The Right Choices for the Perfect Vinyl Flooring
Tiles, cement tiles, parquet, PVC, balatum, waxed concrete, carpet or linoleum, all these elements have one thing in common – they are part of the family of floor covering materials.However, it is important to distinguish resilient floor coverings from tile, concrete or parquet coverings. In fact, whether they are in rolls, tiles or strips, in linoleum, PVC or vinyl, textile or carpet, flexible floor coverings come in various forms to satisfy the needs for, whether professional or residential settings.
Floor coverings play an important part in the design of a building or the decoration of your interiors. Environmental-friendly aspects, easy maintenance, trendy choices, technical characteristics, contribute to its popularity. Flooring materials is also another element of the design process that can reveal the identity and characteristic of your home.
While they look alike, vinyl flooring is made of plastic while linoleum is made entirely or largely of natural materials (linseed oil, hemp, wood or cork powder, lime, etc.). There is a slight difference in material Unlike vinyl, linoleum cannot imitate natural materials, but it is non-flammable and has recognized antibacterial qualities. On the other hand, it is often more expensive to buy.
Stuck or not?
Whichever option is chosen, the coating must be stored in the room 48 hours before proceeding with the operation.
- Non-glued installation offers many advantages: It is faster to install and you can use the room immediately without any need for moving the furniture. In order to guarantee the stability of the covering in rooms larger than 35-metre square, a double-sided adhesive is used around the perimeter of the covering pieces.
- Glued installation may be recommended for certain coverings depending on the nature of the floor. Underfloor heating areas might also require glued installations. The choice of a good glue is hence essential to the quality of the installation, in such cases. It must be adapted to the characteristics of the coating and the nature of the support. This is why it is essential to refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations before choosing your glue and to read its instructions for use. In general, the glue is spread over the support using a notched trowel. After the exfoliation process, the coating can be put in place and must be mounted to remove the air bubbles properly.
Apply an underlay
The placement of an underlay depends on the product to be installed, the site constraints and the comfort requirements. If the presence of an underlay increases the thickness of the coating the bottom of the interior doors would trap more heat and the air would be unable to circulate.
That being said, an underlay has many advantages:
- improvement of the sound and acoustic insulation of the room
- moisture barrier
- thermal insulation
- smoothing of small flatness defects (less than 2 mm) of the support.
The choice of the underlay is reliant on the characteristics of the product (mentioned in the instruction manual) or to certain manufactory obligations (rules of co-ownership, industrial standards, etc.). To find the correct underlay, ask your flooring contractor for more advice. You can visit Homees for more vinyl flooring services at https://www.homees.co/services/vinyl-flooring.
To choose well
Each room must be prepared according to its use and the function it serves.
It is necessary to take into account the specific characteristics of each coating according to the intended use, such as anti-slip safety, fire resistance or surface treatment functions. Other characteristics for you to consider when selecting a material would include soundproofing quality, anti-static functions and anti-slip textures. But be aware that the harder a material is on the surface, the more it is resistant to wear, and the less comfortable it is to walk. It is difficult to balance softness and longevity.