Vinyl floorings biggest problem is its name !
What is waterproof vinyl flooring and why is it so popular ?
Vinyl flooring is made up of polyvinyl chloride (or vinyl) resins, plasticizers (high molecular-weight solvents), pigments nd trace stabilizers, and a carrier sheet or backing. The backing may be felt or highly filled paper made from wood pulp and calcium carbonate. High-gloss surface vinyl sheets or vinyl tiles have an additional polyurethane coating applied at the end of the process. The glue applied to the back of some vinyl tiles (to make a pressure-sensitive adhesive) is made from organic resin. Now companies are adding PVC and plastics to make their products thicker. Vinyl flooring can then be installed by floating or gluing down using pressure sensitive adhesive most of the time. However most of the products you will see for sale in going to be of the floating variety.
Kids and pet approved. If you have a hetic household with kids, pets, maybe a lot of wet feet from a swimming pool, or maybe you have had a problem with water leaks. Have no fear this is the floor for you. Waterproof flooring as it is called is truly waterproof. Its also fairly resisent to scratches. Unlike traditional vinyl most of this new generation of vinyl is much harder and not as likely to dent which has always been a big problem with vinyl. Your going to want to do your homework and look for products with a rigid or harder core. These product are much harder. So its important to read product specs and customer reviews of products. I can remember as installation I did about 2 or 3 years ago when vinyl was just starting to get populat. I was installing a 3 mill product for one of the big box stores. My customer had a rand piano and I told my customer before I started the job that I didn't think it was a good idea to put this vinyl under the piano. However the salesperson a the store told them they had nothing to worry about. What do I know I hav only been doing this for 20 years. As opposed to the salesperson who has probably been working their for a couple of weeks. Of course the piano dented the floor. That probably would not happen with most of the vinyl on the market now but that is why its important to do your homework on products and listen to your flooring contractor. If your not sure call me anytime.
Its hard to go anywhere nowadays without seeing vinyl flooring somewhere. I see it being used in stores, banks, malls, and in residential homes. If you go shipping for flooring you will see vinyl taking over some flooring stores. As the vinyl boom continues manufactures are coming out with more and more options. You can get vinyl with or withour pad, in wood or tile patterns, different widths and lengths, thickness, and colors you could possibly want. The industry is constantly changing and evolving. A year ago most vinyl was 3 or 4 mill thick and didin't come with any attached padding or backing and manufactors wanted you to install it directly over the concrete without any padding. Now you would have a hard time even finding a vinyl that is less then 6 or 7 mill thick, or without a attached pad or backing, and if it doesn't have a backing manufactures want you to use a special pad that is made just for vinyl. Most of the vinyl now is 6 mills thick, 6 to 7 inched wide, and has a locking system on it just like laminate.
This is not your parents kitchen floor. For years homebuilders used sheet vinyl as the free option for flooring in kitchens, baths, and sometimes entire homes. So when some customers hear the name vinyl they think of that kitchen in their parents or grandparents houses. Same name but different product. However its hard for some people to get over that name and they are concerned that it won't sound good in a listing if they ever sell their home. "Beautiful home with swimming pool, granite counter tops, and vinyl flooring" maybe doesn't sound as good if that same listing featured "Hardwood flooring". So in my opinion the biggest problem with vinyl is the name. That's why you hear stores like Home Depot only refer to vinyl in their ads as "waterproof flooring". You will also hear vinyl refered to as LVT and Luxury plank. Unfortunately its impossible to change the name of something when that been around for 130 years. Hopefully over time as our younger generations grow up around this new improved version of vinyl, they will come to accept it for what it is not for what its called because it really is a great flooring option.
Worlds Most Expesive Flooring Vinyl?
She was the finest ship ever made in her time. No expense was spared. Her grand staircase is still talked about today and was recreated in one of the biggest movies of all time. But what you didn't know was when passengers on the Titanic step off that staircase they stepped onto the worlds most expensive flooring. Vinyl. Yes the most expensive flooring in the world in 1910 when the ship was being built was vinyl. New, extremely durable, and in high demand made vinyl the most expesive and sought after flooring in the world at the time. Little known fact,
Vinyl flooring information - questions - facts about Vinyl plank flooring and installation !!
Vinyl flooring is a great alternative to wood and laminate flooring.
Often called waterproof flooring, vinyl flooring is great for families with kids and pets because they wont have to worry about drinks being spilled or pets having accidents.
Can vinyl be installed over tile ?
Yes. As long as its at least 6 mill and your tile grout joint is not to big. Otherwise you must patch the grout joints.
Does vinyl flooring have to acclimate ?
Yes. vinyl flooring should still acclimate. However some manufactures will claim its not necessary however if you read their directions a little closer you will see that even they have some instances in which you will need to anyways. So just acclimate.
Do I have to leave expansion for the vinyl like I have to do with laminate and wood ?
Yes just like wood an laminate vinyl also expanses. It doesn't expand as much as much as wood but will still move.
Can I use the same pad / underlayment I used when I had my laminate installed ?
No. Vinyl requires a special pad that is made just for vinyl.
I bought a floating vinyl floor but i really want to glue it down. Can it be glued down ?
Yes although not necessary It can be glued down. I have glued down several floating floors. Usually in commercial setting,