Introduction
What comes to your mind when you think about vinyl plank flooring? Outdated and out of style floors? This was a go-to low cost selection for many decades; vinyl flooring was perceived as “cheap”. However, it has come a long way from the aged vinyl tiles you may remember. Vinyl plank flooring is one of the most reasonably priced flooring options on the market today. It is long-lasting, durable and effortless to clean and preserve. Although it is a cost-effective flooring alternative for your house or business, your fresh vinyl plank flooringwill not look inexpensive.
Vinyl planks now come in an assortment of styles and designs. In fact, you can select from an array of vinyl plankflooring options that imitate the look of tile or hardwood flooring. BUT, with all the latest advancements you will barely be able to tell the difference between luxuryvinyl plank flooringand real hardwood.
Although coupling the word “vinyl” with “luxury” might seem like an oxymoron, however, new technologies and some good old-fashioned marketing has made it popular. Some years ago, laminate flooring casted a shadow on vinyl as the go-to low-cost and simple installation flooring product. But with the advent of luxury vinyl flooringmanufacturers rapidly began positioning it as a feasible flooring material for homeowners.
Luxury vinyl plankcomes in individual planks that appear to be like hardwood or tiles and grout strips when it comes to the tile look. These individual pieces feel and look real – they have texture and graining disparity that make it seem like genuine hardwood, and the grooves at the border gives it real definition.
Luxury Vinyl Designs
The latest development in vinyl plank flooringtechnology is tailored designs, making a difference in the flooring market. There are two sorts of flooring; printed and inlaid. Printed floor designs utilize a paper top set unswervingly on a thin vinyl shell covered with layers of apparent vinyl for a even and protective coating. Technology conveys a new viewpoint with 3D development, essentially taking an image and relating it the vinyl capturing real life details.
Inlaid vinyl on the contrary is created by inserting tiny vinyl granules on the back and forcing them to the fore on the surface. It produces a more textured form and the additional thickness adds to its endurance. Similar to most wall to wall flooring, decorative baseboards are utilized to finish the edges.
How vinyl is created?
In order to understand what to search for with vinyl flooring, it is valuable to initially be aware of how it is constructed. Most contemporary vinyl is precisely “composite” vinyl, which means it is a mixture of PVC (polyvinyl chloride, which is the scientific name for vinyl), plasticizers, and print films.The vinyl plankstypically come with a backing material that is a blend of vinyl and fiberglass or plasticizer. This particular material is then roofed with a paper print-film, which has the preferred color pattern.
On the top of print-film, a clear layer of new or recycled PVC (vinyl) is coated as the key protection to the floor.This top layer of luxury vinyl plank is the “wear-layer”, and is the main expensive part of the vinyl plank flooring, since it is the only thing shielding the paper print film. Normally the wear-layer is given some level of “embossing” or texture, to better compliment the appearance of the print film that is utilized.
Finally, a covering of urethane is applied to the wear-layer, to provide added defense wear and give the desired luster for the pattern. The whole product is then cut up into smaller tiles or planks, contingent upon the pattern.When the wear-layer wears through, the paper pattern will be destroyed, and the floor will have to be replaced. In short, the thicker the wear-layer, the longer your floors tend to last and seem great.
If sturdiness is essential then you must opt for vinyl plank flooring over wood or laminate. Even though the wear-layer is what gives the bulk of the protection, PVC vinyl plank flooringis always layered with a surface finish as well. The excellence of this finish offers the first line of defense for your floors, prior to wear-and-tear begins affecting the wear-layer itself.
There are many diverse finishes on the market with a variety of names, but the standard type of vinyl plank flooring that is demanded is “ceramic bead coating”. This is fundamentally a urethane coating; however it has microscopic beads of ceramic that gives an extra layer of protection (and entails anti-slip properties). These beads are imperceptible, and do not impact indoor air quality, but are a nice additional benefit to look out for.
Vinyl planks flooring vs. Carpet
Vinyl plank flooringor carpet, what’s a better choice? Before the introduction of luxury vinyl flooring, carpet was thought to be the best flooring solution for commercial spaces. At present, however, luxury vinyl flooring is giving carpet a tough time to survive — particularly when it comes to business office space, healthcare, and the hospitality industry, as well as all added commercial purposes.
Although each flooring alternative offers its own set of noticeable benefits, the contrast between vinyl planksvs. carpet is in reality much closer than you may think. Both are accessible in diverse formats—for carpet there is a broadloom and carpet tiles and for vinyl there is plank, tile, and resilient sheet. Both of these two products are capable of serving you to attain a comfortable aesthetic when applied to almost any surroundings.
However, there are certain distinguishing factors that set each one apart from the other. The subsequent resource will assist you come to a decision on which flooring solution is preeminent for your next project. To best exemplify the comparable characteristics of luxury vinylvs. carpet, let us break it down into five qualities: Durability & Stability, Look & Style, Applications, Cost, and Sound.
- Look & Style
When it comes to style and look, carpet leads to an unbelievable amount of design flexibility. However, the same can be alleged for PVC vinyl plank flooring. Whether it is the bright colors or thorough patterns on the vinyl planks, both flooring solution can facilitate you accomplish your desired design aesthetic. But with carpets, because of tufting and dying technology accessible today, you have the choice for either more colors and fewer patterns to select from, or more patterns but less options. Only luxury vinylplanksprovides the design versatility without having to forfeit pattern or color, effortlessly being able to duplicate the normal look of stone or wood owing to the 3D printing technology.
- Durability & Stability
When it comes to evaluating the difference in stability and durability of carpet vs. vinyl planks,an essential component to consider is cleanability of each solution. When it comes to dirt, carpets work kind of like a filter, permitting dust and dirt to be vacuumed up. Conversely it is slightly different with spills. This is because stains can easily set in on a carpet. It is especially true for broadloom carpets, in which moisture is able to pass through causing the mold to grow beneath the surface.Wear and tear is unease with carpet, as it is inclined to matting and crushing, making dirt is visible in high traffic regions.
Luxury vinyl planks, on the contrary far exceeds the cleanability of carpet in respect to spills. Unlike carpet, staining is dubious if a spill out is wiped up in an appropriate manner. Its general ease of protection concerning spills is unsurpassed, particularly when following a classic two-bucket cleaning system. Given the high design versatility, PVC vinyl plankscan visually conceal traffic lanes. In general vinyl plank flooring provides a peace of mind when it comes to durability and stability.
- Applications
Industries are moving away from carpets and becoming dependant on the use of luxury vinyl plank flooring— particularly in high-traffic areas. This can be owed to vinyl plankscross-purpose functionality and it being multi-faceted, that facilitates a long-lasting durability which is unparalleled to carpet.Although carpet remains an imperative material in the corporate office space due to its acoustical significance, but vinyl wood planksare becoming even more extensively used in other areas such as lobbies, entrances, and corridors.A few companies are even integrating luxury vinyl flooringinto their bathrooms, conference room space, and kitchen areas.
Likewise, other industries that have started to dependant on luxury vinyl flooringcomprises of retail shops, healthcare, and hospitality. Large commercial retailers have started to install vinyl in their fitting rooms. Moreover, hotels, irrespective of being large or small, have commenced the replacement of carpet with luxury vinyl flooring.
Lastly, the adoption of luxury vinyl planksis becoming widespread in multi-family areas such as kitchens and living rooms. Pairing luxury vinylwith an accent area rug makes it easy to maintain and durable as well.
- Cost
Despite the fact that luxury vinyl flooringis commonly more expensive you must also factor in the cost of installation and the maintenance that are bound to incur in the long run. In this comparison, the long-term maintenance costs of both flooring options, the lifetime cost of luxury vinyl flooring is in fact less expensive than carpet. Installation costs must also be factored into the price of the flooring. Nearly all carpet installations necessitate both padding and expert installation. With vinyl plank flooring, no underlayment is obligatory and this can be a DIY friendly installation.
- Sound
Although carpet has been popular to reduce noise pollution but premium vinyl plank flooringhas similar sound diminution capability when underlayment is added to the new flooring surface. Utilizing this underlayment with premium vinyl plank flooring facilitates the reduction of sound transmission among floors.
How to clean vinyl plank floors?
Appropriately caring for your vinyl plank flooringcan facilitate extending its life and conserve its appearance. Vinyl is a tremendously durable floor and there is little reason for distress when it comes to spots, spills, or scuffs from shoes. It is suggested to wait at least three days after installation prior to cleaning your vinyl plank floorfor the first time to ensure the bonding agent under the floor is totally dry.
What to do:
- Do sweep your luxury vinyl plank flooringat least once in a week.
- Do wipe up any spills swiftly.
- Do rarely mop with a producer accepted household cleaner.
- Do support furniture with non-staining, wide-bearing floor protectors.
What not to do:
- Do not use detergents or soaps as these will leave dry film on the shell of your vinyl plank floor.
- Do not walk on your vinyl plank floor after mopping – vinyl can turn out to be very slippery.
- Do not utilize any cleaning techniques that are not stated within the manufacturer label in order to preserve your manufacturer warranty.
Conclusion
Vinyl plank flooringhas become a stylish flooring alternative given its huge advancements is sizes, styles, textures and durability, joint with its reasonable price. Presently, is utilized in several areas substituting the basic hardwood functions whether in home flooring or office flooring.
GreenCovering offers premium vinyl plank flooringfor a wide variety of purposes. Whether you need vinyl flooring that looks like woodfor home flooring, outdoor decking or even for office floors, we aim to provide the best quality that lasts longs. We have an assortment of designs when it comes to vinyl planks ranging from; wooden, carpet or stone. So make your best pick.
Moreover, wedeliver the finest products for you in terms of designs and superiority. High quality is ensured by our investments in a valuable in house R&D facility. We intend to bring latest designs and products contingent upon the recent trends.
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