What will be the flooring in the room depends on the operational requirements and financial possibilities. In apartments, linoleum is mainly laid, laminate or parquet is laid. Today, the building materials market offers many options for flooring. An alternative to expensive flooring is vinyl tile, which is as good as luxury materials in terms of performance and cheaper.
What is vinyl flooring?
Vinyl coating is a multi-layer canvas, in the lower part of which there are quartz chips with a polymer, and in the middle part there is a polymer plate with an ornament. A thick film protects it from abrasion and mechanical damage. Prefabricated vinyl floors are made in the form of small rectangles that are attached to the floor surface with an adhesive base. The coating is soft to the touch, but at the same time its performance is higher than that of the laminate. Exactly atareas with high humidity, vinyl floors are most often used: customer reviews confirm the ability of vinyl to absorb moisture. For kitchens, hallways and bathrooms, this is the perfect cover.
Vinyl Floor Feature
Before laying tiles, you need to level the surface. Screed or other building mixtures will get rid of bumps. Experts do not recommend laying vinyl on a wooden floor, which can be damaged from the inside. All boards damaged by fungus or rot should be removed, construction debris should be removed. There is no need to level the surface if it is flat. It is enough to put a substrate, plywood or chipboard sheets under it, and then vinyl floors. The plates have a small thickness, so it is better to pre-insulate the floors, especially in the children's room.
Vinyl wear resistance is divided into maximum, medium and intensive. They differ in density and thickness of the protective film. In areas with a high flow of people, it is better to use a coating with maximum wear resistance in order to maintain attractiveness for a long time. In addition, if moisture gets on it, the floor will not deteriorate or swell.
If you don't know how to install vinyl floors, you can see photos of their installation in this article.
Styling features
You can lay vinyl floors yourself, without the help of strangers. Details are cut with metal scissors.
Gone are the days when the store offered only one-color linoleum and white tiles. Today, the construction market offers a wide range of materials that are unfamiliar to many, such as quartz, vinyl floors with an adhesive backing. These are new developments, using which you can make the floor beautiful and environmentally friendly in a short time. Choosing a material is not a problem, the difficulties lie in the installation of the coating, since the service life depends on the correct installation.
Covering base
Quartz, vinyl floor tiles are laid on a clean, dry and even surface. If the floor surface is not well dried, then moisture will gradually destroy the adhesive and coating. In the kitchen, in the bathroom or in a room with high humidity, it is recommended to first waterproof the floor. Dust can prevent the adhesive backing of the vinyl from fully adhering to the surface, so you need to wash it thoroughly.
Styling process
For laying vinyl flooring, first of all, you need to purchase a special knife with trapezoidal blades, which are changed to hook-shaped ones during work. The first type of blade is necessary for marking the material, and the second for cutting.
If the tiles are laid diagonally, then you need to be prepared for a lot of waste. The amount of material is determined by measuring the area of the room. Many people have installed vinyl floors themselves. Reviews of homemade craftsmen note that this process is quite simple.
At the first stage, a central point is marked on the floor surface, guide lines are drawn from it, alongwhich will be installed. Next, the tiles are smeared with acrylic adhesive, which is most suitable for this work, and the laying begins. Around obstacles and near walls, the material is cut with a clerical knife. If desired, curly patterns can be used if there are columns or steps that interfere with laying. After the material has been laid, it is rolled with heavy rollers or a cork board to better bond with the substrate and prevent bubbles from forming. In rooms with high humidity, tile joints are treated with cold welding.
Self-Adhesive Vinyl Tile
The base of vinyl tiles can be not only simple (standard), but self-adhesive, that is, with a sticky base. Vinyl floors are very popular among the population, reviews about them are only positive.
The process of laying self-adhesive vinyl tiles is very simple. It is enough to remove the protective film from the back and press it firmly against a dry and cleaned base. In addition, tiles can be laid on existing flooring - parquet, linoleum or laminate. All cracks and irregularities are sealed with putty, followed by grinding. For maximum durability, the coating is treated with an acrylic-based primer.
What you need to know?
Consumer should be aware that self-adhesive vinyl flooring has its drawbacks. The fact is that the adhesive base loses its properties at low temperatures, so this coating can only be used in heatedpremises. On the back of the material are arrows indicating the direction of installation. If you do not follow the instructions, the pattern will be broken, and the overall picture will lose its appeal. Among other benefits, self-adhesive vinyl flooring is easy to install and inexpensive.
Benefits of vinyl flooring:
- Wear resistance. This coating is ideal for rooms with high humidity and heavy traffic. Vinyl flooring is great for people walking around, moving furniture, sports training, corporate events.
- They won't fade, crack or chip.
- The material is not afraid of water.
- Sustainability. Vinyl floors are made from environmentally friendly materials that do not contain heavy metals and do not emit volatile components into the air.
- Assortment. In the store you can find matte, textured, glossy and smooth vinyl floors. They perfectly imitate precious woods, sandstone, green grass, hewn plank floors or antique wood.
- Material can be easily glued to the surface and smoothed out with a roller. When installing vinyl tiles, you do not need to dismantle old floors or remove furniture.
- Light weight and hidden seams. The tile is easy to cut and, when laid, creates a seamless indoor surface with inconspicuous seams.
- Durable and easy care. Vinyl does not need to be carefully looked after - the dirt is easily washed off with ordinarywater, and strong stains can be removed with household chemicals.
- Affordable price and ergonomics. Vinyl flooring and its maintenance cost the buyer inexpensively.
- Warmth. Unlike tiles and stone, which become cool in winter, this material is very warm.
The disadvantages include only artificial origin. Such a minor disadvantage is covered by a number of advantages that vinyl floors have, customer reviews confirm this fact.
Constructive types of material
Despite modern modernization, this coating resembles linoleum in its performance. Just like its predecessor, the wear resistance of vinyl tiles is expressed in numbers. The longest in operation material belongs to the 43rd class and has a protective layer thickness of 0.5 mm. Vinyl floors with these numbers are commercial grade and are recommended for sports and industrial premises. Materials of grades 32-34 with a coating thickness of 0.3 mm belong to the household category and are suitable for finishing floors in residential buildings.
New on sale
Vinyl coatings on the domestic market appeared quite recently, but in such a short time they managed to win the respect of consumers. Vinyl flooring makes it easy to design your home in a modern style, using material stylized as embossed leather or perennial oak. Thanks to a large selection of colors, you can realize your most original fantasies. Vinyl flooring isa vivid example of the successful implementation of design ideas. In addition, it is a reliable and high-quality material for any premises. The floor from it is convenient and easy to maintain, it washes well and is not afraid of water. In order for the room to shine with freshness and cleanliness, a light damp cleaning is enough.
