Glue-down versus click
Glue-down LVT is the original and still the better product: bonded fully to the screed, it has no hollow sound, no movement gap at the perimeter and no lock to fail. Click LVT borrows the floating installation from SPC but keeps a flexible core, which means it needs an extremely flat substrate or the joints work loose. If the floor is going down on a properly prepared screed, choose glue-down.
The substrate is the project
LVT is thin and flexible, so every defect underneath telegraphs through — a 2 mm ridge in the screed will be visible as a line across a plank within a month. Correct preparation means a self-levelling compound at ₹45–90 per sq ft over the existing slab, cured and moisture-tested before laying. Contractors who omit this produce a floor that looks superb for a fortnight. Budget it as a line item, not an extra.
| Item | Rate / sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LVT plank, 2 mm, 0.3 mm wear | ₹75–130 | Light residential |
| LVT plank, 3 mm, 0.5 mm wear | ₹140–230 | Homes and light commercial |
| Commercial LVT, 0.7 mm wear | ₹210–320 | Offices, clinics, retail |
| Self-levelling screed | ₹45–90 | Almost always required |
| Adhesive and laying | ₹35–70 | Pressure-sensitive adhesive |
Where LVT is the right answer
- Bedrooms and studies, where the quiet, warm footfall is noticeably better than tile or SPC.
- Clinics and offices, where a welded-seam sheet or a 0.7 mm wear layer takes trolley traffic.
- Herringbone and chevron patterns — LVT cuts and glues into geometry that click systems cannot.
- Over underfloor heating, rare in Mumbai but relevant in hill-station projects.
LVT versus SPC versus engineered wood
SPC is rigid, waterproof and tolerant of an imperfect floor. LVT is quieter and better looking in a pattern but demands a flat, dry screed. Engineered wood is real timber and costs two to three times more, with the compensation that it can be sanded. For a Mumbai flat, LVT makes most sense in bedrooms with a prepared screed and SPC everywhere the programme is tight. See the flooring calculator and residential interiors.
Frequently asked questions
Is LVT the same as vinyl flooring?+
LVT is a category of vinyl flooring — the rigid-format plank and tile end of it, with a printed decor and a defined wear layer. Sheet vinyl is the other branch, supplied in rolls with welded seams, and is still the better choice in a clinic.
Can LVT be laid over tiles?+
Only after levelling. Grout joints, lippage and any hollow tile will show through a 2–3 mm plank. A self-levelling compound over the tiles solves it, which is why SPC is often chosen instead for a quick renovation.
How long does LVT last?+
Eight to twelve years residentially with a 0.5 mm wear layer, longer in commercial grades. The failure mode is usually adhesive or substrate related, not wear — a floor that lifts at the edges was laid on a damp screed.
Is LVT good for a bathroom?+
The material is waterproof, but the perimeter and the joints are not a membrane. In a fully wet Indian bathroom, tile remains the right answer. LVT is fine in a powder room or a dry vanity area.