Q&A: All About Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring has many benefits that industry insiders are aware of. For instance, as home improvement expert Bob Vila points out, vinyl flooring is long-lasting, cost-effective, and low maintenance. If you're contemplating a new floor, you may want to know more about this resilient option. Keep reading to have your questions answered about vinyl floors.
What Is Vinyl Flooring?
Standard vinyl floors typically consist of four layers of materials. The base layer is made of cork or foam. This backing layer serves as the foundation. Since it's made of a springy material, flooring installers usually don't install another material first. The next layer is a waterproof one made either of a wood and plastic or stone and plastic material.
Next comes the exciting layer — the pattern. The design layer consists of a high-resolution printed image. The image can be abstract, or it can resemble a high-end material such as marble or wood. The top is called the wear layer. It sits on top of the design and protects the flooring from wearing down.
What Are the Types of Vinyl Flooring?
Flooring companies typically offer three types of vinyl floors. The one most consumers envision is the vinyl sheet, which consists of a roll of flooring. The installers lay it down all at once. It's the most affordable option.
The other two options, planks and tiles, are on the higher end. With both styles, the flooring installer works with smaller pieces of the material. Tiles are often square. They are meant to resemble ceramic or marble tiles. Installers can even use grout. Planks are longer. They're meant to replicate the look of hardwood.
What Are Factors to Consider?
While vinyl flooring is ideal for most spaces, it might not hold up in every single situation. For instance, sharp objects can tear the material, so you don't want it to be in a construction area. Heavy loads can also be problematic, which is why you don't find vinyl in garages, for example.
How Do I Choose a Vinyl Floor?
The biggest driving factor for your choice of vinyl flooring is preference. You may look for a pattern that fits into your color scheme. Conversely, you may want the look of a material such as hardwood or marble without the attendant price tag.
That said, if you don't mind investing a bit more money into your flooring project, you might consider luxury vinyl. These planks and tiles are considerably thicker. Manufacturers use 3D printers to construct these planks and tiles. The result is a three-dimensional product that better mimics its natural counterparts.
Call your local flooring company to find out about your vinyl flooring options.
For more information, contact a flooring company near you.