Why is vinyl flooring so popularly used in the world?

Vinyl flooring is a product made up of several layers of different materials sandwiched together to form a highly durable, elegant, and affordable floor covering. Vinyl flooring is also called "resilient flooring" because it characteristically bounces back under the pressure of the object placed on it. During the 1930s, vinyl flooring started to be used in industries. Since that time, it has become an extremely popular flooring option around the world. Vinyl flooring is popularly used on the floors of offices, schools, commercial structures, and homes.

What is vinyl flooring?

Vinyl flooring is constructed entirely from a synthetic product called "polyvinyl chloride plastic". PVP is heated and moulded into thin layers that are adhered together to form vinyl tiles. One of the most famous characteristics of vinyl flooring is that it reflects a photorealistic visual layer depicting wood, stone, and ceramic looks. Vinyl flooring is durable, versatile, affordable, and can hold moisture and bear weight.

Types of vinyl flooring

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

This type of vinyl flooring is designed to replace natural flooring options like hardwood and ceramic tile with an affordable option. As technology advanced, so did the designs of vinyl flooring, which now resembles natural flooring. It comes in various designs, including plank, rigid, and flexible tiles. The installation process of LVT is very easy and can be done even with the furniture in the room.

Vinyl Roll

Vinyl roll is a fibreglass cushion-back that comes in large flexible sheets. These sheets are present in various designs, including realistic designs, playful designs, and timeless designs. Vinyl rolls are 100% phthalate-free and have low VOC emissions, which contributes to a healthier indoor environment.

Types of vinyl finishes

Types

Use

No-wax vinyl finish

This is the lightest type and is good for areas where there is less foot traffic and there is minimal exposure to dirt and moisture.

Urethane finish

The urethane finish is more durable and resistant to moisture. It can manage moderate foot traffic and heavyweights.

Enhanced urethane finish

This is the toughest available on the market and can bear heavy foot traffic. It is more resistant to moisture and scratches. It also doesn't require a lot of maintenance.

Benefits that make vinyl flooring popular all over the world

· Cost-effective: Vinyl flooring is one of the most affordable flooring options, which just costs – per square foot. Luxury vinyl tiles are also inexpensive and can be installed for – per square foot. As compared to the cost required for natural flooring like wood, ceramic, and stone, vinyl flooring offers significant cost savings.

· Installation is simple: Vinyl flooring, like any other common flooring material, does not require glue or staples to be installed. All you need to do is just peel and stick the vinyl tile in the desired place. It can be installed on the pre-existing wood floor, but it is not recommended to install it over the 2 or 3 pre-existing vinyl floor layers.

· Stainless: Not all, but some types of vinyl flooring are stain resistant, like printed vinyl tiles. On the other hand, solid and composite vinyl tiles are more susceptible to stains.

· Durability: Vinyl flooring is extremely durable and can last for 10 to 20 years if properly installed and maintained.The upper layer of vinyl flooring is called the wear layer, which protects the floor against searches and stains. However, the quality of the material and maintenance will affect the durability of vinyl flooring.

· Thicker composition: The vinyl flooring is made up of many layers, making it thick and comfortable to walk. Some vinyl flooring has extra padding that makes it even more comfortable and compatible with heavyweights.

· Acoustics: Because vinyl flooring has a cushioning effect, it reduces traffic noise and noise from dropped objects. In addition, underlayments are available to further decrease impact noise and sound transmission.

· Heat resistance: Unlike other resilient flooring, vinyl flooring does not contribute significantly to the spread of fire. Vinyl flooring resists burning and, typically, fire stops instantaneously when the external fire is removed.

· Moisture resistance: Because moisture conditions can affect adhesive performance, this property is highly dependent on the subfloor. Vinyl flooring is moisture resistant and can be installed in areas where water is used to spill.

What are the different styles of vinyl flooring?

Durability, longevity, maintenance, and ease of installation are some of the key points in the popularity of vinyl flooring. However, the increasing demand for vinyl flooring nowadays is due to numerous eye-catching designs. Vinyl rolls come in an infinite number of designs and styles, whereas luxury vinyl tiles are more concerned with reproducing previous designs and making them more resemble wood, ceramic, and stones.

How durable is vinyl flooring?

Vinyl flooring's durability is affected by a number of factors, including the material's quality, how it is manufactured, maintenance, and installation process. All the vinyl floors are installed with the special PUR surface treatment, which provides good protection and makes them even more durable and resistant to scratches. Rigid LVT shows no contraction or expansion of the surface with time. Moreover, vinyl flooring can hold its shape and size against moisture and temperature changes. All this is because of its sturdy construction, including many layers like the wear layer, print film layer, vinyl backing, and vinyl core.

Tips on maintaining the vinyl floor

· Use a felt pad to protect your furniture.Vinyl floors can stand the heavyweights, but it is good if you use felt pads. Constant abrasion by the movement of furniture can cause some damage, so to prevent it and increase the life of vinyl floors, use felt pads.

· Make it a habit to place abrasive mats at the door's entrance because dirt and stones from shoes can damage the vinyl flooring.

· Regularly clean the vinyl floor so that it can maintain its shape and position.

Conclusion

Vinyl flooring is becoming popular day by day due to its numerous features like durability, low cost, ease of installation, maintenance, moisture resistance, heat resistance, and stain resistance. It comes in various styles, designs, and patterns. Both vinyl tiles and vinyl rolls are now popularly used throughout the world because of their limitless designs, which last approximately 10–20 years.