Commercial LVT Flooring Melbourne: Buyer's Guide#

Commercial LVT Melbourne specifiers reach for luxury vinyl tile when the brief demands a photo-realistic timber or stone look, fast turnaround, and durability for castor chairs, trolleys and open-plan foot traffic. Where commercial vinyl sheet leads on hygiene and continuous surfaces, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) wins on design flexibility — and across Melbourne offices, retail stores, cafés, clinics and show homes it has become the go-to plank-format commercial finish.

This buyer's guide walks through what commercial LVT actually means, the key wear-layer and installation specs, and how the Karndean, Polyflor, Armstrong and Godfrey Hirst ranges compare for the most common Melbourne project types.

What Is Commercial LVT?#

LVT is a rigid or semi-flexible vinyl plank or tile — usually 180 × 1220 mm planks or 457 × 457 mm tiles — built up from a PVC backing, a fibreglass core, a printed decor film and a clear wear layer topped with a PU finish.

Commercial-grade LVT differs from the residential equivalent in three important ways:

Wear layer of 0.55 mm to 1.0 mm (vs 0.30 mm residential)
Class 33 or Class 34 traffic rating to EN 685 / ISO 10874
Warranty of 15 to 25 years for commercial use

In Melbourne's commercial market, specifiers choose LVT for offices, retail stores, hospitality venues, waiting rooms, showrooms and boutique clinics — anywhere the design brief calls for a premium timber, stone or concrete look without the cost or installation risk of engineered timber or natural stone. Browse the full commercial vinyl range to compare plank formats and wear layers side-by-side.

Gluedown vs Looselay vs Click LVT#

The install method changes cost, lifespan and future flexibility of the floor.

Gluedown LVT — Traditional full-spread pressure-sensitive adhesive. Most durable, best bond for castor traffic, but slab preparation and moisture testing are non-negotiable.
Looselay LVT — A heavy backing (typically 5 mm, more than 7 kg/m²) holds the tile down with friction plus perimeter tackifier. Karndean Looselay Longboard and Looselay Original are the benchmark here — Mr Floor installs them on retail and office fit-outs where speed is critical.
Click-lock rigid LVT — SPC or WPC core with a click profile. Fast to install, floats over the substrate, easy to lift for services access.

For a retail fit-out in Melbourne CBD, Richmond or Brunswick where the client needs to trade again on Monday morning, looselay or click LVT typically wins on programme. For healthcare and open-plan offices with castor chairs, gluedown is still the safer long-term bet.

Commercial LVT Brand Comparison#

Brand	Key commercial range	Format	Wear layer	Best for
Karndean	Looselay Longboard / Looselay Original	1500 × 250 mm plank	0.55 mm	Retail, offices, hospitality
Polyflor	Expona Commercial / Expona Control	1219 × 184 mm plank	0.70 mm	Heavy commercial, education
Armstrong	Quantum LVT	1219 × 184 mm plank	0.55 – 0.70 mm	Offices, light healthcare
Godfrey Hirst	Ultra Crystal	1500 × 228 mm plank	0.55 mm	Retail, commercial interiors
Gerflor	Creation 55 / Creation 70	Multiple	0.55 – 0.70 mm	Schools, offices, retail

When the brief needs a heavy-commercial wear layer with stain resistance for a busy Hoppers Crossing retail store or Docklands office, Polyflor Expona at 0.70 mm is usually the reference point. When the priority is a dimensionally stable looselay plank for a dry-trade fit-out, Karndean Looselay Longboard is hard to beat.

LVT vs Commercial Vinyl Sheet#

Criteria	Commercial LVT	Commercial vinyl sheet
Appearance	Premium plank / tile look	Seamless roll format
Seams	Plank-to-plank joints	Heat-welded seams
Water performance	Water-resistant	Fully sealed, wet-room capable
Replacement	Single plank swap	Patch required
Install speed	Fast (looselay / click)	Slower (cutting, welding)
Typical use	Offices, retail, hospitality	Healthcare, aged care, wet rooms

If hygiene compliance dominates the brief, go with sheet. If the finished look and plank format are the priority, LVT is the better answer.

Installation Checklist for Melbourne Projects#

Commercial LVT is unforgiving of sloppy subfloor prep. Mr Floor walks every job on the following sequence:

Moisture test the slab — below 75% RH before gluedown
Grind and level high spots, fill low spots with a latex-modified compound
Prime the slab (porous or non-porous primer as required)
Spread adhesive with the correct notch trowel for the chosen LVT system
Acclimatise tiles 24 to 48 hours on site before installation
Roll with a 45 kg roller immediately and again after 30 minutes
Protect for 24 hours before full traffic and 72 hours before wet cleaning

Jobs in older buildings around Fitzroy, Carlton or Footscray almost always need additional levelling and moisture remediation. Budget for it at quote stage so the tiles don't lift six months after hand-over.

Maintenance and Expected Life#

Commercial LVT with a 0.55 mm wear layer and a PU finish typically lasts 15 years in an office setting and 10 to 12 years in heavy retail. The 0.70 mm Polyflor Expona commercial range can reach 20 years in well-maintained offices. A simple cleaning programme — daily dust mop, weekly damp mop, monthly pad-and-scrub on high-traffic lobbies — is usually all it needs.

Skip stripping solvents and aggressive alkaline cleaners. They dissolve the factory PU and open the print layer to premature wear. Stick to neutral pH cleaners and rotate mop heads before they load up with grit.

Book a Commercial LVT Consultation#

Need help shortlisting a commercial LVT range for your Melbourne office, retail or clinic fit-out? Contact Mr Floor for samples, datasheets and a detailed measure-and-quote. Our commercial team covers Melbourne metro from Hoppers Crossing through the CBD, Richmond, Box Hill and beyond, with Armstrong Quantum, Polyflor Expona and Karndean Looselay available for specification review.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What wear layer should commercial LVT have?#

A minimum of 0.55 mm for general commercial use. Specify 0.70 mm for heavy-commercial traffic such as retail, hospitality entries and education corridors.

Is commercial LVT waterproof?#

LVT is water-resistant and tolerates spills, mopping and routine wet cleaning, but it is not fully sealed the way heat-welded vinyl sheet is. For wet rooms and healthcare-grade hygiene, vinyl sheet is still the correct choice.

What is the difference between Karndean Looselay and Karndean gluedown?#

Looselay uses a heavy backing and perimeter tackifier — it can be lifted and reinstalled, which suits retail and offices. Gluedown is fully bonded to the slab with pressure-sensitive adhesive and delivers the strongest long-term bond for castor chair and trolley traffic.

How much does commercial LVT cost per square metre in Melbourne?#

Material pricing typically ranges from $55 to $110 per m² for commercial-grade LVT, depending on brand and wear layer. Supply and install for a typical Melbourne office fit-out lands between $110 and $165 per m².

Which commercial LVT brand is best for Melbourne offices?#

For open-plan offices, Karndean Looselay Longboard and Polyflor Expona are the two most commonly specified. Armstrong Quantum is a strong alternative for light commercial and clinic environments.