’s also a recommended idea to go with plywood in the form of a scrap piece before installing the floor, so as to prevent damage to the subfloor.

Can You Put Vinyl Flooring Over Concrete?

Vinyl Flooring, by all means, can even be installed directly atop a concrete subfloor. However, you need to be watchful with the condition of the concrete, so as to ensure that there are no major defiled areas present, such as huge holes or cracks. Besides, always have your concrete subfloors perfectly decluttered and dry before vinyl flooring installation. 

Does Vinyl Flooring Need To Be Glued Down?

Not as long as you’re dealing with a version that has a flat laying structure and does not require any adhesive for the placement, such as the Loose-lay Sheet Vinyl. Other types like the glue-down vinyl flooring does have a requirement for the application of specified glue before the planks are to be put down on the subfloor. 

What Is The Most Durable Flooring?

Some of the most durable flooring choices include Luxury Vinyl (Vinyl Plank), Sheet Vinyl, Porcelain Tiles, Hardwood, Laminate and Bamboo. Ceramic tiles are also an excellent option to go for, if you’re looking forward to a really promising durability. Nevertheless, always settle for a flooring choice in accordance with your subfloors. 

Do You Need Underlay For Vinyl Plank Flooring On Concrete?

An underlayment is definitely crucial under all circumstances and this goes the same for installing Vinyl Plank Flooring atop concrete flooring, as well. Underlayment is a must-have in order to prevent moisture passage to the planks. Besides, it also ensures appropriate comfort and cushioning underfoot and the absorption of excessive noise, too. 

Is It Better To Glue Or Float Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Glue down application for the Vinyl Plank flooring is a good idea as long as you’re dealing with larger areas, since this treatment is significantly practical and proves to be a lot more durable too. As for floating the Vinyl Plank flooring, you can go for this kind of application within moisture-prone areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. 

How Much Should I Charge To Install Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Professional Vinyl Plank Flooring installation is a skillset costing somewhere around $1 to $5 per square foot. However, the pricing can always fluctuate depending on the condition of the area you’re dealing with and/or the difficulty level of installing Vinyl Flooring there. 

What’s The Cheapest Flooring Option?

Some of the most inexpensive, highly sustainable and at the same time attractive-looking flooring options include Sheet Vinyl, Concrete, Linoleum, Laminate Flooring, Click LVT, Ceramic Tiles and Carpeting treatment. Moreover, these floor treatment choices are really convenient to handle in terms of installation and maintenance, as well. 

Can I Install Vinyl Flooring Myself?

Vinyl Flooring installation is an entirely easy-to-do DIY project and you can save yourself some reasonable bucks by going for the floor fitting yourself. Besides, there are a number of Vinyl flooring versions that are super convenient to install, such as the Luxury Vinyl (Vinyl Plank Flooring) in which there is no potential bonding required. 

Which Is Cheaper Carpet Or Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Vinyl Plank flooring is definitely an inexpensive option as compared to carpet and a significantly more cost-effective choice, too. In addition to that, Vinyl Flooring is often really easy to install and you won’t be needing any professional help in this regard, as well. Last but not least is the trustworthy durability factor, offered by Vinyl Flooring.