RVT, CVT, and LVT are three categories of vinyl flooring that differ in composition, durability, appearance, and price. RVT (resilient vinyl tile) is a broad category covering flexible vinyl products built to bounce back from wear. CVT (composite vinyl tile, often called VCT) is a budget-friendly tile made mostly of limestone with a vinyl binder. LVT (luxury vinyl tile) is a multi-layered product designed to realistically mimic wood or stone. Understanding how they compare helps you pick the right floor for your space and budget.
What Each Type Is Made Of
The biggest differences between these three flooring types come down to what’s inside them.
CVT (Composite Vinyl Tile) is roughly 85% limestone with vinyl acting as the binder that holds it all together. It’s a solid, single-layer product with no protective topcoat. Because of that composition, CVT is porous, meaning it can absorb moisture and stains if left unsealed. You’ll recognize it as the classic tile found in schools, hospitals, and grocery stores.
LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) is an engineered, multi-layer product. From top to bottom, it includes a clear wear layer with a urethane coating for scratch and scuff resistance, a printed film layer that creates the visual design (wood grain, stone, abstract patterns), and backing layers that provide dimensional stability. Some LVT products add a rigid core made from stone plastic composite (SPC) or wood plastic composite (WPC), which makes them stiffer and often fully waterproof.
RVT (Resilient Vinyl Tile) is less a single product and more of an umbrella term. “Resilient” refers to any flooring that flexes under pressure and returns to its original shape. LVT technically falls under the resilient category, but in industry usage, RVT often refers to solid vinyl tiles that meet ASTM F1700 standards. These tiles come in three classes: monolithic (solid color throughout), surface-decorated, and printed film tiles protected by a clear wear layer. When manufacturers or retailers say “RVT,” they typically mean a commercial-grade solid vinyl tile that’s denser and more uniform than CVT but less decorative than LVT.
Appearance and Design Options
LVT wins this category by a wide margin. Its printed film layer can reproduce the look of hardwood, marble, slate, or concrete with surprising realism. Higher-end LVT products also feature embossed textures that align with the printed grain, so the floor feels like real wood or stone underfoot. You can find LVT in planks (often called luxury vinyl plank, or LVP) or square tiles, in hundreds of colors and patterns.
CVT is far more limited. Most CVT comes in solid colors or simple speckled patterns. The color runs through the full thickness of the tile, which means scratches and scuffs are less visible, but you’re working with a basic palette. RVT sits somewhere in between. Solid vinyl tiles can be surface-decorated or printed, but they generally don’t achieve the photorealistic visuals that LVT’s layered construction allows.
Durability and Wear Layers
Wear layer thickness is the single best predictor of how long vinyl flooring lasts before showing damage. It’s measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). For residential vinyl flooring, 6 to 12 mil suits low-traffic rooms like guest bedrooms. Busy households with kids and pets do better with 12 to 20 mil. Anything above 20 mil crosses into light commercial territory, suitable for rental properties, small shops, and offices.
LVT products span this entire range, from entry-level residential at 6 mil up to commercial-grade options above 20 mil. The urethane coating on top of the wear layer adds further protection against scratches and staining. CVT has no dedicated wear layer or topcoat. Its durability comes from its density and the fact that color goes all the way through, but it requires regular waxing and buffing to maintain its surface. Without that maintenance, CVT scuffs and yellows. RVT products designed for commercial use often feature thicker wear layers and are tested against slip-resistance standards, making them a common choice for healthcare facilities, offices, and retail spaces.
Water Resistance
This is where the three types diverge sharply. CVT is porous by nature. Spills that sit on the surface can seep into the tile and the seams between tiles, potentially causing staining or damage to the subfloor underneath. CVT is not a good choice for bathrooms, kitchens, or any space with regular moisture exposure unless it’s properly sealed and maintained.
LVT is highly water-resistant, and rigid core versions (SPC and WPC) are fully waterproof. The dense core layers and tight seams prevent water from penetrating to the subfloor, making LVT suitable for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements. RVT products made from solid vinyl are also water-resistant, though their performance depends on the specific product and installation method. Glue-down installations generally seal better against moisture than loose-lay options.
Installation Methods
CVT is almost always glued down with a full-spread adhesive. The tiles are rigid and heavy enough that they stay flat once placed, but the adhesive is what locks them in position. Professional installation is standard for CVT, especially in large commercial spaces.
LVT offers the most flexibility. Glue-down LVT works well in commercial settings where permanence and stability matter. Click-lock (floating) LVT snaps together without adhesive and sits on top of the subfloor, making it popular for DIY installation in homes. Some LVT products come with peel-and-stick backing. Rigid core LVT with click-lock systems is particularly forgiving of minor subfloor imperfections because the stiff core bridges small dips and bumps.
RVT installation varies by product but leans toward glue-down in commercial applications. The subfloor needs to be smooth, clean, and level for any vinyl tile installation, but CVT and glue-down products are less forgiving of subfloor flaws than floating click-lock systems.
Maintenance Requirements
CVT is the most maintenance-intensive of the three. Because it lacks a factory-applied topcoat, it needs an initial coat of floor finish (wax) after installation and regular stripping and recoating over its lifetime. In commercial buildings, this often means monthly or quarterly buffing and periodic deep stripping. The upside is that a freshly waxed CVT floor looks clean and glossy. The downside is the ongoing labor and material cost.
LVT and RVT with urethane wear layers need far less upkeep. Regular sweeping or vacuuming to remove grit, occasional damp mopping, and that’s about it. The factory-applied finish handles the protection that CVT gets from wax. Over a 10- or 20-year span, the lower maintenance cost of LVT can offset its higher upfront price compared to CVT.
Cost Comparison
CVT is the least expensive option upfront. Materials typically run $1.00 to $3.00 per square foot, which is why it dominates in schools and large commercial buildings where tens of thousands of square feet need covering on a budget. Factor in ongoing waxing and maintenance costs, though, and the lifetime expense rises.
LVT costs $2.00 to $5.50 per square foot for materials alone in 2025, with total installed costs running $4.00 to $9.50 per square foot depending on the product tier and installation method. Click-lock LVT that you install yourself saves on labor but higher-end rigid core products push material costs toward the top of that range.
RVT pricing falls in the middle, generally between CVT and premium LVT. Commercial-grade solid vinyl tile costs more than CVT because of denser materials and thicker wear layers, but it doesn’t carry the same design premium as high-end LVT with realistic wood or stone visuals.
Where Each Type Works Best
CVT is built for large commercial spaces where budget matters more than aesthetics: school hallways, hospital corridors, cafeterias, and big-box retail floors. Its through-body color hides wear in high-traffic areas, and facilities teams are already equipped for the regular maintenance it demands.
LVT is the most versatile option. Residential LVT handles kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and basements. Commercial LVT, with thicker wear layers and enhanced slip resistance, works in offices, retail stores, hotels, and healthcare settings. If you want a floor that looks like hardwood or stone without the price or moisture sensitivity, LVT is the standard choice for both homes and businesses.
RVT fills the gap in commercial and institutional settings where you need solid vinyl performance, durability under heavy foot traffic, and a cleaner look than CVT without the full design range of LVT. It’s common in healthcare facilities, government buildings, and retail environments where slip resistance and long-term durability are priorities.