Resilient flooring is both the least expensive material you can use to cover your kitchen floor and the easiest and quickest to install. ln addition to being durable and easy to clean, it’s available in a wide range of colors, as well as in patterns that mimic the look of ceramic tile, natural stone, marble, brick and wood.
Shopping for Quality
Resilient flooring varies widely in durability and price – sheet vinyl, for example, ranges between £10 and £545 per sq. yd. The three major categories of vinyl flooring are solid vinyl (PVC), vinyl composites and printed flooring. In general, the more vinyl flooring has, the more durable and cushioned it will be, and the more it will cost. The quality of resilient flooring has improved greatly over the last several years. Cushioned backings, upgraded warranties and guaranteed moisture and mildew protection are now common features. However, as these features have been added, the price of top-quality vinyl flooring has climbed to the level of tile and hardwood. Solid vinyl flooring is the best quality (although the name is deceiving; it may contain as little as 40 percent PVC). It’s composed of vinyl granules embedded in a vinyl base.
During manufacturing, the granules puff up to cushion the floor. Some products also incorporate chips of quartz or granite for a more natural look. Vinyl composites are generally considered to be stan- dard vinyl flooring. These are created by fusing colored vinyl with non-vinyl fillers. Many better-quality resilient flooring products are vinyl composites. These are great for handleless kitchens.
Printed flooring is the lowest in cost and quality; it’s composed of non- vinyl materials that are coated with a protective layer. Thickness is another clue to quality Thicker flooring is more comfortable and puncture-resistant, since it generally includes more vinyl. Solid-vinyl gets most of its thickness from its vinyl core. With vinyl composite and printed flooring, additional thickness comes from the wear Zuyer-a coating of clear vinyl. All three types are topped with a thinner, protective layer. There’s a direct correlation between the quality of a floors wear layer and the amount of maintenance it requires (again, thick- er is better). The material used for the top layer varies among manufacturers, but the better products typically include some type of urethane.
