Vinyl Sheet Flooring

Vinyl sheet flooring is very easy to install, a huge benefit for those who want beautiful flooring but don’t want a huge install bill with it. One way of installing vinyl flooring involves placing adhesive on the entire floor surface and then laying down the sheet vinyl flooring. Another method uses adhesives or staples around the edges of the flooring area as well as at the seams between flooring sections. Regardless of your skill level, it is actually quite easy for anyone to do either method.

No matter what vinyl sheet flooring installation method you choose, there are things to remember with vinyl floors. You must always make sure that the base flooring is smooth and free of bumps. This is very important as any disturbances in the base surface can cause unevenness in the flooring.

Additionally, be sure to leave a one-eighth of an inch gap around the outside of the flooring to allow for expansion during humid weather. One of the benefits of vinyl flooring is that it is one of the quickest types of flooring to install; instead of putting your life on hold as you tediously install flooring, you can get it done in a weekend.

Vinyl Sheet Flooring

What Styles of Vinyl Sheet Flooring are Available?

The huge variety of styles of vinyl flooring make it a great choice for any home or business owner. No matter what color or design you want on your floor, there is a vinyl sheet flooring pattern to match. That means that you can design your flooring to match your home decor; in a business, the flooring pattern can show your company logo or related image. Vinyl floor tiles are also available in many shapes that other floors can’t provide; they can be custom cut to almost any shape you would want.

Vinyl is considerably more comfortable than flooring made of hard surfaces such as hardwood or ceramic tile. It has a bit of give when people walk on it, making it more resilient and long-lasting. Furthermore, it’s very durable and difficult to damage, much moreso than laminate flooring or linoleum flooring. It is resistant to stains and maintains its appearance with heavy foot traffic.

No matter what floor needs you may have, vinyl sheet flooring is an advantageous choice. It is easy to install, versatile in print and color choices, and durable. Also, the average vinyl flooring installation cost is typically quite low compared to other types of flooring. Vinyl sheet flooring can truly serve the needs of virtually any home or business.

Vinyl Plank Flooring

What are the Benefits of Vinyl Plank Flooring?

If you’re looking to spruce up your home without spending a fortune, vinyl flooring might be the solution. Modern construction techniques blended with contemporary design have widened the range of colors, styles and patterns available. Versatile, sturdy, and priced to suit any budget, today’s vinyl floors are not your grandmother’s linoleum.

In recent years interior design has trended toward more natural materials. Granite countertops, slate floors and natural wood-beam ceilings are all popular. For the average homeowner, these beautiful looks are too expensive to install and too difficult to care for. The delicacy of these natural materials makes them impractical for everyday use, especially by families with children or pets. Anyone who has spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a natural stone floor only to drop a saucepan and watch a large chip or crack appear will agree. Luckily, there is an inexpensive and durable option.

Vinyl sheet flooring is made in printed finishes that mimic the look of natural stone, including granite, limestone, sandstone and slate. The flooring material is usually purchased in rolls either six or twelve feet in width. The larger rolls are ideal for smaller rooms, bathrooms or narrow kitchens, since the vinyl can be cut to fit in a single piece, resulting in a smooth, seamless look.

Vinyl sheet flooring is sturdy, beautiful, and easy to clean. Using state-of-the-art technology, the image is printed onto the vinyl surface and covered with a thick clear coat. Because the vinyl is impermeable, clean up is easy, and stains won’t sink into the surface. Tearing or scratching, once considered one of the liabilities of vinyl flooring, has been minimized by the introduction of tough polyurethane topcoats. Vinyl floors won’t chip or crack, and there’s no need to worry when the kids or the dogs go tearing through the kitchen. On the other hand, sheet flooring can be difficult to install, and may require professional assistance.

If you’re determined to do it yourself, vinyl plank flooring is probably the best option. Printed and coated in the same manner as sheet flooring, plank flooring is just that – sheets of vinyl flooring cut into planks. With all the advantages and durability of sheet flooring, the ease of installation makes vinyl plank flooring a winner. An adhesive strip is attached to the back of each plank. After thoroughly cleaning the sub floor to remove dust and dirt, simply peel off the adhesive and apply the plank. Fit the next plank snugly to the first. Smooth the seams with a soft, dry mop, or with a cloth by hand, and move on to the next plank.

Vinyl Plank Flooring

Hardwood floors lend warmth and charm to any home. A wooden floor gleaming in the sun or the soft glow of a lamp is both beautiful and welcoming. The cost of wood flooring, however, means this lovely effect is often out of reach. Even in older homes with original wooden flooring the cost of refinishing, staining and sealing the surfaces makes this a costly option. Vinyl wood plank flooring from reputable manufacturers like Armstrong and Allure is the solution.

Available in finishes ranging from light modern Ash to rich, classic Mahogany or Rosewood, vinyl wood flooring mimics the look of solid wood at a fraction of the price. Installed as easily as regular plank flooring, vinyl wood plank flooring won’t splinter, chip or dent, can be wet mopped without worry, and resists spills and puddles – even pet stains.

Durable, long-wearing and available in a wide array of classic and contemporary designs, vinyl flooring is one way to update your home and capture today’s hottest interior looks without breaking your budget.

Vinyl Floor Tiles

Vinyl Floor Tiles – Resilience & Beauty

Rarely is beauty coupled with resilience. Things of beauty are often fragile, require a lot of maintenance and are expensive. Vinyl flooring tiles break all of those rules. The best and most beautiful vinyl floor tiles are relatively inexpensive and require little maintenance. Most people don’t feel that vinyl tile is very elegant, but the fact is that today’s vinyl flooring tiles can be as artistic or as plain as its owner desires. There is an almost limitless choices of color and design, allowing you to express yourself in any way that you choose.

History

Vinyl flooring had made a comeback after World War II, with the vinyl tile becoming popular in the late 1950s. During the 1960s, “no wax” vinyl tile, as well as cushioned vinyl flooring tiles were developed, assuring their ongoing popularity. Vinyl floor tiles contained asbestos until the mid 1980s. Since the removal of asbestos, the growth in popularity has increased. Since then, with the development of slip resistance and anti-static vinyl floor tiles, the demand has continued to grow.

Manufacturing

Vinyl floor tiles are produced from a vinyl compound, which is made by mixing additives, such as stabilizers and fillers, with a vinyl resin. Vinyl flooring tiles are produced by either heating the compound to a high temperature and pouring the liquid into molds, or putting the compound through a group of rollers which squeeze the compound to achieve the desired thickness.

Types of Vinyl Floor Tiles

Solid vinyl tile: Which has a high content of vinyl making it a much purer form of vinyl.

Vinyl Floor Tiles

Vinyl composite tile: Also known as VCT, has greater amounts of added filler and additives, making it much more versatile.

Manufacturing Techniques:

Rotogravure vinyl: has a bumpy texture and a pattern, as well as color, which is printed only on the finished side. It is then covered with a wear layer, to make the vinyl floor tiles more durable.

Inlaid vinyl: has pattern, as well as color, throughout the tile, creating a more durable pattern.

Wear Layers: determine the gloss and durability of the vinyl floor tiles. The three wear layers are: vinyl no-wax, urethane, and enhanced urethane. The heavier the application of the wear layer, the more durable the tile is and the more costly it will be. Urethane and enhanced urethane have shown a marked improvement on vinyl flooring tiles. Aluminum Oxide is sometimes added, to the urethane finish, to enhance resistance to abrasion.

Types of Design:

Vinyl planks come in 3″ by 36″ planks, imitating a wood strip floor. They imitate twenty different types of wood. Vinyl tiles, usually, come in 12″ by 12″ tiles, imitating marble, slate, brick or stone. They come in a myriad of colors and patterns. They can be imprinted with logos, directional signs, or anything else that you can imagine.

Cost:

Cost can run anywhere from 29 cents to 4 dollars a square foot, depending on what you have in mind. Costs can run higher for special custom logos or imprints.

Vinyl tiles can be used in any room that you choose. It is unsurpassed for durability, ease of cleaning, and is relatively easy to install. It does not easily fade, even in direct sunlight, is not easily stained, and is resistant to moisture. Vinyl tiles muffle sound and some have a foam backing to further cushion feet. The choices are yours. Let your imagination take over and design the floor of your dreams. Go ahead and express yourself with vinyl floor tiles.