Vinyl Flooring

This isn't your Grandmother's vinyl floor. Vinyl has come a long way in the past couple decades. It is now offered in a tremendous variety of patterns and colors. Its qualities and low cost make it an excellent choice for any room in your home.

First, let's clarify it's name and what it is. Vinyl flooring is made from vinyl, it is stamped and printed to create the appearance layer. It is coated with a clear wear layer to protect it's appearance. People often call vinyl flooring, linoleum. It is not linoleum; linoleum is the original sheet flooring with an embossed layer. Linoleum is made from linseed oil and it is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. However, nearly all new sheet flooring you see is vinyl, not linoleum.

Vinyl flooring has some significant benefits:

• Relatively low cost

• Can be installed by a DIYer

• Easy to clean

• Moisture resistant for wet locations

• Looks new when properly maintained

• Resists staining from common spills

• Doesn't easily show scratches

• Spills are easy to clean

• Warmer underfoot than tile and stone

The chief drawback is, it is prone to tears from moving heavy objects over the surface, and to dents from dropped items (like canned food), furniture, and high-heel shoes. Fortunately, vinyl flooring can be repaired, sometimes so well that you cannot detect the repair.

Many people don't think of using vinyl in any room other than a bathroom or kitchen. While its moisture resistance make it a good choice for those rooms, the advances made in texture and color make it a good choice for any room. There is a certain prejudice against vinyl, because many people think of it as a budget flooring material. However, in light of how well it mimics other flooring materials such as wood and stone, it doesn't deserve to be shunned. Check out the options, you just might be surprised.