What is Vinyl Flooring?
Vinyl is a fully synthetic floor made from layers of PVC and fibreglass. These materials are easy to produce, making this type of flooring incredibly cheap – especially when compared to solid wood flooring and engineered wood. Like LVT flooring, it’s also easy to install, often waterproof, and designed to replicate more expensive floor styles.
Where Should I Lay a Vinyl Floor?
Vinyl tile flooring is ideal for nearly every room in your home. The most popular rooms are bathrooms and kitchens, where waterproof floors are required. But cushion lino flooring is also great for other spaces too. As these floors are finished to look like more expensive styles, they can be ideal for living rooms, bedrooms and hallways – especially if you don’t have the budget for real wood or laminate.
If you’re a business owner, it’s also worth considering this type of floor for commercial use. With easy installation and upkeep, it’s often the best choice for ensuring a quality finish at the cheapest cost. Brands like Polyflor, Safety Flooring and our own brand Aqua Plank (LVT) are well known for their use in commercial spaces from salons to hospitals and shops to gyms.
How to Install Vinyl Floors
Vinyl flooring rolls are the easiest type of flooring to install by yourself. Check out our quick guide below or visit our comprehensive guide to installing vinyl floors.
- Take your new cushion flooring out of its packaging and allow it to acclimatise in its new environment for 24 hours.
- Prepare your subfloor. Ensure it is clean and dry. Because floor vinyl is soft, bumps will show once your flooring is installed – a subfloor prevents this.
- Once your floor has acclimatised, cut your floor to the size of your room. It’s recommended to add an extra 15cm to your dimensions in case you run short. This can always be trimmed away afterwards.
- Lay your floor lino over the subfloor. Your method of sticking the floor down depends on the size of the room.
- For a small room of 12 metres squared or less, you can get away with loose installation, where no glue or tape is required.
- For rooms between 12 and 25 metres squared, it’s recommended to use tape. A double-sided tape underneath the sheet of vinyl floor covering will suffice.
- For rooms over 25 metres squared, glue is best to keep the cushioned vinyl flooring in place.
- After fixing your flooring down, add skirting or beading around the perimeter of the room. This can be fixed with a hammer and nails.
Wondering why there’s no use of underlay in these steps? Find out in our guide to why you don’t need underlay for a vinyl floor.
The video tutorial shown below will also help guide you through the installation process:
How to Maintain Vinyl Flooring
While lino flooring is the easiest type of flooring to care for, it still needs a little TLC. Most of these are precautious methods to avoid damage. For example, it’s helpful to use a flooring covering such as a doormat to avoid any dirt getting in and scratching your floor. With any heavy furniture, you can place padded floor protectors underneath – for example, under the legs of chairs that could tear your vinyl floor tiles.
When it comes to cleaning this flooring, water and a mop will do the trick. If you want an extra sparkle, a mild cleanser will help clean without damaging the floor.
If you are unsure which flooring is best for you, take advantage of our free samples and test them in your home before making your purchase. Alternatively, contact one of our flooring experts today by calling 0330 100 00 15.
With such a wide choice of flooring available to buy both in-store and online it can sometimes be difficult to make a decision when it comes to installing the perfect flooring in your home. At Factory Direct Flooring we’ve taken a look at why vinyl flooring is the best choice for you and which one you should opt for.
What is the best vinyl flooring?
Our aim at Factory Direct Flooring is to always supply the perfect flooring solution to each and every customer. If you’ve already decided that vinyl flooring is the perfect solution for you and your home, then we’ve taken a look at exactly which vinyl in particular will be best based on the three categories of durability, style and your budget.
The best for durability
Vinyl is an incredibly resilient synthetic product, able to survive in the moisture heavy environments that other floors are unsuitable for, such as bathrooms and kitchens. It’s also very low maintenance, needing only regular brushing and a damp mop to keep it looking as good as new. Able to withstand splashes, steam cleaning and heavy foot traffic without showing signs of wear, this flooring is perfect for busy households.
This flooring is incredibly easy to lay, coming in a singular sheet or individual vinyl tiles. Many vinyl options also come with a built in anti-bacterial property in their construction which make them perfect choices for the home. The more durable choices in our range are supplied by a variety of brands and provide brilliantly realistic wood and tile looks in a range of colours and effects. As vinyl becomes more expensive its durability also increases, as does its visual quality. For these reasons we do recommend obtaining as durable a vinyl as your budget permits.
The best for style
At Factory Direct Flooring we pride ourselves on being able to supply a fantastic selection of floors and vinyl flooring is one option in particular where our variety is especially extensive. Our range in vinyl comes in light, medium and dark shades, or in white, grey, black or natural wood tones. They also come in either sheet versions, which are cushioned and simple to install, or tile versions.
The brands that supply our extensive stock of include such excellent brands as Aqua Plank, Ecostep, Aqua Tile, Rhinofloor, Leoline, Tarkett, Avenue, Karndean, Titan Supreme, Cosystep, Texstep, Acousflor and Engrave. Each of these brands supply styles of realistic looking wood or tiles in various types of stone effects. Whether you wish to use vinyl in your bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom or office, we’re sure to have the perfect vinyl flooring to suit your personal style.
The best for budget
The prices for our vinyl flooring begin at £5.70 per square meter in our most cost friendly price range, with the more expensive options in this category consisting of Rhinofloor’s Elite and Super Deluxe ranges in a variety of styles and priced at £11.96. The majority of the options in this category come in the single sheet version of vinyl which is incredibly easy to install. It can be applied directly over old flooring, needing only a clean and even surface for a proper fitting.
It’s also very versatile, able to withstand the general scuffs and scrapes that occur in daily life, including moving furniture, pets and children. And, if your vinyl floor does become damaged, it’s easy to remove and cheap to replace.
At Factory Direct Flooring we pride ourselves on supplying superior service to every single customer, catering to their specific flooring requirements and helping with any and all queries. Impressive in its durability, range and ease of installation, vinyl flooring is a superb choice for many environments in both the home and office.
FAQs about Vinyl Flooring
Below you’ll discover answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding this floor type.
Out of all of the flooring types offered at Factory Direct Flooring, vinyl is by far the most popular. It is available in hundreds of different designs including rolls, planks and tiles, these mimic the look of real wood and stone floors. It is one of the most affordable flooring options on the market and is also incredibly easy to maintain.
So what makes Vinyl more durable than other flooring materials? The key is its dedicated wear layer. All Vinyl floors have a wear layer that is designed to withstand daily wear and tear. This layer varies between floors and the thicker it is, the more durable the floor will be. The layer is measured in millimetres. It is worth noting that the floors with the thicker wear layers will be slightly more expensive due to the extended warranty offered. Underneath the wear layer is a photographic layer. It is this layer that gives the floor its aesthetic appeal. There are hundreds of different designs available. Along with wood, slate, concrete and stone effect layers, you will also find more abstract designs such as metallic, glass, tread plate and stardust. The only thing to be aware of when choosing designs is that each manufacturer uses different repeat patterns. The more expensive the floor, the more realistic it will usually look. Finally the base layer is the part of the floor that you don’t actually see. However, it is just as important as the other layers as it is used to stabilise the floor. Without it, the subfloor would come through the design. So essentially the base acts as a barrier between the top layers and the subfloor, as well as ensuring the top layer is strengthened. It is worth noting that there are actually different types of Vinyl available. The floors are supplied in a variety of formats including Vinyl tiles, planks and rolls. The latest type to be introduced is ‘Click’ Vinyl. This is basically the same as the tiles only it features a thicker design and is a lot faster to install.
When shopping for a new Vinyl floor, you’ll find cushioned varieties available. These are supplied in rolls and you can choose from three different widths including 2, 3 and 4 metres. They also tend to range up to 20 metres in length. Like other types of Vinyl, cushioned varieties are created with several different layers. What makes it stand out is a unique foam layer which helps to give it a softer ‘cushioned’ design. There are a lot of different types of cushioned Vinyl available so prices will vary dramatically.
The cushioned Vinyl floors do come with a waterproof top layer. However, the layers underneath are water resistant. The only exception to this is click vinyl flooring which is water resistant on all layers. Are Vinyl’s slip resistant? You will find that most Vinyl floors come with a slip resistance rating of R10. This is basically the industry standard. However, you need to be aware that this only applies if you keep the floor dry and clean.
One of the great things about Vinyl is the fact it requires very little maintenance. That being said, there are some things you need to do to ensure it lasts the test of time. Ensuring that all spills are cleaned up quickly is important. They should be easy to wipe away, but if left they may soak into the floor and damage the underside. While it is designed to be extremely durable, the floor can still get marked or scratched by sharp objects. It is recommended you use a clean, soft brush to sweep any dirt and debris into a pile before vacuuming it up. As well as light daily maintenance, it is recommended you mop the floor once a week using a specialised cleaner provided by the manufacturer. Make sure the mop is damp and not soaking wet. Finally taking a few basic precautions will also help to lengthen the life of the floor. Using felt pads under furniture, entrance matt behind door entrances will ensure dirt and debris is trapped before you have a chance to walk it over the floor. Be aware that rubber backed mats can damage Vinyl flooring so they should be avoided.
As long as the underfloor heating system has been installed correctly, Vinyl floors can be used alongside them. It is worth noting that to ensure maximum safety, the heating system should come with a function that prevents the floor heating over 27 degrees Celsius. If it goes above that there is a chance the floor will become discoloured and distorted.
As well as being one of the most affordable types of flooring, Vinyl is also really hygienic. This makes it an especially great choice for those who suffer with allergies. There is also the fact that it perfectly replicates the look of tiles and wood while eliminating the maintenance and problems that often comes with them. Finally they are really easy to install and it is extremely durable and cost efficient
When deciding how much Vinyl flooring you will need, it is best to add 5-10% on top of the size of the room. This is especially helpful if your room isn’t completely square. If you are lucky enough to have an oblong or square room, you can easily measure it by marking the widest and the longest points. Multiply the width and length together and that is how much flooring you will need. We stock 2m, 3m and 4m rolls to make it easier to achieve a seamless floor, with our click vinyl as they are in tile or plank form you would need to calculate these into packs.
It isn’t advised to use underlay with Vinyl flooring as it needs to be installed on a dry, clean and flat surface. If you need any further advice or if you have any other Vinyl questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our friendly team.
Yes specific underlays are available for use with Aqua Plank if you wish to do so, the Prolay underlay has been specificly designed for use with this type of flooring and can be found in the Accessories section of the website. No other types of underlay should be used with this style of flooring as it may result in the installation failing. The subfloor needs to be dry, clean and flat in order for a successful installation.
Yes expansion is required as this is a floating floor, the size of the expansion will be determind by the size of the area. More advice can be found on the product page within the installation instructions
The bathroom is a high-moisture area and some types of flooring will become damaged if they are installed in this environment. The good news is as technology has advanced, there are more floors than ever before that can be installed within the kitchen or bathroom. All types of vinyl, waterproof laminate and the Aqua Plank or Aqua Tile ranges that we sell can be used in the bathroom.
Our flooring experts will be more than happy to help if you require further information on the best vinyl floor solution for you. Feel free to give them a call on 0330 0 100 15 and we at Factory Direct Flooring will do everything we can to help.
