Myths About Vinyl Flooring That You Should Know About

Posted by Tom Shaw on 31st Aug 2022

Vinyl flooring has been one of the fastest growing categories of flooring for years. The main appeal to vinyl flooring is the vast selection and options when choosing your vinyl flooring. When it comes to the perception of vinyl flooring, there are often a handful of myths and confusion amongst vinyl flooring. Let’s go ahead and debunk some of these myths about vinyl flooring.

All Vinyl Flooring Is The Same

There are a few kinds of vinyl flooring; waterproof, peel and stick, sheet vinyl and all of the acronyms that come with them, SPC, WPC and LVF. This may seem confusing at first but let’s go in to detail on each type.

WPC vinyl: WPC vinyl flooring is 100% waterproof, and it features a wood-plastic composite core. WPC is recommended for residential use since it is softer underfoot.
SPC vinyl: Also, referred to as Rigid Core luxury vinyl flooring, SPC features an ultra-dense, 100% waterproof stone-plastic composite core. SPC is great for both residential and commercial use.
LVF vinyl: This is the acronym for luxury vinyl flooring. Luxury vinyl flooring is the umbrella term that encompasses WPC and SPC. LVF can also refer to vinyl that is not waterproof but has quality visuals, and usually a glue-down or a locking installation.

Vinyl flooring comes in three main forms: planks, tiles, and sheets/rolls. Each of these styles offer different aesthetics and feels for your desired look. Vinyl planks are perfect for a wood styled floor. If the look is more stone based, then vinyl tile flooring is the better option. Finally, sheet vinyl flooring offers the widest selection of decoration for your floor.

Vinyl Flooring And Laminate Are The Same

Laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are often deemed at first glance as similar flooring, and this causes a lot of confusion. The main differences are the composites of the flooring and the different in price points. These are just the main differences, let’s compare in more detail.

Laminate

Fibreboard wood core
Not as waterproof as vinyl
Scratch-resistant wear layer
Hollow sound if installed improperly

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

PVC, WPC, or SPC core
Not as scratch resistant as laminate
More waterproof than laminate
Can be more expensive than laminate
Great DIY installation

Vinyl Rolls And Linoleum Are The Same

Vinyl rolls and linoleum are very different. The often similarity that has caused this confusion is the appearance of sheet vinyl and rolled linoleum. A common difference is the price. Linoleum is more expensive, but it can sometimes last twice as long than sheet vinyl, depending on traffic, type, and manufacturer. See below as to how these two flooring products vary.

Linoleum

Made of natural materials
Anti-microbial
Anti-static properties
Needs to be sealed every year
Requires a professional installation

Vinyl Rolls

Made of durable PVC
Protective wear layer
Backing options for fiberglass, foam, or felt
DIY-friendly installation
Virtually no maintenance

Vinyl Flooring Is Hard To Install

Vinyl flooring is relatively easy to install. There are a few options regarding different options of vinyl flooring that you should know about.

Click vinyl installation: Click vinyl is one of the simplest ways to install vinyl flooring. This type of installation requires no tape or adhesive and creates a floating floor.
Peel and stick installation: It don’t get easier than this! Slowly peel back the paper to reveal the adhesive. Then firmly place the tile or plank by pressing it down onto the surface.
Sheet vinyl installation: You can loose lay most vinyl sheets these days, which just means you roll them out and cut them to fit. For a more secure install, you can also spread glue over the subfloor before carefully rolling out the sheet vinyl.

Vinyl Flooring Is Outdated

Vinyl flooring used to have a reputation of being outdated and fragile. However, with the wave of new technology in the flooring industry, vinyl flooring has been completely revolutionised. With the ease of fitting and appealing aesthetic, it has gained a lot of attention and popularity.

This advanced technology has enabled flooring companies to create a much more realistic look to their flooring ranges. Whether it is tiles or planks, the stone or wood tones have a much more natural look to them. Creating a unique and decorative look.

On top of all the benefits from the design improvements, you can now enjoy 100% waterproof vinyl that will protect your floor from water damage. Creating another attribute to add to their ever-growing popularity.