These floors are embossed. It is a feature that gives the floor depth and dimension. It also provides textured appearances, such a wire-brushed, hand scraped, weathered and distressed.
Adding to the realism, the flooring can be cut into planks, called luxury vinyl plank (or LVP). Vinyl strips are mounted on boards to mimic hardwood planks. You can also get it cut into square, groutable tile-sized pieces, LVT Flooring.
While the core is directly related to stability and waterproof capabilities, it is the wear layer that affects durability. This product is layered and the top layer is a clear, melamine sheet that protects the floor from scratches and scuffs. It also keeps spills sitting at the top waiting to be wiped off. The wear layer should be thick; it comes in six, 12, or 20 mils.
Thicker vinyl is better, too. That makes it stronger, but it also will hide subfloor imperfections. It is available in thicknesses of two mm to eight mm.