100% waterproof. The definition of waterproof is water tight, water repellent, water resistant, impermeable or impervious.
There are a wide range of Vinyl Tile/Plank materials on the flooring market today that state they are 100% Waterproof. What exactly does that mean? The warranties that go along with these products, by definition, are telling you they are water resistant. But the impression you are getting is that they are water proof. If you read the warranty you will find it excludes flooding of the area, which could include a lot of common household issues. Some even specifically state they exclude plumbing and appliance problems.
What these warranties are telling you is that it’s okay to put these products in bathrooms now whereas before you couldn’t. Prior to this, any vinyl floor would require you to clean up spills immediately and that any standing liquid on the surface could damage the material. Now – your 100% waterproof floor – means you have more wait time prior to clean up.
Porcelain Tile, however, is impervious. So, it doesn’t absorb moisture – period. Put it in your basement and you have a washer flood the floor or you find yourself in a flood situation as is often the case in our market. Once you have removed the water you can bleach and sanitize the floor and go on with living life in your home. Not so with your 100% waterproof vinyl floor.
So – buyer beware. Check your warranties. Check what will happen in extreme, but normal, circumstances. The kids overflow the bathtub, your dishwasher decides to wash the floors instead of the dishes, or upon your return from that great Disney vacation you find your ice maker stopped making ice and flooded your kitchen floor.
