Vinyl Flooring Buying Guide
Vinyl flooring is one of the most affordable and resilient flooring solutions available. And depending on the wear surface you choose, the cost of materials can be up to 70 percent less than other flooring materials. Easily installation, versatility, low maintenance, and high durability make vinyl a popular flooring choice.
Put Vinyl Flooring in Your Home
With vinyl flooring being water- and stain-resistant, durable to high traffic, and versatile in its applications, it's one of the best flooring choices you can make.
Whether you want tile, plank, or sheet vinyl flooring, we've got what you're looking for both online and in-store.
Different Types of Vinyl Flooring
There are three main types of vinyl flooring: tile, plank, and sheet. The one you choose will come down to what you want in an installation process, your budget, and the space you're working in.
No-wax surfaces and easy clean-up are also advantages of vinyl flooring. Regular sweeping and occasional damp mopping are all you need to keep your floor looking bright and new. Spills are no problem — simply wipe them away with a damp cloth and you're good to go.
Vinyl Tile Flooring
Modern vinyl flooring has the look and feel of ceramic or stone tile, but at a much more economical cost. It's also waterproof, making it installable anywhere in your house.
Tile flooring is available in certain dimensions, usually 12 inch or 18 in. squares, and thicknesses so the floor has a uniform appearance. Precision-cut tiles make replacing damaged ones simple, while self-adhesive tiles are the easiest to install.
Vinyl Plank Flooring
If you want a durable and affordable alternative to wood, plank flooring is your go-to option. It's available in widths ranging from 6 in. to 18 in. and in 36. in or 48 in. lengths. Although it's waterproof, you'll need to seal in gaps to prevent moisture from seeping through.
Vinyl Sheet Flooring
Get just about any look you want with vinyl sheet flooring, whether it's a geometric tile-like appearance or dark hardwood flooring. It's available in 12 ft. widths, with a variety of adhesive types and methods depending on the style.
Sheet flooring is best in high-moisture areas, like bathrooms.
More Types of Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl Flooring Styles
Modern, traditional, or transitional — pick a style that matches your home's decor and create a seamless look from top to bottom. With proper surface preparation, it can be installed over any standard underlayment, concrete, old ceramic tile, wood, or non-cushioned vinyl flooring. Stability and water resistance make vinyl a good choice for any room at, above, or below grade level.
Modern
Get new styles in cool colours and use your vinyl flooring to give your home a modern edge.
Traditional
A traditional style has a wood-like appearance, making it perfect to match with a wide selection of furniture and accessories.
Transitional
Segue from one room to another with transitional vinyl flooring. There are variety of appearances to choose from, making it easy to blend rooms together.
The Durability of Vinyl
Aside from obvious colour and pattern variations, the biggest difference between tiles is the surface coating, or wearlayer. Tiles are covered with one of three surface coatings to resist dirt, stains, and scuff marks.
Vinyl No-Wax
Vinyl no-wax is good for areas with light traffic and minimal exposure to dirt.
Urethane
Urethane is good for areas with normal to heavy traffic. Urethane also resists scuff marks, scratches from sliding chairs, and cleans up easily.
Enhanced Urethane
Enhanced Urethane is considered the highest quality surface coating. Enhanced urethane holds up to the heaviest traffic, offers the greatest stain- and scratch-resistance, and maintains its original lustre longer than other coatings
Backing
The backing is the final element of a vinyl floor, providing additional moisture and mildew resistance. Backing also provides the resilience that vinyl is known for and determines the type of adhesive material required for installation. In general, a thicker floor is a better floor.
Protecting Vinyl Flooring
As durable and low-maintenance as vinyl flooring is, it still needs a bit of care. Luckily, it doesn't require much effort — just a few simple, easy things you can do that only take a few minutes.
Minimize The Amount Of Sunlight
The sun feels great on your face, but direct sunlight can damage or fade your vinyl flooring. Help minimize its effect by closing blinds or curtains to block the sun's light. Rugs and floor mats are also good options to protect from fading and discolouration.
Keep The Surface Clean
All you have to do is sweep the floor regularly and occasionally damp-mop it to keep the vinyl looking fresh and new. And even if you spill something on it, you don't have to worry about the flooring absorbing the liquid and warping — because it won't.
Protect From Furniture
Add an extra layer of protection to your vinyl flooring by applying furniture pads to your sofas, tables, chairs, and anything else resting on your floors. It'll help prevent scratches so your floor keeps looking new.
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