What is the difference between water-resistant and waterproof flooring?

Water will damage hardwood floors, engineered wood floors, laminate floors, and other wood-related products, but not vinyl flooring products. They remain free of water damage. Why? They’re constructed with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) along with other natural stone source materials such as limestone. At the same time, vinyl waterproof flooring is never a solution to water issues in the subfloor. Yes, it’s unaffected by water, but zero in on any water or moisture issues before installing flooring, even vinyl waterproof flooring.

Waterproof Flooring

When exposed to water, it remains unaffected or undamaged, but keep in mind, this flooring is unable to make a space waterproof.

Flooring Labeled as Water Resistant

It handles a liquid spill just fine. Just wipe it up right away. However, water-resistant flooring offers limited protection from water.

Damage Caused by Water

If water remains, it can seep into the cracks, seams, and edges of walls, causing water to travel under the vinyl flooring. That can create all kinds of problems, such as swelling, buckling, and blistering.

Depending on the pH of the water, and the pH of the subfloor (often made of concrete), water can damage even waterproof flooring if the edges of the installation are not sealed properly and water is able to seep underneath.

Adhesives and Subfloor Coatings

Urban Surfaces provides several adhesives and subfloor coatings for protecting flooring from pH, alkali, and RH. This helpful flyer runs down the different products offered and shows what products work best for a variety of different projects.

A Quick Review

Waterproof flooring stands up to water, resisting any damage from it, but it still may be susceptible to damage from pH extremes introduced to the water. On the other hand, flooring labeled as water-resistant handles common liquid spills but offers little protection from water and the duration of exposure is critical.

If choosing water-resistant flooring, install it where there’s little moisture and a low risk of ever being exposed to water. Remember that installing waterproof flooring will never make a room waterproof. Only the flooring material is waterproof. Get rid of moisture from the slab below or from above to avoid costly repairs in the future.