Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring was first used broadly during and after World War II to meet many of the infrastructure and safety needs of that time. Vinyl flooring is also called "resilient flooring" because of its ability to "bounce back" from the dent that the weight of objects makes and then compresses on its surface. Today vinyl flooring is one of the most popular choices in building products. It is durable against rips, tears and gouges; more moisture resistant, lightweight; has solid environmental and fire-proof characteristics; and is versatile and easier to maintain. It can even mimic stone, different types of wood, and ceramic tiles because of the continual advancements in imaging technology. Vinyl flooring reduces noise and provides comfort underfoot. An important feature of vinyl flooring is that many models come with enhanced slip-retardant surfaces, making it safe to use in high-traffic areas.

Most vinyl products are made from combinations of vinyl resin and various additives that give the products particular properties. Some of the additives commonly used include plasticizers (oily liquids used to soften the vinyl and provide flexibility), stabilizers (used to minimize degradation and discoloration from heat and light), pigments (to give vinyl a range of colors) and fillers (limestone or clay).

Vinyl floors are available in either tile or sheet form for both commercial and residential use. Vinyl tiles are made either by melt-compounding and then molding into the desired shape; or by using the calendaring technique where the material is squeezed through a series of rollers to get the desired shape. Vinyl sheets are made by coating a thin layer of liquid onto a backing material and then are cured in an oven.

There are two vinyl flooring design types: inlaid construction that is usually restricted to patterns that are simple and very geometric in nature; and rotogravure construction, used to imprint designs that are usually complex and detailed.