Vinyl flooring provides a lot of easy installation options with choice of colours and designs.
Several layers of materials are pressed together to create vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring can be quickly installed in a variety of colours as a quick fix solution when the flooring of an area needs to be replaced or installed quickly. With 2 main options for vinyl flooring being rolled sheets and tile format. Vinyl rolls and Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT). The fundamental difference between them is in the manufacturing technique.
LVT Flooring
LVT flooring designs can provide a look similar to vinyl or hardwood and ceramic tiles, and have found applications in all areas where one would find these. They can be flexible tiles or in rigid tile formats. The rigid tiles are modular and can be installed quickly without too much disruption to the furniture and other fixtures in the room. In fact LVT flooring can deal with small imperfections such as bumps and cracks better than vinyl rolls.Â
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl rolls are fibreglass-cushion-backed. There is a large variety of colours,patterns and designs available. Options are available that are 100% phthalate-free and with low VOC emissions. These make them good options for homeowners, schools and hospitals. As these are large sheets there are fewer seams between them. These seams are joined using cold welding once the sheets have settled. This makes it an unbroken surface also making it waterproof.
Surface Preparation
There are some requirements for the surface preparation, if it is a renovation and there already exists a flooring then the flooring may need to be removed or may need treatment. If it is a ceramic tiles/ concrete flooring – the surface may need to be smoothed with a levelling compound, if it is already properly levelled then vinyl can be installed directly onto it. . However for any pre-existing flooring such as laminate/ Carpet/Vinyl flooring they should be removed before any work. Further for raw floors, in the case of a new construction then the surface needs to be reviewed properly for bumps and cracks, as these can impact the finish of the flooring. In case there are bumps/cracks the surface may need self levelling to else the bumps can become visible on the surface of the installed vinyl.
Durability of Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors are durable and a good surface for a variety of applications. However, this durability is dependent on the choice of brands, the installation process and the base surface preparation.
There is a preference for homogenous vinyl as small damaged surfaces can be repaired easily. Care should be taken so that there is no moisture in the substrate at the time of installation as that may lead to bubbling later. Vinyl in itself is a waterproof material and if installed properly can also be used in kitchens and bathrooms.Â
In general vinyl flooring is for interior flooring or with flooring with limited exposure to the sun. In areas with a lot of exposure to the UV rays from the sun there can be fading. Depending on the quality of materials used, and the installation, vinyl flooring can last 5 to 25 years.
With ecological awareness brands have become more responsible and sensitive in their manufacturing, the impact throughout the production chain and in terms of chemicals, VOCs etc. Vinyl flooring can be very flexible in installation, with acoustic properties, thermal properties, comfortable and quiet underfoot. As it is resistant to damage and moisture, easy to clean and maintain making it a good choice for low maintenance and high traffic areas.
Vinyl Flooring Brands in India
There are many brands of vinyl flooring available in India, most of them are imported. Some of the better brands of vinyl flooring are Armstrong, Tarkett, Forbo and Polyflor. LVT from Interface is also popular for offices. There are Indian brands like Responsive or Wonder Floor that provide value offerings.
For the installation and selection of the right flooring for your application, it is important to have an installation team that understands the brand and the product. We work with a variety of different brands using technicians trained by them for the installation. There is a lot more to do with selection of the final flooring and understanding what works best to meet your client needs. We would be happy to discuss your project and give proper guidance on the best way forward, do contact us.