From chairs you bought for the living room to the artwork displayed on your walls, your style is reflected throughout your home for all to see . Your style lives and expresses itself from room to room, indoors and outdoors. With that in mind, your style will also be communicated through your flooring.
Types of vinyl flooring
Typically found in the kitchen, bath or laundry room areas, vinyl has become an affordable and popular choice for flooring. Because the number of vinyl choices, patterns, colors, textures and price points can intimidate even the most experienced shopper, knowing the basic types can provide you with a firm foundation upon which to begin your vinyl flooring shopping journey.
Why Should I Consider Vinyl?
Advanced from the vinyl of yesterday
No more shiny floors that easily dent and rip
Broad selection of fashionable colors, patterns and textures
New products emulate the look of natural stone, slate or ceramic tile
New products can fit into any budget
Practical, functional and fashionable
For active households
Known to be cushiony and warm underfoot
Easier to remove than a grouted ceramic tile or natural stone floor
A potential time and money saver if and when replacement is due
Types of Vinyl Flooring
There are two general categories of vinyl flooring: plank and sheet.
Plank Vinyl Flooring
Plank vinyl flooring is usually 4-6 inches wide and 3-4 feet long. It often feels and looks closer to real hardwood flooring, while providing more durability than hardwood flooring. The disadvantage is it needs to be sealed to be waterproof.
Sheet Vinyl Flooring
Sheet vinyl flooring comes in seamless 6-12 foot sheets and is commonly used in areas known to be exposed to water daily, such as bathrooms and kitchens.
What to Consider Before Choosing Either Type of Vinyl
There are many types and brands of vinyl out there. Here are a couple of pointers to help you choose the best vinyl to fit your home.
Grades and Layers
You get what you pay for
More expensive gets you more versatile patterns, colors and textures
Premium wear layers offer superior resistance to stains, scuffs and scratches
Premium wear layers are enhanced with aluminum oxide providing resistance to scratching
Better wear layers make it easy to clean
Better products = better performance
Size of The Pattern
Consider the size of the room and the size of the pattern
Lighter colors will make a smaller room appear larger
Darker colors will absorb the light for a more intimate setting
Smaller pattern works well in small areas or in rooms where the pattern will be visually interrupted with pieces of furniture
Larger patterns can sometimes actually visually expand a room
Other Considerations
Consider any printed fabric on your furniture or wallpaper in the room
If fabric or wallpaper is a large-scale print, use smaller patterns for the floor
Small-scale pattern in the fabric or wallpaper, use a larger pattern for the floor
Selection of gloss levels to suit your needs.
Lower the gloss level, the more forgiving your floor will be
Considering New Vinyl Flooring?
If you are considering putting vinyl flooring in your home or have further questions, please feel free to contact us. We would be more than happy to help you choose the best vinyl to fit the style of your home.