Waterproof Flooring … And the Rest of the Story

The marketing of having a “waterproof” floor has dominated advertising across the flooring landscape.

But what does waterproof mean to the consumer? What does waterproof mean in the language of the manufacturer? And what does waterproof mean in the language of the water loss restoration contractor?

Warranty exclusions

Even as a sales professional, different kinds of marketing can be confusing. What does waterproof mean in the flooring realm? Read any manufacturer’s warranties, and they will state that the flooring is only waterproof from the top down. Note some of the verbiage found:

• “Flooring will resist damage from normal topical household spills under normal use for the specified duration.”
• “The flooring system will resist damage from normal topical and household spills and domestic household pet accidents under normal use for the specified duration. The flooring will also withstand moisture from damp or wet mopping.”
• “The Waterproof Warranty applies to the product itself and does not extend to damage of the subfloor or adhesives. The warranty refers to topical moisture or topical water exposure. It does not cover moisture or water coming from below/underneath the product and does not cover flooding or intentional damage or misuse.”
• “This warranty covers topical moisture as long as the water does not flow over the edge of the surface (edge of the room, cut boards, etc.).”
• “Products, where applicable, to be waterproof from topical moisture. The structural integrity of the flooring plank will not be significantly diminished by exposure to topical water. The integrity of the flooring planks will not be affected by topical moisture.”

Those are a lot of words that basically mean the same thing: Topical moisture is the only thing that is covered under manufacturer’s warranty, whether it is luxury vinyl or laminate. Floods, subfloor moisture, plumbing leaks, and other similar issues are not covered.

Moisture issues

What about the person who may have a moisture issue in their basement? They have had carpet down for ages but now want to switch to a hard surface. Here are some things to think about:

Carpet breathes, as in it lets any moisture pass through from below.

What is under the carpet? Some homes built pre-1975 may have vinyl asbestos tile (VAT) installed on the floor. Most people covered it up and never did anything about it. How does this affect what can go over the floor? Asbestos needs to be professionally remediated or not disturbed.

However, it is important to know that VAT and VCT (vinyl composite tile) are also both porous—meaning they breathe. Capping them off with a plastic, non-permeable layer, such as a floating non-permeable floor, can create issues if there is already moisture vapor transmission through the permeable floorings.

Is there a moisture issue already? If the space feels damp, floods often, or seems musty, a hard surface floor (yes, even a ‘waterproof’ one) may not be your best solution. All that mold and mildew needs to grow is a moderate temperature, damp conditions, darkness, a lack of air movement, and a food source.

Note this manufacturer’s warning:

• “This flooring is waterproof and reliably secures the flooring panels on all four sides. However, excessive moisture in the subfloor could promote mold, mildew, and other moisture-related issues like the trapping of moisture emissions under the flooring, which may contribute to an unhealthy indoor environment.”

That information doesn’t help the consumer whose friend of a friend’s neighbor pulled up their luxury vinyl floor after their basement flooded and put it back down. While we have heard those stories and maybe have done it ourselves, what does the industry standard say should be done with those floors?

Categories of water

The ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration is THE standard for how everything should be handled after a water loss. First, we need to understand the categories of water losses.

Water categories refer to the level of contamination, based on both the source and the quality after contact with materials on-site. Time and temperature influence how contaminants grow or diminish, potentially changing the water’s category. Restorers must consider potential contamination—defined as the presence of unwanted substances not typical of a normal indoor environment—which can harm health, damage property, or disrupt building systems.

Water is classified into three categories:

• Category 1: Clean water from sanitary sources (e.g., broken supply lines, rainwater) with minimal health risk. It can become more contaminated if it contacts unsanitary surfaces or remains wet over time, potentially deteriorating to Category 2 or 3.
• Category 2: Water with significant contamination that may cause illness or discomfort (e.g., dishwasher discharge, toilet overflows without feces). It contains unsafe levels of microorganisms or nutrients and can deteriorate further under certain conditions.
• Category 3: Grossly contaminated water that poses serious health risks (e.g., sewage, floodwater, river or seawater intrusion). It can contain pathogens, toxins, or hazardous materials and is highly dangerous upon contact or ingestion.

In the IICRC The Inspector’s Review publication of April 2025, Fred Hueston wrote this about how luxury vinyl floors should be handled after a Category 3 water damage: “Vinyl and LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile/Plank) Vinyl and LVT are usually more resistant to water than wood-based floors. However, seams and joints can allow water to seep beneath the surface, especially if the flooring was a floating installation. If Cat 3 water gets underneath, it can contaminate the substrate, adhesives, or underlayment. And if vinyl is glued down, that adhesive can trap moisture and bacteria. Can it be cleaned? Sometimes – but rarely. If water has gotten under the surface or into the seams, removal is usually the safest option.”

As a consumer, don’t get hung up on the “waterproof” marketing. When people ask me which is better, I tell them, “If your dishwasher leaks, your basement floods, you’re calling the insurance company anyway.”

The waterproof story is a plus but remember it’s only from topical moisture. Anything coming from the subfloor, the toilet overflowing, a plumbing leak, etc., is enough to make the restoration contractor put the floor in the dumpster. It has nothing to do with whether the floor can be dried out and sanitized; it’s more of a question of whether it should.