How Is Vinyl Flooring Made?

Luxury vinyl flooring – such as Invictus and Quick-Step luxury vinyl – is a popular modern option for both commercial and domestic flooring situations. Built to be sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, stain resistant and cost-effective, it is the best product on the market looking to achieve the look of a natural hardwood floor but finds that high price or practicality issues prevent them from having it.

Smoothness

Available in many different styles of sheets, planks and tiles – vinyl flooring comprises synthetic plastic applied to a smooth, levelled subfloor via specially formulated adhesive. Its many benefits under its visual appeal, these products are constructed from excellent materials and layers.

To produce vinyl sheets that form the basis of vinyl flooring, manufacturers suspend the vinyl in a liquid and then create a mixture spread to a thin layer during the rolling process. The liquid plastic is known as plastisol, dried through the application of heat and air, fusing the material into a strong, robust sheet. This sheet can then be cut, when required, to create solid vinyl planks and tiles.

Various Compounds

All vinyl products are created from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). From there, various compounds are added creating the particular look, colour, hardness, flexibility and sheen desired.

Because patterns are created during the liquid plastic stage, their appearance is limited to block colours or simpler designs introduced as colouring agents. For more intricate designs that are popular in modern homes, the requirement for contemporary printing technology using a layered, homogenous construction is topped with a clear, urethane-based coating known as the wear layer. This wear layer contains stain and scratch resistance, as well as enhanced durability towards the floor.

Advantages

Some of the advantages of vinyl flooring include durability for increased protection from foot traffic, comfort underfoot and quietness to walk on and protection from scratches and marks from pets and children.

The biggest benefit comes down to the cost, with vinyl flooring being a much more affordable option than similar-looking alternatives. Even in wider patterns and colours, the cost is much more attractive than their real-world counterparts, especially in being able to spare additional expense on professional installation due to its ease to do yourself.

There are some limitations towards vinyl flooring installation to consider also. For example, vinyl flooring is not designed to withstand the impact of direct sunlight as it can cause colour fading. Sharper objects can also cause damage and deep scratches when dropped onto the floor also, and this flooring is suitable for indoor instances only.

For more information on luxury vinyl flooring, contact the team at Floorbay today.