Resilient vinyl flooring is a great choice for kitchens and bathrooms because it’s easy to keep clean. It’s durable, water resistant and it doesn’t fade, stain, or dent.

Additionally, it comes in so many colors, textures, and patterns that you will definitely find your look. The  rotogravure process (a fancy term for the method of engraving an image) that is used to create resilient flooring can imitate wood grain, tile and even marble.

Since resilient vinyl flooring comes in sheets, planks and tiles (VCT or Vinyl Composition Tiles), there’s lots of room for self-expression.  An artistic installer can use contrasting sheet vinyl to create large patterns.  The tiles can be arranged any way you want them.  Think checkerboard, stripes and dizzying diagonals.  And planks that look just like wood flooring.

Resilient vinyl floors are a little like carpet — flexible and soft to walk on. What's more, like carpet, it can go on a subfloor that isn’t perfectly level.

All vinyl floors are resilient. They have that cushy “give” that feels so good underfoot. However, not all resilient floors are vinyl. There are some specialty products available in cork and rubber that offer the same flexibility — or resilience — as the vinyl products.

HOW VINYL IS MADE

Vinyl is simply a very versatile plastic.  We have vinyl records, shoes, wall coverings and fence posts.  There’s even a documentary film and a record album called Vinyl.  But it is most popular as a floor covering.

Vinyl flooring is made up of layers of material starting with a core of vinyl over a backing of felt or fiberglass.   Decorative designs are printed on the next layer that sits on top of the core.  That decorative design layer is what makes vinyl flooring so versatile.  It can be made to look like almost any material.  The final layer is also vinyl and is called the wear layer.

Rotogravure

The key to the many faces of vinyl flooring is the printing process, called rotogravure.  Using a rotary press with photoengraved plates allows manufacturers to create the look of stone, brick, marble, wood and hundreds of other patterns and designs.  And if that wasn’t enough, some manufacturers enhance the design by adding color or colored vinyl chips to the wear layer coating to add more depth to the design.

Wear Layer

Practically speaking, the wear layer, the last one applied, is most important.  This top layer of vinyl is about 10 mils thick on average. (A straight human hair is about 1 mil. thick.)  The thicker the wear layer, the more durable the flooring.  The flooring industry is constantly experimenting to find wear layers that are tougher and more resistant, but still beautiful and practical.  Resilient vinyl flooring offers homeowners these advantages:

·         It’s tough and resists scratching, denting and tearing

·         It cleans easily and doesn’t need to be waxed

·         It resists staining and scratching

Fine grit and sand can cause scratches to the surface of vinyl and over time, will diminish the look.  Placing walk off mats at entrances and sweeping frequently will extend the life of your vinyl floor.  Be sure the mats you buy are for vinyl floors.  Some rubber-backed mats may leave stains or marks. 

Given its beauty, durability, and budget loving prices, it’s easy to find vinyl flooring that fits your lifestyle.