Walk into half a dozen flooring showrooms on a Saturday and you will hear the Imperial name more than once. Imperial flooring is a catch-all label used by several regional brands and private-label importers, and the quality gap between them is wider than most shoppers realize. Before you sign anything, it helps to know which Imperial line you are actually looking at, what it is made of, and whether the warranty behind it is worth the paper it is printed on. This guide breaks down what to verify, what to skip, and how to land a good deal.
Which Imperial Are You Buying
There are three distinct product families sold under the Imperial label in North America. The first is Imperial Hardwood, a Canadian-milled solid and engineered line known for maple and oak in 4 to 7-inch widths. The second is Imperial LVP, a rigid-core vinyl distributed primarily through independent dealers and typically made in Vietnam or China. The third is Imperial Laminate, a value-tier AC4 product that shows up on clearance aisles at regional chains.
Ask the sales rep for the manufacturer name and country of origin before you start comparing prices. A North American-made plank and an imported one may share a name but carry very different warranties and core densities.
Pros Homeowners Consistently Mention
- Price point: Most Imperial SKUs land 10 to 25 percent below Shaw, Mohawk, or Armstrong equivalents.
- Wide availability: Independent dealers can usually order in 48 to 72 hours on common SKUs.
- Decent realism: The LVP line uses EIR (embossed-in-register) texturing on most planks above $2.50 per sq ft.
- Click systems hold: Uniclic and Välinge-licensed locking mechanisms are common, not generic knockoffs.
- Visual range: 40-plus SKUs covering light oaks, smoked tones, and wide-plank styles.
Cons to Factor In
Color consistency between production runs has been a repeated complaint. Order 10 percent overage in one lot, because reordering three months later rarely yields a perfect match. Customer service routing also varies by dealer since Imperial is not always the warrantor of record. If your floor cups or delaminates, you may be dealing with the importer, not a household-name manufacturer with a claims department.
On the LVP side, the wear layer on entry-level SKUs is often 12 mil, which is fine for bedrooms but marginal for kitchens and entries. Spend up for the 20 or 22 mil options if you have pets or high traffic.
Pricing at a Glance
| Product | Typical Price per sq ft | Installed Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial Laminate AC4 | $1.79 to $2.49 | $4.50 to $6.00 |
| Imperial LVP 12 mil | $2.29 to $2.99 | $5.00 to $7.00 |
| Imperial LVP 20 mil | $3.49 to $4.49 | $6.50 to $8.50 |
| Imperial Engineered Oak | $4.99 to $7.99 | $9.00 to $13.00 |
| Imperial Solid Maple | $5.99 to $8.99 | $11.00 to $15.00 |
How the Warranties Stack Up
Residential warranties on the LVP line run 25 to lifetime on wear-through, with a 10-year light commercial rider on 20 mil SKUs. Read the exclusions carefully: pet urine that sits overnight, direct sunlight in rooms with south-facing glass, and installations in unconditioned spaces (garages, three-season porches) all void coverage.
Hardwood products carry 25 to 50-year structural warranties and 7 to 15 years on the factory finish. The finish warranty is prorated after year one, so a scratched board in year eight typically refunds only about 30 percent of original cost.
Installation Notes by Product
Imperial LVP
Floats over most subfloors up to 5/16 inch variance across 10 feet. You still need an underlayment with 2mm IXPE foam for sound, unless the plank has an attached pad. Expansion gaps of 1/4 inch minimum, and avoid runs longer than 40 feet without a T-molding.
Imperial Laminate
Same floating install as LVP, but the HDF core is moisture-sensitive. Skip it in bathrooms and laundries regardless of what the waterproof marketing sticker claims.
Imperial Hardwood
Solid product requires nail-down to a plywood subfloor with 1 3/4-inch cleats at 8-inch spacing. Engineered can be floated, glued, or stapled depending on the SKU instructions. Always acclimate 5 to 7 days in the installed space.
Where Imperial Fits and Where It Does Not
Good fit: rental properties, budget remodels, secondary homes, and bedrooms where wear is moderate. The LVP 20 mil line is also a reasonable choice for a first-floor kitchen and living room if you keep a doormat at each entry and trim pet claws.
Bad fit: mudrooms that see snow and salt (go to a 28 or 30 mil commercial LVP), basements without a moisture barrier, and rooms with 10-foot sliding glass doors where UV exposure runs high. In those cases, tile or porcelain plank will outlast Imperial by decades.
Shopping and Negotiation Tips
- Get the exact SKU and production date before you order. Same name, different lot, different results.
- Ask for three samples in the same style from three different boxes. If they vary noticeably in tone, walk.
- Price-match against regional chains. Dealers frequently come down 8 to 12 percent when shown a written competitor quote.
- Add 10 percent waste for straight layouts, 15 percent for diagonal or herringbone.
- Confirm the warranty registration process in writing. Some Imperial lines require online registration within 30 days.
Imperial flooring is not a premium brand, and it is not pretending to be. Treated as a mid-tier value play with eyes-open expectations, it can cover a 2,000 sq ft home for under $12,000 installed and look presentable for a decade. Go in with the SKU details, the lot number, and a written warranty in hand, and you will likely walk out satisfied.
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