Vinyl Flooring: What Are the Different Types?
Let’s get straight to the point. Vinyl flooring is what you are here for. You might be looking for a better floor to match your home’s needs or simply curious about the various types of vinyl flooring available.
Your curiosity is heard loud and clear. We would be remiss if we did not explain the process of making vinyl flooring. It is important to know what your feet will be walking on in order to avoid any surprises when you walk, run, or play on the beautiful vinyl flooring.
Vinyl flooring: How it’s made
Vinyl flooring made from a synthetic material known as PVC. It is heated and pressed into thin layers. The backing layer is the first layer. It is made of cork or foam material and is the lowest layer on the floor. This layer is also known as the underlayment, and it acts as a support barrier above the base floor.
A second layer of WPC or SPC is placed on top of the backing. This helps absorb moisture and prevents the material from swelling. The water-resistant coatings are then topped with a printed layer that depicts a photorealistic representation of wood, stone, and tile. You see the printed layer and then spend so much time choosing what to choose.
The wear layer is last. It is a protective top layer that protects all layers of vinyl. A wear grade is a measure of how thick vinyl is. It is important to know what vinyl grade you require. Your floor will look great for longer periods of time if it has less wear.
P.S. Coles Fine Flooring offers a variety of vinyl flooring options in San Diego. We want to help you find the best flooring options without breaking your budget.
Different types of vinyl flooring
Vinyl is dependent on a printed layer to create its design. This opens up a wide range of options for you. You could spend hours looking at designs, but there are only four types of vinyl flooring. These include sheets, tiles, sheets and luxury vinyl.
Vinyl Planks
Vinyl plank flooring is a popular type of vinyl flooring in modern homes. Each plank is designed to look like a long, narrow plank made of natural wood. It will give your floors the look of hardwood. Planks last longer than vinyl sheet and are more durable. Luxury planks are also thicker and stronger.
The design layer can be used to emulate many colors and textures, from dark petrified wood through light wood. For their ease of installation, tongue-and-groove vinyl planks are a favorite among homeowners. You can create a seamless look for your floors by combining each plank.
Vinyl Tile
Vinyl tile is very similar to vinyl planks, in that it comes in precut shapes. Vinyl tile is made up of individual squares which can be cut to any size that you require. Each tile looks like ceramic or stone when it is assembled. Vinyl tile can look like natural stone or plain white ceramic.
Vinyl tile can be used to make a marble-like appearance or to create your own flooring patterns by mixing and matching different styles. You can make your vinyl tiles look as real as possible by grouting between them.
Vinyl Sheets
Sheet vinyl is one large roll of flooring material that measures six to twelve feet in width. To install sheet vinyl you would just roll it up and glue it to your floor. This gives the flooring a seamless appearance and prevents moisture from getting into cracks. Vinyl sheets are great for bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways.
This type of vinyl flooring is popular with homeowners due to its low cost, ease-of-use, and maintenance. Sheet vinyl can be installed over concrete, tile or underlayment.
Vinyl Luxury
Luxury vinyl flooring feels soft underfoot and is a higher quality version of traditional vinyl. Luxury vinyl can be found in both plank and tile options. This is why people may refer to it as luxury tile, luxury vinyl planks, LVT, LVP, or luxury vinyl plank. Luxury vinyl is usually thicker and more rigid than sheet vinyl, which makes it extremely durable and resistant to wear.
You have many design options available for your home, and all are waterproof. Luxury vinyl planks have a wood-look that hardwood lovers will love, while luxury vinyl tiles has a striking similarity to stone.