Vinyl offers unmatched affordability teamed with durability. Vinyl is shock absorbent, a natural choice for high-traffic areas in your commercial atmosphere. Being the most versatile floor type so far as coloring goes, vinyl is known for its multitude of shades in virtually any color.
Types of Vinyl Flooring
Available in either sheet or tile, vinyl is a perfect example of commercially-used flooring. Sheets can be cut to length, or come standard at 6 feet, or 12 feet. Tiles range in size from 12 inches and up. Both types have a massive choice of coloring and patterns. Tiles, however, are equipped with a wear-layer similar to the finish on a hardwood floor. Urethane and enhanced urethane are the better choices, but other layers are available to protect your floor.
Installation of Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl tiling is installed in roughly the same way ceramic tile is. The important difference to note is that while ceramic does not (noticeably) expand with temperature and moisture, vinyl tiles do. This dictates a period of at least 24 hours acclimation in the room it is meant to be installed in prior to installation. Self-adhering vinyl tiles are available, and greatly simplify the installation process.
Meticulous preparation of the subfloor is important in installing sheet vinyl. The smallest imperfections transfer up a layer to the vinyl, and can ruin the nice new floor you just installed. Additionally, an underlayment is suggested unless you are laying down new vinyl over old vinyl. Remember, however, that any structural blemishes in the lower layer of vinyl will carry up to the top layer.
It is recommended to remove objects from the room of the installation. This includes toilets, pedestal sinks, and any baseboards or floor moldings. Removing these leaves a wide open area to work with and less tricky cutting. Making a template in this fashion allows you to lay down kraft paper as an underlayment if you don't already have a layer of vinyl, and to make more accurate measurements to apply the sheet effectively.
