Vinyl flooring options from National Floors Direct

A Beginner's Guide to Vinyl Flooring Options

Sometimes, the most ubiquitous inventions are the ones we overlook and fail to appreciate. Every year, people spend more than $27 billion in the United States alone on the services of flooring installers. To provide for all of the demand for quality flooring installation, this industry employs upward of 185,000 people!

One of the reasons this industry is as big as it is is that there are many vinyl flooring options out there. Some people find out about one kind of vinyl flooring and decide it is not for them. However, when you appreciate the variety of options on the table, you may realize that one of them is ideal for the circumstance you are in.

So what is so great about vinyl flooring? What are the different kinds of vinyl flooring out there? Read on to learn all about the most important things to understand about what finding the right vinyl flooring might be able to do for you!

The Pros and Cons of Vinyl Floors

In some ways, vinyl flooring is something of a miracle product. There is a reason that it is as common as it is. Vinyl flooring is made out of plastic, fiberglass, and PVC material. In the right combination, this can provide flooring with some of the best performance out there.

For one thing, vinyl flooring is robust. It resists damage and lasts a long time. On top of that, it is resistant to water damage and requires next to no maintenance at all.

If you get a type of vinyl flooring with a wear layer, then the flooring will also resist stains. Considering how well it performs, you might imagine that it would be expensive. However, one of the things that makes vinyl floors amazing is that they can provide all of this performance while still being easy to afford.

And you can add on top of that that vinyl floors are easy to install. No wonder they were such a revolution in flooring when they first came out!

Lastly, vinyl flooring is a great option for comfort. It is somewhat softer and has a small amount of give to it compared to wood or stone. Not only does that make vinyl flooring more comfortable, but it makes it a better insulator.

That can make it much more comfortable to walk on than a stone-cold floor in the winter. Vinyl flooring also provides reasonable sound insulation, so it will reduce echoes in your rooms and limit how much sound can travel between your floors.

Downsides of Vinyl Flooring

The benefits of vinyl floor options are somewhat balanced out by certain disadvantages.

Producing vinyl flooring can generate toxic materials and CO2. This will not affect your home directly, but it is not good for the environment and can contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Because vinyl flooring is affordable, it does not increase the value of your home in any substantial way.

At the end of the day, vinyl flooring is a great choice if you want performance at an affordable price. However, what kind of vinyl flooring should you get?

LVP Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl planks are built to imitate wood flooring. They are somewhat rigid, which makes them somewhat more likely to snap or shatter before they are installed.

However, that rigidity also provides them with extra durability. LVP vinyl flooring is unlikely to develop scratches.

On top of that, luxury vinyl planks are beautiful. Many people choose this option because they love the appearance of hardwood, but do not like how much more susceptible to damage and stains it is compared to vinyl alternatives.

You can get this kind of vinyl flooring in any color and shade that you prefer. That means that you can choose whatever option goes best with the rest of your home design.

LVT Vinyl Flooring Trends

Luxury vinyl tile is supposed to resemble stone tiles rather than wood. It can also mimic the appearance of porcelain or ceramic. Not only can it mimic the coloring of tiles, but it can also mimic the texture of stone and other tile materials.

It is actually much easier to install relative to luxury vinyl planks. This is in part due to the fact that it comes in somewhat smaller tiles rather than in long planks.

Both of these kinds of vinyl flooring are durable and highly resistant to water. That makes them a great choice for entryways where people may be tracking in moisture or mud from the outdoors.

They are also a good choice for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Because they resist stains, they are also easier to clean than many floor alternatives. A quick mop can often restore your vinyl flooring to a beautiful shining appearance.

Sheet Vinyl Flooring Options

Sheet vinyl is the last most common kind of vinyl flooring. It used to be popular because of how affordable it was. These days, it is still affordable, but has now also improved in its aesthetic appearance.

You can use sheet vinyl to imitate either wood or stone. It is somewhat more susceptible to developing scratches.

However, it is also softer. That can make it a good choice for rooms in which you want to maximize comfort and where it will not receive too much damage. If you end up needing to change your flooring, sheet vinyl is easy to remove.

Understand the Most Important Vinyl Flooring Options

Many people know about some of the benefits of vinyl flooring, but think it is not for them. However, knowing more about vinyl flooring options leads many people to realize that vinyl flooring is suitable for their situation if they pick the right kind.

To learn more about different kinds of vinyl flooring or to speak with flooring experts who can help you, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!