All You Need to Know about Vinyl Flooring - A Comprehensive Guide
Flooring is the largest surface in your home and the biggest contributor to its appearance. There's a reason why the global flooring market has reached about $96.85 billion in 2024 and is projected to be a whopping $123.08 billion by 2029.
The marble or tiles era is finally gone. Vinyl has replaced them and comfortably so.
Now, if you're also planning to select your house's flooring and wish to know whether vinyl is a good option, then you're at the right place. Keep reading!
What is vinyl flooring?
Vinyl is a synthetic material that has become a popular flooring material in both residential and commercial places. Not only is it durable and affordable, but it is also easy to install and maintain.
The biggest reason why vinyl flooring is so loved is because it can withstand spillage when water or other liquid splashes on it. Apart from all the utility benefits, it also adds a beautiful finesse to the floor, similar to that of solid hardwood or stone tiles.
In fact, many families are now removing their existing flooring materials and replacing them with better-quality vinyl!
Types of vinyl flooring
Even though vinyl is a contemporary choice, it has several types, and not all of them are suitable for all kinds of spaces. Let's read more about some popular types below.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)
This type of flooring uses stain-resistant planks. Luxury vinyl tiles, once finished, look similar to ceramic or porcelain tiles. This makes it a perfect fit for open spaces like living rooms.
LVT is also non-porous and made using sealed materials, so you can also consider flooring your kitchen or basement with this material. You can clean it using a special vinyl cleaner that will make the floor look glossy and luxurious for many years!
Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP)
Luxury vinyl planks are also stain-resistant, which makes them a perfect fit for children's rooms or kitchens.
This type of flooring is made of wide and thin vinyl planks. These planks are more durable and resistant than luxury vinyl tiles and are most commonly used to give the floor a wooden appearance.
Premium versions of LVPs are denser and stronger than sheet vinyl and are also resistant to scratches and abrasion.
Vinyl Sheets
Vinyl sheets are the simplest type of vinyl flooring and have been used for many years due to their water-resistant properties.
They are also the most economic choice among all three, so if you wish to purchase vinyl flooring on a budget, then this can be a good option.
These sheets are mostly installed in ballroom floors, garages, and studio apartments as dust and grime can be easily wiped off them.
Advantages of vinyl flooring
Vinyl flooring is famous for its low-maintenance nature, but there's more to it. In fact, a lot more…
Versatility
Versatility is perhaps one of the best reasons to switch to vinyl flooring. Not only is it available in numerous colors, but there is also a wide variety of patterns available.
Whether you have a simple house or a fancy commercial office, vinyl patterns will look simply breathtaking! In fact, vinyl is also a popular choice in hospital and operational theater floors!
Accident-resistant
Vinyl can also be a great choice for families with children or elderly people. Since vinyl has high friction, it's more difficult to slip and fall on it than on other available flooring options.
Easy to install
Imagine asking a professional to complete your wooden or stone flooring within a short time - Not only will it be incredibly difficult to complete the work, but it'll also cost a lot of money.
But that's not the case with vinyl flooring. Anti-static vinyl flooring can be installed with little effort and minimum training.
Barefoot friendly
If you want to walk around barefoot in your house and you don't know which material to go for, choose vinyl with your eyes closed! This is especially true for people who live in colder climates.
Vinyl is warmer to the touch, which means that it can retain more heat as compared to ceramic or stone floors. It can also better absorb sound and echoes, making it more comfortable indoors.
Conclusion
Before making the final decision, make sure you at least explore other options so you don't regret later. If Vinyl is your ultimate decision, keep the floor clean and dry and allow the vinyl to get used to the room's temperature for at least 24 hours before installation.