When it comes to versatility nothing matches vinyl flooring, making it a great choice to be installed in any interior, commercial or residential. It beats other flooring hands down for durability, style, choice and easy maintenance – and the best thing is that it offers great value!
Though traditional vinyl sheets on rolls were introduced after the second world war, the real innovation came as technologies developed through the 1970s. Now modern luxury vinyl flooring has realistic wood, stone or tile appearances and textures but with all the practicalities of vinyl.
Engineered vinyl flooring is very well-equipped for high-traffic and high-moisture areas, making it a great choice for all spaces, including bathrooms, kitchens, living areas and hallways. There is a wide range of style options, finishes, colours and sizes of planks available, including herringbone vinyl boards to create stunning contemporary designs.
Once you have decided that luxury vinyl flooring would be perfect for your space, the next consideration is which type of product is the right one. Although all vinyl floor types are relatively easy to lay, the main difference is whether you use a glue down or click installation method.
Styles of Engineered Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl Planks
Vinyl planks create a realistic appearance of hardwood floors, without the high-cost and high-maintenance, and with the added benefit of moisture control. Vinyl planks can be found in a wide range of sizes and wood finishes, with colours ranging from natural wood to greys and whites.
Vinyl Tiles
Luxury vinyl tiles also have the natural appearance and finish of traditional flooring tiles, including different materials such as ceramics, granites, limestone, marble, slate and travertine. With its superior moisture properties, vinyl tiles offer a great alternative for areas such as bathrooms and kitchens with a warmer and softer feel underfoot.
Vinyl Flooring Types
As mentioned earlier, there are several types of modern engineered vinyl flooring and a lot of different descriptor words used. The main differentiation is the method of installation.
Click Vinyl Flooring
Click Vinyl flooring is fast becoming the flooring of choice for house builders and home-owners alike. It’s great for high-traffic areas as it is highly durable, warm and water resistant, making it particularly ideal for bathroom and kitchen flooring.
Some brands include a built-in underlay and the click lock mechanism makes installations quick and simple even for the DIY novice. It can also be laid over most sub-floors with little or no preparation and no adhesives are required so it is usable immediately.
This also makes it simple to remove and re-use. Click vinyl flooring is easy to clean and comes in a wide range of styles and colours, including wood, stone and tile finishes.
Glue Down Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Glue down vinyl flooring also comes in a wide variety of styles, colours and finished but it requires a separate adhesive to install. This can create a much more stable feel to the floor than a click, floating floor – but it is trickier to lay and really needs a professional floor fitter to ensure a good finish. This flooring is also much harder to remove when you want to change your flooring or maybe replace a damaged section.
Self-Adhesive Vinyl Flooring
Similar to the glue down variants in so much as they are stuck to the sub-floor, but the adhesive is integral to the boards. The covering film needs to be removed and then the board can be positioned, and pressure applied to stick it in place. They are easier to remove than the glue down vinyl boards as you can heat the surface gently using a hair dryer and then cut small sections away.
At One Step beyond Flooring we stock the full range of Pro-Tek engineered vinyl flooring, with a choice of 48 colours and styles. 100% waterproof, Pro-Tek has a simple locking mechanism and built-in underlay, making it quick and easy to install.
To find out more please call 020 3697 6812 , or email info@onestepbeyondflooring.co.uk
