VINYL… MADE SIMPLE

Types of Vinyl | Contruction | Installation

 

Vinyl flooring is sometimes referred to as “resilient” flooring.

Resilience describes the floor’s “give” or elasticity. A resilient floor returns to its original form after someone steps on it.

But “resilience” is no longer the only reason to purchase vinyl. New technology has allowed for high resolution images and better, more striking textures and patterns. Today, almost any type of wood or stone surface can be replicated.

The benefits of vinyl flooring include:

  • Wide array of patterns, textures and colors;
  • Softness and resiliency underfoot compared to ceramic or hardwood;
  • Highly resistant to stain and moisture;
  • Inner core insulates against heat and cold and helps to absorb sound;
  • Exceptional performance in high traffic areas;
  • Easy to maintain;
  • Incredibly versatile – Can be installed almost anywhere in the home, as long as the sub-floor is solid (even if the sub-floor is not perfectly level); and
  • Affordable at any budget.

TYPES OF VINYL

Vinyl flooring is available in two basic forms: Luxury Vinyl and Sheet Vinyl.

Luxury Vinyl

  • Stylish appearance;
  • With advanced technology, it can be made to look like natural wood or ceramic and stone tiles.

Sheet Vinyl

  • The vinyl flooring that you have seen for years in kitchens and bathrooms;
  • Very functional, low cost, easily cleanable.

top

VINYL CONSTRUCTION

Vinyl flooring is made by laying various materials made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) onto a backing and then binding them under heat and pressure.

Wear Layer

The top layer is the wear layer (similar to laminate flooring), which determines the durability of the tile, as well as the amount of maintenance needed to keep the floor looking great.

The density of the wear layer also affects performance. Generally, the thicker the wear layer, the more resistant the floor will be against wear. Thicker resilient floors also provide more indentation resistance, cushioning and comfort underfoot, noise dampening and insulation. For these reasons, vinyl floors with thick wear layers are recommended for high traffic areas in the home.

The “type” of wear layer also impacts wear performance.

Vinyl No-Wax

  • Dates back to the beginning of the "no-wax vinyl floor";
  • Still used today, although mostly in entry-level price point products;
  • Resists scuffs and scrapes relatively well and does not need waxing.

Urethane

  • A polyvinyl chloride that is more stain and scuff resistant than standard Vinyl No-Wax floors.

Advanced Urethane with Aluminum Oxide

  • A more advanced form of urethane, typically impregnated with aluminum oxide (second hardest element after diamonds) to increase durability and resistance to staining and scratching.
  • Extremely resistant to the most common household stains.

Finish - Finishes vary from high gloss to matte or satin. Generally, the lower the gloss, the more forgiving the floor will be to grit and foot traffic.

Décor Layer

As with laminate flooring, the design and color of vinyl flooring is created through an image that is printed onto the vinyl surface (covered with a wear layer for protection). This process opens up unlimited style options.

Higher quality vinyl floors are “textured” in order to give a more realistic look and feel to the product.

  • Texture is added to the wear layer through a process called “embossing”, which involves pressing textured patterns into the wear layer.
  • Embossed in Register is an enhanced process whereby the texture pattern is designed to follow the grain in the image, creating an even more realistic look and feel.

Core

The core of vinyl flooring is made from vinyl (not fiberboard, as with laminate), which makes resilient flooring softer underfoot and more resistant to moisture.

 

VINYL INSTALLATION

Installation Methods

Vinyl can be installed in ANY room using one of two common methods:

  • Full spread (the most common); or
  • Perimeter glued.

 

Full Spread – Adhesive is applied to the entire floor.

This method is always used to install Luxury Vinyl Tile and Plank, and sometimes used to install Sheet Vinyl. A water-based, non-toxic adhesive used to affix the vinyl to the sub-floor. The vinyl flooring is laid into the adhesive and then rolled, pushing out all bubbles and securely attaching the vinyl to the sub-floor.

One disadvantage to this method is that it requires more floor preparation, including new plywood underlayment in many cases. In addition, because vinyl is not thick and has “give”, it will mold itself to the form of the subfloor. Consequently, proper subfloor preparation is crucial.

Perimeter Glued / Stapled – Only the perimeter, or edges, of the floor is glued or stapled to the subfloor.

The primary advantage over the Full Spread method is that it can be used over more types of sub-floors, including plywood, concrete and even some old vinyl. By gluing the vinyl only at the edges, the vinyl can move with the subfloor as it contracts and expands due to changes in temperature. This method also hides imperfections in the floor.

Sub-floor Preparation

Vinyl takes on the shape of the surface beneath it, so it requires a very flat sub-surface. Consequently, whenever new vinyl flooring is installed, sub-floor preparation is required.

The type of sub-floor preparation depends on the “type” of floor over which the new vinyl is being installed.

Embossing Leveler - If vinyl is installed over an existing vinyl floor, the texture of the vinyl must be smoothed out (or it will show through onto the new floor). This is accomplished by applying a special compound, referred to as an embossing leveler, which fills in the low spots and leaves a smooth surface.

An existing vinyl floor should NOT be removed. An embossing leveler should be applied and the new vinyl should be installed over the existing vinyl.

Skim Coat - If vinyl is installed over concrete, a skim coat can be applied to smooth out any “grit” on the floor that would show through the vinyl.

New Plywood Underlayment - If vinyl is installed over a wood subfloor, plywood or an approved Lauan can be used to level the sub-floor and prepare it for the new vinyl. Lesser quality lauan will stain through the new vinyl.

 

Buyer’s Tip: Many installers cut corners to reduce their cost by ignoring the requirement to properly prepare the sub-floor for a vinyl installation. For example, they install vinyl directly over a wood sub-floor or over concrete without first applying skim coat.

 

Sealing Vinyl Seams

Sheet vinyl generally comes in 12’ wide rolls. If you’re covering an area that is wider than 12’, seaming will be necessary.

Vinyl seams should ALWAYS be sealed, providing a protective coating to keep dirt and moisture from getting trapped in the seam. Sealing involves fusing two pieces of vinyl together. It is important that the installer uses the seam sealer recommended by the vinyl manufacturer.


top