For many years, vinyl flooring has been the choice when looking for a very economical and practical flooring for utility rooms, especially where humidity is present. As a completely man-made product with no organic ingredients, vinyl flooring is virtually immune to water damage and cannot promote mold. Traditionally, the vinyl flooring market has been dominated in two ways:vinyl sheetand vinyl signs. These are considered asstandardforms of vinyl flooring, and are quite different from the newer and more expensive forms of vinyl flooring, commonly known asluxury vinyl flooring, oh FLV.
Standard vinyl flooring still plays an important role in residential flooring. The two forms of standard vinyl flooring (vinyl laminate and vinyl tile) share many of the same advantages. But there are also important differences between the two types, making each particularly suitable for certain applications.
Laminate Vinyl Flooring vs. Vinyl Tile Flooring: Key Differences
The two types of standard vinyl flooring, vinyl laminate and vinyl tile, are quite similar in composition and performance. Both are composite materials using a thin PVC plastic core bonded to a layer of felt or fiberglass, topped with a printed design layer and a tough, clear wear layer. Both are relatively thin materials, only 1/16-inch thick. (Luxury vinyl planks, for comparison, can be up to 1/3-inch thick.)
Laminated vinyl is manufactured in either 6 foot or 12 foot rolls and is cut from the roll in the quantity the customer requires. This wide width allows a room to be covered with few or no seams, making it one of the best liner materials for water repellent.
Vinyl tile is essentially the same product as vinyl tile, but is cut into smaller square pieces and installed piece by piece, following layout lines drawn on the subfloor. Tiles are considerably easier for DIYers to install, but the presence of many seams between tiles makes it possible for standing water to seep through the cracks and into the subfloor.
| vinyl sheet | vinyl tile | |
| DIY suitability | Usually installed by professionals. | Much easier for DIYers. |
| water penetration | Virtually impenetrable by water. | Water can seep through the cracks between the tiles. |
| Cost | Average $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot | Average $1.50 to $3 per square foot |
| installation method | Usually glue application | Sticking or peel-and-stick application |
| repair | Difficult to make repairs | Individual tiles can be replaced |
Appearance
Along with low cost, one of the main reasons people buy vinyl flooring of any type is that it can be printed to look like a host of different materials, including wood, natural stone, and ceramic.
vinyl sheet
Sheet vinyl is actually a bit more versatile when it comes to design, as it also works well with random, non-repeating patterns.
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vinyl tile
When it comes to imitating stone or ceramic tile, vinyl tile is often more successful than laminated vinyl, as it has joints between pieces.
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Best for Appearance: Tie
Ultimately, all flooring made from standard vinyl, whether vinyl sheet or vinyl tile, will be easily identified as a synthetic material. When you see standard vinyl flooring, you almost always recognize it as a low-cost, inexpensive flooring material. The attempt to imitate other materials is never more convincing, which is one of the main reasons the industry is gradually moving toward luxury vinyl, a different type of vinyl flooring whose thicker construction allows planks and tiles create the texture and feel of the real thing. wood or stone.
Resistance to water and heat
vinyl sheet
Probably the biggest advantage of laminated vinyl over tile is the fact that it can usually be installed in just one or two solid, uninterrupted pieces. This means there are no seams between many individual pieces as there is with vinyl tile. Compared to tile, laminated vinyl is a much better barrier against moisture and is especially useful for bathrooms and other damp areas. With sheet vinyl, you just need to make sure the material is secure at the edges of the room and all adjacent pieces are sealed and glued down.
vinyl tile
Although vinyl tile is impervious to water, the presence of many seams means that moisture has the opportunity to seep through the cracks and onto the subfloor.
Best for Water and Heat Resistance: Sheet Vinyl
Sheet vinyl has better water resistance, thanks to fewer seams between the pieces. Both forms of vinyl can be damaged by heat from cigarettes, hot pots, or heating appliances such as curling irons. Intense heat can melt the surface and leave a disfiguring burn mark.
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Care and Cleaning
vinyl sheet
Like tile, laminate vinyl is among the easiest flooring materials to clean.
vinyl tile
Vinyl tile has the same easy-to-clean profile as sheet vinyl.
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Best for Care and Cleaning: Tie
Vinyl flooring is exceptionally easy to care for and there is no significant difference between vinyl tile and tile in this regard. A simple daily dusting and occasional cleaning with a mild detergent is usually all that is required. Modern vinyl flooring has a highly durable gloss wear layer and there is no longer a need for additional waxing or coating; in fact, the floor may yellow if you use acrylic floor coatings over the factory finish.
Durability and Maintenance
Vinyl flooring, as a category, is only moderately durable. By its nature, vinyl is a strong material that is softer than other flooring materials and therefore much more susceptible to tears and scratches. Even dropping a heavy pot on a vinyl floor can leave a permanent scar. The gradual increase in the number of dents and cracks is why vinyl flooring in high-use areas is often ready for replacement after 10 years or more.
vinyl sheet
While it is possible to cut and replace a small section of the sheet vinyl, the repair area is almost always noticeable. Cutting the patch along the lines of the existing pattern can help, but it's a difficult skill to master.
vinyl tile
Repairs are easier with tile than with sheet vinyl, since individual tiles can be removed and replaced. Removing vinyl tile is usually a matter of heating the adhesive under it, pulling the tile up, and scraping off the bonding agent underneath. From there, you can replace the tile with a matching tile. Carried out with care, the repair is fully and invisibly integrated into the rest of the floor.
Best for Durability and Maintenance: Vinyl Flooring
Because individual tiles can be removed and replaced, vinyl tile is the easiest way to maintain your floor. However, no type of vinyl flooring is very durable.
Installation
vinyl sheet
Sheet vinyl is usually applied with a glue down application, in which the adhesive is spread over the base. The flooring is then carefully pressed into place and compressed with a heavy duty roller to set the seam. Special techniques are needed to join the seams where two pieces of vinyl meet.
Sheet vinyl manufacturers try to cater to the DIYer by providing a template method of cutting sheets to size, but it can be an exasperating process. Sometimes do-it-yourselfers install laminate vinyl, many of whom wish they hadn't tried it. Considering that professional vinyl sheet installation is usually quite affordable, most homeowners find that going the professional route makes the most sense.
vinyl tile
Tile has an undoubted advantage over laminated vinyl in the eyes of do-it-yourselfers. Tiles are relatively easy to install once careful design lines are drawn into the subfloor. The project can usually be done by a moderately skilled hobbyist. Once the bulk of the field has been installed, it's fairly easy to hand cut the perimeter tiles to fit the contours of the room.
Standard vinyl tile can also be installed with a trowel-applied adhesive that bonds each tile to the subfloor, but many products now use a peel-and-stick method, where the adhesive is pre-applied and secured with a backing sheet. which is stripped when it is time to install the tiles. Some professionals find this method questionable and prefer to use trowel adhesive as it is safer. However, most standard vinyl tile at large home improvement centers is the peel and stick type, and you may need to go to a specialty flooring store to find a good selection of trowel adhesive tile. .
Best for Installation: Vinyl Flooring
For DIYers, vinyl tile is considerably easier to install than sheet vinyl.
Cost
vinyl sheet
Major home improvement centers sell sheet vinyl for $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot, making it one of the cheapest flooring materials. It's easy to see why, as sheet vinyl can be mass-produced in huge rolls.
vinyl tile
Peel and stick vinyl tiles typically sell for between $1.50 and $3 per square foot.
Best Value: Sheet Vinyl
The nod here is to laminated vinyl, as it almost always costs less than vinyl tile with similar colors and patterns.
It's important to distinguish these standard forms of vinyl flooring from luxury vinyl, which is a more expensive flooring material with a different level of prestige and different performance characteristics. Deluxe vinyl can be distinguished from standard vinyl because it always uses some type of "click-lock" method to join the planks or tiles together.
Lifespan
vinyl sheet
Good quality laminated vinyl has been known to last 20 years or more. A more typical useful life is 10 years.
vinyl tile
The useful life of vinyl tiles is comparable to that of laminated vinyl.
Best for Life: Tie
On average, vinyl flooring lasts 10-20 years. But with good care and light use, a high-quality standard vinyl floor can last much longer than that. Vinyl flooring in a rarely used guest bathroom, for example, can last for many decades.
Sizes
vinyl sheet
Sheet vinyl is sold in 6 and 12 foot rolls, with pieces cut to length as required.
vinyl tile
Vinyl tiles are usually square tiles that range from 9 to 18 inches in diameter.
Ideal for sizes: Tie
There is no size advantage to either form of vinyl flooring; it depends on your preference. The large vinyl sheet size is a plus when you want a seamless installation, but the small tile sizes make for easy DIY installation.
Comfort and Sound
vinyl sheet
This is a hard material and relatively cool underfoot, especially when installed over a concrete subfloor, such as a slab-on-grade underlayment.
vinyl tile
Vinyl tile has the same comfort and sound characteristics.
Best for Comfort and Sound: Tie
Standard vinyl is "tough" in name only, as it is a very hard material underfoot, especially when installed over a concrete slab subfloor. While not as loud as more dense flooring materials, vinyl can echo enough to make a room feel rather hollow.play matsit can help a lot with the comfort and sound transmission of vinyl flooring.
resale value
vinyl sheet
Standard vinyl in any form is considered an inexpensive flooring material.
vinyl tile
Vinyl tile is also considered an inexpensive flooring material.
Best Resale Value: Necktie
Standard vinyl flooring, whether tiled or mosaic, will always be seen as a cost-effective and affordable flooring material, and while well-chosen colors and patterns minimize liability, no standard vinyl flooring will have the cachet of other flooring materials. . When real estate value is important but you want the performance characteristics of vinyl, luxury vinyl may be a better option.
the verdict
Both sheet vinyl and vinyl tile or plank are inexpensive flooring materials, and each type has its advantages. Your choice will depend on what is most important to you and the expected performance of the soil. DIYers will surely prefer tile, but for areas where moisture is an issue, laminated vinyl is the logical choice.
best brands
The major vinyl flooring brands are very large and well-known companies. Most make all forms of vinyl flooring: standard vinyl sheet and vinyl tile, as well as luxury vinyl plank and tile.
- amstrong:This large company offers virtually all forms of vinyl flooring, with an increasing emphasis on luxury vinyl. Products are available in all price ranges and at almost every retail outlet, including major home improvement centers.
- Mannington: In the standard vinyl category, Mannington now focuses on sheet vinyl, with the tile market primarily targeting luxury vinyl plank. Their products are mainly sold in specialty flooring stores.
- Tarkett: This large flooring corporation offers a good selection of vinyl tile. Tile selections have been largely transformed into luxury vinyl plank and tile. Tarkett products are sold in specialty flooring stores and design centers.
- TRAFFICmaster: This brand is made by Shaw, the flooring giant now owned by Berkshire Hathaway. TRAFFICmaster is sold primarily at Home Depot stores. Offers a good selection of vinyl signage and vinyl tile, as well as carpet and laminate flooring. Vinyl flooring is considered a cheap brand, but the quality is very good.