If you’re looking to increase your knowledge of sheet vinyl flooring, you’ve
come to the smart place.
To begin, understand that there are two types of vinyl flooring: sheet vinyl and
vinyl composition tiles, or VCT.
For our purposes here, we will refer to sheet vinyl simply as vinyl.
VCT has all the advantages of vinyl, and is available in a variety of colors. However,
vinyl flooring also offers you many tempting advantages.
In fact, no other floor covering offers you the selection, styling, ease of maintenance
and value as a vinyl floor!
Vinyl is made of 4 different layers: the wear layer, the printed or decorative layer,
an inner core consisting of a foam and vinyl layer, and a backing.
The quality of the wearlayer, the actual surface layer of the floor, will determine
how the floor will stand up to staining, scuffing and scratching.
Generally, the more expensive vinyl floors have thicker wearlayers.
Vinyl flooring can now realistically mimic the look and textures of ceramic tile,
stone and wood grain patterns.
And there’s a broad selection of fashionable colors, patterns and textures
that offer durability and easy maintenance.
Vinyl is known to be soft and warm underfoot in comparison to natural stone or ceramic
tile.
If floor replacement is ever necessary, vinyl floors are much easier to remove than
a grouted ceramic tile or natural stone floor.
As you move up in the vinyl price range, there are many benefits; more design patterns,
colors and textures will be available to you.
You’ll also get enhanced performance construction designed to protect your
floor from rips, tears, gouges and permanent indentations.
Lighter vinyl colors will make a smaller room appear larger, while darker colors
will absorb the light, and create a more intimate setting.
When working with vinyl pattern sizes, a smaller pattern works well in small areas,
or in rooms where the pattern will be visually interrupted with pieces of furniture,
or a kitchen island.
However, keep in mind that larger flooring patterns can sometimes actually visually
expand a room.
When considering vinyl flooring styles, you’ll also want to consider any printed
fabric on your furniture or wallpaper in the room.
If the fabric or wallpaper is a large-scale print, you’ll want to look at
smaller patterns for the floor.
Conversely, if you have a small-scale pattern in the fabric or wallpaper you’ll
want a larger pattern for the floor.
Vinyl flooring comes in a selection of gloss levels to suit your needs. Generally
speaking, the lower the gloss level, the more forgiving your floor will be to the
daily wear of foot traffic.
Usually, extended warranties are available with upgraded products, giving you added
confidence that your floor will stand up to your active household
Since vinyl comes in 6’ and 12’ widths, seaming may be necessary depending
on the area to be covered.
Certain patterns will hide seams better. For example, tile patterns with grout lines
are better able to mask seams.
SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
The sheet vinyl story wouldn’t be complete without mentioning four related
products: linoleum, cork, rubber and specialty resilient flooring.
Today, linoleum is enjoying renewed popularity as a flooring choice, because
it is made of natural ingredients.
These include linseed oil, cork, limestone, wood flour and tree resins.
The fact that the color in linoleum goes all the way through, makes it extremely
wearable and durable.
And it can be hand-cut for intricate patterning and one-of-a-kind artistry.
Cork is actually the bark of a tree commonly known as Cork Oak. The bark
re-grows and the cycle continues on for years and years.
Cork flooring is warm to walk on, and extremely quiet, with natural sound absorbing
qualities, it’s also naturally hypoallergenic and naturally resistant to mold
and mildew.
Rubber flooring comes in a wide array of handsome, clear colors to match
your home and its personality.
Rubber flooring is extremely durable, virtually indestructible, quiet and warm to
walk on. But it is a relatively expensive flooring choice.
Specialty Resilient flooring offers the benefits of resilient flooring,
with the look and feel of real ceramic tile or wood.
It’s a lightweight, durable floor that creates less strain on your back and
legs.
This product comes in many patterns and designs based on stone, granite, marble
and exotic wood grains.
Finally, be calculating! The “cost per square foot” of sheet vinyl is
just one component of the entire project cost.
We will be happy to calculate the total cost. This cost can include furniture removal,
demolition and disposal of the old floor covering. Also, subfloor preparation, product
delivery, installation, and materials required to complete the installation.
There’s a lot to keep in mind before buying a sheet vinyl floor, but it’s
worth the effort. Sheet vinyl flooring adds beauty, style and durability to any
home.