If you’re a smart vinyl shopper you’ve checked out the other sections
on vinyl and may be getting close to buying this popular and versatile flooring.
You’ve learned that the vinyl flooring of yesterday is long gone and newer,
better performing vinyl flooring is underfoot today.
In this section we’ll introduce you to product insights, performance considerations,
construction points and installation tips about vinyl flooring you should be aware
of before you buy.
We’ll also provide a list of possible costs you should keep in mind; costs
that go beyond the basic price per square foot.
Today’s vinyl flooring offers wall-to-wall benefits.
The vinyl offered today is quite different than the vinyl of yesterday.
Advances in construction and aesthetics have produced fashionable products that
are both durable and affordable.
You should know that many of the popular patterns today are inspired by nature,
including those that imitate the exquisite look of natural stone.
With an abundance of patterns and new methods of texturing the surface, very realistic
vinyl looks have been achieved.
Vinyl flooring brings to mind the layer cake.
Vinyl is constructed of several different layers: the wear layer, the printed or
decorative layer, an inner core consisting of a foam and vinyl layer, and a backing.
Don’t automatically pick thick.
When selecting your vinyl flooring, thicker is not always better.
It’s the density of the inner core that will help your floor resist
rips, tears, gouges and indentations.
Above all, concentrate on the top layer.
Understand that the quality of the wearlayer, which is the actual surface layer
of the floor, will determine how your floor will stand up to staining, scuffing
and scratching.
For example, a urethane wearlayer will help with stain resistance. Floors with aluminum
oxide nylon fiber and other enhanced polymers mixed into the urethane make the wearlayer
even more superior.