Useful knowledge prior to buying vinyl flooring.

If you have been considering vinyl, you’ve probably been doing your research and may find yourself close to purchasing this durable and popular flooring option.

In your research you have no doubt been enlightened to today’s innovative strides when it comes to vinyl.

This section will explore product insights, construction points, and considerations when thinking about performance and installation tips to think about before purchasing.

In addition, we’ll also discuss potential costs to bear in mind that might be additional to the basic price per square foot.

Today’s vinyl flooring offers wall-to-wall benefits. Vinyl offered today is drastically different than that of yesterday.

Advances in construction and aesthetics have created a vinyl that offers superior durability without losing a fashionable look, all while staying within a budget.

You should know that many of the popular patterns today are inspired by nature, including those that imitate the exquisite look of natural stone.

Vinyl today comes in a plethora of patterns and new methods that create new and exciting textures that all create realistic effects.

Vinyl flooring brings to mind the layer cake. Vinyl is constructed of several different layers: the wear layer, the printed or decorative layer, an inner core consisting of a foam and vinyl layer, and a backing.

Don’t automatically pick thick. Thicker flooring is not always better when it comes to vinyl.

It’s the density of the inner core that will help your floor resist rips, tears, gouges and indentations.

Above all, concentrate on the top layer. It is the quality of the wearlayer, the surface layer that will determine your floors resistance to scratching, scuffing and staining.

For example, a urethane wearlayer will help with stain resistance.

We recommend you consult with us about the wearlayer that’s right for your home and lifestyle.

Study and know local traffic patterns. Traffic patterns in your home are important to consider when selecting the appropriate vinyl.  Foot traffic and activities that will occur in those rooms are crucial to evaluate.

Allow us to review the manufacturer’s warranty and performance characteristics of the products offered.

Often, extended warranties are available with upgraded products.  Taking advantage of theses warranties will offer you additional confidence when it comes to your floors resilience.

Here’s the line on seams. Vinyl comes in 6’ and 12’ widths, which means that seaming may be needed.

Certain patterns will hide seams better. For instance, tile patterns with grout lines are better able to mask seams.

Additionally, seam sealers may be visible in contrast with different vinyl textures and finishes.

Please note that you should maintain caulking for flooring that is placed in areas with heavy water use.

Get on top of the bottom line. Know the entire cost of ownership. The “cost per square foot” of your vinyl floor is just one component of the entire project cost. To ensure there are no surprises, and the vinyl you select fits within your overall project budget, be sure to ask us to calculate the total cost of your floor covering project.

Here’s a list of potential additional expenses you may incur:

    Furniture removal/replacement.
    Demolition/disposal of old floor covering. Depending on the existing floor covering, this can be an expensive item; also, be sure to include the cost to dispose of the old floor covering.
    Subfloor preparation. Depending on the condition of the subfloor, it may require additional work.
    Product delivery.
    Vinyl installation. Determine the cost per square foot to install it.
    Materials required to complete the installation. Your new vinyl floor may require additional materials to install it properly.

Vinyl is one of North America’s favourite floors, due to its unbeatable combination of design choices, affordability and durability.  We hope that this section has made you consider this popular flooring for your home.