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The Global Insight

What does mm mean in vinyl flooring

Author

William Harris

Updated on March 31, 2026

The thickness, measured in millimeters, refers to the actual vinyl core. Luxury vinyl planks range in thickness from 2 mm to 4 mm to 8 mm and above for higher quality products. Thinner versus thicker products require certain subfloors and will also be installed differently and discussed in more detail below.

What is the best thickness for vinyl flooring?

The rule of thumb is to use 4mm to 6mm thickness in heavily used areas of the house and 4mm and below for areas like the bedroom.

Is 8 mil wear a good layer?

So what is a good thickness of the wear layer? The wear layer should be at least 8 mil or 0.2mm thick for a room with moderate traffic. For high traffic areas or areas where you want the most durable nylon, go with a wear layer that is 20 mil or 0.5mm thick.

What does mm mean for flooring?

How is laminate flooring thickness measured? For laminate flooring, plank thickness is measured in millimeters (mm). A millimeter is roughly 0.039 inches.

How thick is 20ml vinyl flooring?

Wear-layer (mm)Wear-layer (mil)Typical Commercial Warranty0.3mm12 mil5 year or “light” use0.5mm20 mil10 year0.7mm28 mil15 year1.0mm40 mil20+ year

How thick should floors be?

In a typical home, the entire structure between levels can be about 12 to 14 inches thick, depending on the type of joists used and the finish materials for the floor and ceiling.

Is thicker vinyl plank better?

As a general rule, a thicker vinyl will provide more stability and comfort underfoot. So if you are looking for flooring to refresh your low traffic bedroom, a thinner vinyl plank flooring will work great for you.

Is 12 mm laminate better than 8mm?

8mm is standard thickness, good quality, good price, durable enough, environmentally. 12mm is thicker flooring, same quality as 8mm, good walk-feeling, not so much noisy, high price. If you like the laminate flooring to look and walk similarly with hardwood flooring, you can take 12mm.

How thick is a floor mm?

Millimeters are the primary unit for measuring the thickness of laminate flooring, and laminate floors can range from 6mm to 12mm.

What is difference between mils and MM?

A mil is a measurement that equals one-thousandth of an inch, or 0.001 inch. One mil also equals 0.0254 mm (millimeter). Thus a mil is not the same thickness as a millimeter. … A credit card is around 30 mils thick while a common deck of playing cards including the box is approximately .

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What MM should LVP be?

The most common thickness of LVP used in common households is 12 mil, but if your household is fairly active, or has a number of pets, a higher thickness is recommended – such as 20 mil. Most thicker planks, such as 28 mil, are used for commercial rather than household installations.

Is 12 mil wear layer enough for dogs?

Usually, 12-mil is the minimum recommended wear layer thickness for residential spaces. If you have kids, dogs, or pets with sharp nails, a 20-mil wear layer thickness would be better. … So aside from the thickness of the wear layer, you should also consider the type of coating the vinyl plank floor is applied with.

Does vinyl plank flooring decrease home value?

Vinyl plank and tile floors are comparable to laminate floors in terms of their affordability, durability and ease of maintenance. … You should also keep in mind that vinyl plank and tile flooring might not increase the value of your home as much as laminate flooring.

Is 0.3 mm wear layer enough?

In living areas with low levels of wear and tear, such as bedrooms or offices, floor coverings with a 0.2 mm or 0.3 mm wear layer are completely sufficient.

What mil is best for vinyl flooring?

It is recommended for residential installations to include a product with a minimum wear layer of 12 mil and 20 mil or more for houses with active families or pets. For commercial installations, it is best to have luxury vinyl tile with a minimum wear layer of 28 mil.

Is 6 mil wear a good layer?

The more MIL’s a product has the stronger the wear layer is. So, a 6 or 12 MIL product will work for your home, but not for a commercial setting. A 20 MIL product will work for your home, AND work for a commercial setting. The higher the MIL’s the higher the warranty in years, and vice versa.

What is the best thickness for laminate flooring?

Laminate flooring should be between 6-12mm thick. If you find thicker than 12mm, it’s an inaccurate measurement–possibly including attached padding. If you want the highest-quality, hardwood feel, you’ll want 10 or 12mm. If cost is a concern and you have a smooth subfloor, you can get by with 7 or 8mm.

Are there different grades of vinyl plank flooring?

Types of Vinyl Plank Flooring. There are three main categories of vinyl plank flooring: luxury vinyl planks (LVP), wood-plastic composite vinyl planks (WPC), and stone-plastic composite vinyl planks (SPC).

How thick should underlayment be for vinyl flooring?

How thick should underlayment be for vinyl flooring? In general, underlayment for vinyl plank flooring will be between 2mm to 3mm in thickness although some can be as much as 6mm thick and the thinnest around 1mm.

What size ply vinyl flooring?

Cover the floor area with either a 4mm or 6mm plywood – the thickness selected should be determined by the quality of the surface being covered. Ply should be of suitable quality, eg SP101. Wood should be fixed using screws, twisted shank or ring shank nails, serrated or divergent staples.

What is the best material to use for a subfloor?

Plywood is considered the most popular material used for subflooring, it has been used since the 1950s and remains one of the top choices for contractors. Standard plywood works perfectly fine as a subflooring material, but the best option is ¾” tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.

Is 8 mm laminate flooring good?

8mm laminate floor is one of the most popular flooring options. It seems to be the happy medium between thick and thin laminate flooring options and provides ideal stability and easy installation. The 8mm thickness is enough to overcome any subfloor imperfections and create a sleek flooring solution.

Is Thicker laminate flooring better?

Generally, the thicker the board, the greater the advantages. Thicker laminate flooring feels closer to a solid wood floor underfoot. It is easier to install and this makes it ideal for DIY projects. … The thicker laminate board provides a better acoustic effect, as it makes it more difficult for the sound to travel.

How can you tell good quality laminate flooring?

  1. A thickness of the laminate. Decisive for the durability and thus the lifetime of a laminate is the strength of the panels. …
  2. The thickness of the wear layer. …
  3. Resistance to moisture. …
  4. Environmental compatibility.

Does 12mm laminate need underlay?

Underlayment for laminate flooring is a must. Since laminate is a floating floor, it must be evenly distributed across your subfloor. Underlayment is what allows the floor to float, gives it stability, support, noise reduction, and supports the locking systems in between planks to assure the sturdiest flooring project.

Which brand of laminate flooring is best?

  • BEST OVERALL: Pergo TimberCraft + WetProtect Laminate Flooring.
  • RUNNER UP: Mannington Restoration Collection.
  • BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: TrafficMaster Lakeshore Pecan Stone.
  • BEST FOR KITCHENS: Mohawk RevWood Plus Flooring.
  • BEST FOR LIVING ROOMS: Shaw Repel Water Resistant Laminate.
  • BEST FOR BEDROOMS: Mohawk RevWood Flooring.

What does 12mm laminate mean?

12mm laminate flooring is exactly what it sounds like. It is 12 millimeter thick laminate flooring and is one of the thickest available laminate options. 12mm is equal to about 0.47in, just shy of half an inch.

Is mm same as millimeter?

The millimetre (international spelling; SI unit symbol mm) or millimeter (American spelling) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre, which is the SI base unit of length. … There are ten millimetres in a centimetre.

How thick is a mm?

The millimeters thickness unit number 25.40 mm converts to 1 in, one inch thickness. It is the EQUAL dimension value of 1 inch thickness but in the millimeters thickness dimension unit alternative.

What does a mm measure?

A measure of length in the metric system. A millimeter is one thousandth of a meter. There are 25 millimeters in an inch. Tumor sizes are often measured in millimeters (mm) or centimeters.

What MIL is LifeProof flooring?

What to Expect from LifeProof Vinyl Flooring. LifeProof flooring in the 6.5-mil category may compare favorably to low-end LVP products, but not by much and not for the price.