A cautionary tale: Why everyone needs waterproof flooring

A cautionary tale: Why everyone needs waterproof flooring

Earlier this fall, I heard a drip-drip-drip that seemed to be coming from the door frame from my bathroom entrance, not the ceiling. It turned out the person upstairs had a slow draining sink and just ignored it; one of the connectors got backed up and caused the?leak.?
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The carpet needed to be replaced.
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Shortly after, there was a rainstorm with fierce and violent winds. The wind came from exactly the right angle to create a crack in my chimney flashing, causing a leak in the same room where the carpet was replaced.
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Now I had doubled the expense!


How I wish I had waterproof flooring!


Up until now, the only choices to handle water were tile and luxury vinyl, but now we?have a relative newcomer market: flooring with the ultra-waterproof and moisture-resistant WPC (wood plastic composite) core.

This flooring is the most recent version of luxury vinyl (LVF). While LVF is waterproof,?this version has a different core that won't peel or ripple, giving it an extra layer of?protection, including moisture resistance; humidity can be as damaging as water itself.

You have all the benefits of LVF including:

  1. Style: The material bears a remarkable resemblance to wood, tile, or natural stone. Unlike the vinyl of years past, there are no more flat images, with high definition photography and features such as texturing to give it more depth and dimension. It can even be cut into planks or tile-sized pieces if you wish, and the seams give it even more realism.


There's a wide assortment of wood species including domestics like oak, maple, and?hickory, as well as exotics like ebony. With the natural stone-looks, you can get marble,?slate, limestone, travertine, and quartz, as well as all the newest colors and patterns?with tile.

  1. Durability: The WPC waterproof core makes the flooring thicker overall, but of particular interest to you may be the more robust top wear layer. The wear layer is what makes the product waterproof and stain-and-scratch resistant.
  2. Easy Care: All you need is a broom or vacuum. Run a mop over it periodically.
  3. Affordability: All the looks of natural materials at a more budget-friendly cost.
  4. Ease of installation: It can be placed over most existing floors and the method is either glue-down of click-and-lock.


For more information, visit the Bayland Flooring showroom in New Franken, WI.