Sheet Vinyl Flooring Guide

Vinyl sheet is a resilient flooring often used as an alternative to natural stone, ceramic tile, or even hardwood. It comes in rolls cut to size. It is available in a range of options that are customized to meet your budget and lifestyle needs. Single solid surface makes it an excellent choice for moisture-prone rooms like kitchens and baths. Layered construction and protective finish make it durable and long-lasting. Far more depth and texture than it did a generation ago, so many stone or wood-inspired designs are convincingly realistic.

Sheet vinyl flooring comes in long, continuous, flexible sheets. Similar to an oiled linen product, it is sometimes called linoleum. Unlike vinyl planks, which come in interlocking strips or vinyl floor tile, which comes in stiff tiles, a vinyl sheet floor is impervious to water. Other characteristics include: it is reasonably durable, resilient and insulating, easy to install, available with various appearances, and inexpensive.

What sheet vinyl flooring styles can I choose from?
Vinyl sheet is an alternative type of flooring for homeowners who want the look of stone, ceramic tile, or even hardwood for less money. A print layer duplicates the appearance of these natural materials. Embossing and specific top coats imitate the texture. Recent advancements in printing technology have made for higher-resolution images and more realistic impressions.

This cutting-edge print technology can mimic natural limestone, sandstone, slate, traditional hardwood, and exotic hardwood looks, as well as conventional styles and patterned designs like a black-and-white checkerboard.

How is Sheet Vinyl Flooring Made?
Homogeneous, inlaid, and composite are the three basic categories of vinyl sheet flooring. Homogeneous and inlaid vinly are generally used in commercial applications while composite is mostly used in residential applications.

Composite manufacturing generally begins with a fiberglass backing sheet coated in vinyl and plasticizer. Then the sheet is printed and possibly embossed. Afterward, the sheet is then coated again with one or more protective wear layers. The topmost layer may be a polyurethane, to avoid waxing.

How durable is this type of flooring?
The wear layer and the thickness of the sheet determines the floor's durability. Unlike linoleum or inlaid, vinyl flooring is usually not one substance or character throughout, and damage will occur once it wears through the print layer. Thinner floors may also tear. Vinyl floors are generally not waxed or otherwise resurfaced.

Where can vinyl sheet flooring be installed?
Vinyl sheet is tough and durable enough to be installed anywhere in the home. It's single 100% waterproof solid surface makes it the right choice for moisture-prone kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

Developed in the 1960s, cushioned vinyl sheet's lower layers features closed-cell-foam. A cushioned floor has more give and spring. Some products are resilient enough to be suitable as a sports or dance floor. It can make a permanent or portable dance floor laid on hard surfaces such as concrete.