It's time to renew your home flooring and there are so many options to choose from! But one has definitely caught your eye—vinyl sheet flooring. Now, like with any material, you need to get more familiar with it and learn about its pros and cons to help you make a decision. Well, it's a good thing we're here to provide you with all that information. Let's get started!
Pros of Vinyl Sheet Flooring
Water Resistant
Probably the biggest advantage of vinyl sheet flooring is that it's water resistant. It's made with waterproof materials, such as PVC, which makes this flooring option perfect for water prone areas of the home. Sheet vinyl flooring is a great fit for any room in your home, but it exceeds expectations in the kitchen, laundry room, basement and the bathrooms.
Stain Resistant
Printed vinyl tiles and sheets have a clear wear layer that acts as a surface barrier, protecting the floor from stains and spills. These materials are very easy to clean and maintain. By contrast, solid and composite vinyl tiles do not have this surface protection and will be more susceptible to stains, requiring occasional stripping and polishing.
Comfort
Vinyl sheet is softer underfoot than other hard-surface flooring options, making it much easier to stand on for long periods of time. It's also warmer to the touch than harder surfaces like ceramic or stone tile. If comfort is a priority for you, look into vinyl sheet options that have an additional layer of cushioning.
Durability
Vinyl sheet flooring is a highly durable material that, if properly installed and maintained, can last upwards of ten to twenty years. This advantage makes it great for any room in the house, especially the high traffic areas that are constantly assaulted by sneakers, spills, pets and sloppy spills!
Affordable
Vinyl sheet flooring actually costs less than tile or plank vinyl with similar colors and patterns. It's easy to see why, since sheet vinyl can be mass-produced in huge rolls without having to worry about precision cuts and waste. Also, the price also varies on the quality of the flooring, of course. If your buy a reliable brand, then the price might be higher, but the quality would also be better, so it would be worth it.
Low Maintenance
Not all flooring options are as easy to clean as vinyl sheet flooring. You can clean it by sweeping off dirt and grit and by mopping it afterwards. Do just this and you'll have clean floors—doesn't get much simpler than that!
Ease of Installation
Vinyl sheet flooring is easy to install, making it a good DIY material. However, it does require the ability to take accurate measurements and make precise cuts to fit the space perfectly. If you consider yourself more of a DIY amateur, we highly recommend playing it safe and going with professional installation—it's always worth the extra cost to get your flooring installed correctly.
Design Options
When most people think of vinyl sheet flooring, they think of old, retro style kitchens. But these days, the collections have improved color, clarity, textures and patterns all thanks to innovative technology. It's what gives the flooring the realistic look and feel of hardwood, stone and even ceramic tile, but without the high cost. You can't beat the winning combination of on-trend style and durability!
Cons of Vinyl Sheet Flooring
Discoloration
Even though the protective layer of the floor protects them from stains, this type of flooring is susceptible to discoloration, especially when it comes in contact with rubber.
If you buy low-quality vinyl flooring, it can become yellow overtime. This discoloration can also take place because of direct sunlight. However, good quality vinyl floors are resistant to this.
Damage from the Subfloor
When installing vinyl sheet flooring, it's particularly important that you have a perfectly smooth, flat surface to work on. Because vinyl is relatively soft, even small grains trapped beneath the floor can wear down the material over time, causing lumps to appear in the surface. Over time, these will wear down the material, causing rips and tears.
Difficult to Repair
If a sheet vinyl floor is severely damaged with a scratch, gouge, or a stain, your only option is to either replace the entire floor or remove the affected area and replace it with a patch. At best, this patch will have seams that will make the floor water-permeable, and the patch is likely to disrupt the unbroken pattern of the colors in the vinyl. Cutting the patch along existing pattern lines can help hide this fact, but it is a difficult skill to master.
Now that you know the pros and cons of vinyl sheet flooring, it's time to stop by one of our locations to see our selections in person and make your official decision!
At Avalon Flooring, we want to make sure you're happy from your first step in our showroom to your first step on your new flooring—and as your partner in home design, we'll be there every step along the way. Consider us your "One-Stop Shopping" destination for all things flooring…(and window treatments)!
Our design consultants are equipped with the knowledge to guide you through the wide selection of products we offer, and our expert installation team is professionally trained to make sure everything gets installed the way you envision. We know your home is an expression of your sense of style, and we're here to make sure you'll be proud of it for years to come.
If you have any questions, please email us.
