Vinyl Flooring Buying Guide

Like laminate, vinyl flooring (also called resilient flooring) mimics different materials, such as wood, stone and tile. It's simple to install, budget-friendly, and very durable. Vinyl is very good at resisting stains, scratches, fading and daily wear and tear; however, it's lifespan is not as long as traditional wood or ceramic tile flooring.

Vinyl is available in sheets and tiles in a variety of colors, patterns and textures. Vinyl tiles typically come in either 9", 12" or 16" squares; sheet vinyl typically comes in 6' or 12' wide sheets. Thicknesses vary between 0.045" to 0.125" with thicker material being more durable, but higher priced.

Both vinyl tile and sheet vinyl are made up of layers consisting of a protective top coat, a printed design layer, and a bottom layer or backing. Vinyl tiles offer more design flexibility and are easier to install, but sheet vinyl has fewer seams for dirt to collect in or water to penetrate.

There is wide array of designs and colors available in both tile and sheet vinyl flooring. It can replicate both the look and texture of natural materials such as wood, stone and ceramic, and also comes in a graphic designs and solid colors and textures. With vinyl tiles, you can create your own unique pattern by alternating colors and textures.

Installation is relatively simple especially for vinyl flooring and like laminate it can be installed in any room of your home, however it is not recommended for installation on stairs.

Types of Installation

Vinyl tiles are available in several different installation formats:

• Glueless - uses adhesive tabs or spray adhesive.
• Peel-n-Stick – tiles have a self-adhesive backing.
• Full Spread – requires adhesive and trowel installation.

Installation of sheet vinyl depends on the type of backing: felt or fiberglass. Felt backing is more common, however fiberglass provides added stability.

• Felt backing - can be installed as "full spread" where adhesive is spread under the entire floor, or "perimeter adhesive" where adhesive is spread on the perimeter only.
• Fiberglass backing - can be installed as "loose lay" where no adhesive is used, "modified loose lay" where adhesive is used in specific spots, or the "full spread" method.

Costs and Maintenance

Vinyl is an extremely economical flooring option. Material costs can be as little as $0.50 per square foot or as much as $5 per square foot. Thickness, the quality of the top coat, and the color and design all affect price. Installation costs range from $1 to $3 per square foot depending on your geographic location and site conditions.

Maintenance of your vinyl floors is very simple – just sweep or vacuum, and mop occasionally using floor cleaners recommended by the manufacturer.