We know that it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the choices you need to make when it comes to choosing vinyl flooring.
Figuring out what kind will suit your home and habits is the first step when trying to choose the perfect vinyl flooring for your home. That’s why we’ve written the complete buyer’s guide to vinyl flooring, to help you learn all about vinyl flooring and make your decision easier.
This guide covers the following sections:
Vinyl flooring is made using PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is a synthetic material. The construction of the vinyl flooring can differ depending on what type of flooring you choose (sheet vinyl flooring, plank vinyl flooring, or luxury vinyl flooring) but the base layer is normally fibreglass coated in a plasticiser and PVC vinyl. The product is then printed and sealed using a surface print layer, giving the material a strong, yet flexible composition.
Vinyl flooring is considered to be very resilient because it can compress and expand without cracking after contact. Additionally, as this product is 100% plastic, it can be easily recycled, making it a smart choice for the eco-friendly customer!
There is a type of vinyl flooring to suit all budgets, styles and needs, and there are three main types of vinyl, namely: traditional vinyl, luxury vinyl and hybrid vinyl.
While each kind of vinyl flooring has a different composition and the production process for each varies, the benefits they share are that they are all durable, waterproof, easy to clean and come in a wide range of looks and finishes.
Vinyl flooring either comes in sheets or planks. Vinyl sheets come in a large roll a little like a large carpet and usually cover the whole space in one big piece, without leaving any visible seams. Traditional vinyl is normally available in sheets.
On the other hand, vinyl planks are, as the name suggests, planks of vinyl that are attached to an underlayer of fibreglass which makes it very rigid, sort of like a floorboard.
Luxury vinyl and hybrid vinyl is available in vinyl planks.
Read more: Types of vinyl flooring for your home: sheets, planks or luxury vinyls
Read more: Hybrid flooring versus vinyl planks: choosing between the two
Vinyl flooring can come in a wide range of colours and styles, with wood-look flooring options recently becoming very popular. Vinyl flooring can replicate the look of wood flooring very convincingly, but without the extensive cost and upkeep that comes with real wood flooring. Other popular choices for vinyl are stone look and tile look finishes.
Vinyl flooring is fully waterproof, thanks to its 100% plastic composition. This characteristic helps to make this flooring type a great choice for any part of the home.
Another benefit of vinyl flooring, (particularly if you are the one installing it), is that underlay is not necessary for vinyl flooring.
Vinyl flooring is highly prized as a flooring material because it is virtually maintenance free, and extremely durable. With proper cleaning and care, your vinyl flooring should last for the life of your home.
One of the main benefits of vinyl floors is because they are waterproof, they are very simple to clean, and with the right care, they’ll continue to look great for years. To keep them looking their best:
Thanks to vinyl flooring’s superior durability, apart from regular cleaning, there isn’t much maintenance you need to do for them. However, there are some tips you can follow to help eliminate the risk of damage to your flooring:
The sharp edges of furniture such as stools can sometimes cause damage such as scratches in your vinyl flooring. Using furniture pads will protect your floors and keep them in good condition for longer.
Items like heaters, irons, and hair styling tools, if left unattended, can melt and damage your vinyl floor. Keep hot household objects at a safe height from the vinyl floor.
Place a walk-off mat at outside entrances to reduce the amount of dirt brought into your home. The less dirt tracked inside, the less vacuuming and sweeping for you to do!
For more maintenance and cleaning tips for your vinyl flooring, read our ultimate guide to cleaning and looking after your vinyl flooring.
So now that you know what to look out for when it comes to choosing vinyl flooring, now’s the perfect time to visit your nearest Parry’s showroom and take a look at some of our extensive flooring choices.
Our team can help you find the perfect vinyl flooring for your home and answer any questions you may have about the whole process of buying and installing vinyl flooring.
Read More BlogsWhen it comes to choosing laminate flooring, we know that it can feel overwhelming. What style to choose, what colours will look best, do you need underlay and how long it will last are all questions that will be going through your mind when trying to choose the perfect laminate flooring for your home.
We’ve written the complete buyer’s guide to choosing laminate flooring, to help make your decision a whole lot simpler.
This guide covers the following sections:
Laminate flooring is a type of floor covering that is made from several layers of material to form a firm and durable type of flooring. It usually has at least 4 layers.
A backer layer – this layer provides the stability and support for the flooring and is the base of the laminate flooring.
A core layer – this layer helps to prevent dents (which can often occur in real wood floors) and retain the inherent structure of the flooring.
A décor layer – this layer shows the style of the laminate flooring, whether it’s a wood effect.
A wear layer – this layer provides the protection for the layers below, helping the flooring avoid being scratched from daily wear and tear.
Laminate flooring comes in a variety of different types.
There are 2 main styles of laminate flooring: plastic laminate and engineered wood laminate. Read more about the differences between laminate and engineered wood.
It’s no surprise that the engineered wood laminate can be more expensive than its plastic counterpart. However, with careful care, it can end up lasting much longer than the plastic laminate.
Different thicknesses and different widths are also important to consider when choosing your laminate flooring.
Typically, laminate flooring comes in thicknesses of 7-12mm. Usually the thicker the laminate, the more durable it is and the more suited it is for high traffic areas of your home.
Laminate flooring planks can vary in width as well. The wider the planks, the less flooring you’ll need to cover the space in your home.
Expert Tips:
Choose your style of flooring that matches your expectations for your home. Will it be a busy area for foot traffic, or will the room not receive much foot traffic?
With hundreds, if not thousands of different finishes on the market, choosing the look of your laminate can be a daunting task.
First, consider what kind of look you want in your home. The most common style is wood effect.
Then within each of these styles, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to colours, grains, and textures.
Some laminate flooring is embossed, others have a high gloss finish and others can have a hand-scraped effect to simulate a real hardwood floor.
Good To Know:
Lighter flooring can make a room appear bigger and brighter and is great for smaller spaces. Darker laminate flooring is ideal for larger rooms and giving an impression of age and character to a room.
Generally yes. Underlay serves a few purposes.
It adds an extra layer of moisture protection, so if you ever have any leaks from underneath your flooring, it is less likely to seep through to your laminate flooring.
Underlay also reduces noise and makes your floors quieter to walk on, as well as adds a layer of thermal insulation, keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Expert Tips:
Some laminate flooring planks are made with underlay already attached to the bottom of each plank. Check this before splashing out on underlay, only to find you didn’t need to.
Read our guide on laminate underlays.
AC stands for Abrasion Criteria, and AC ratings indicate how resistant the laminate flooring is to general wear and tear.
The AC scale ranges from AC1 to AC5, and the higher the rating, the more wear and tear the flooring can cope with.
AC1 – ideal for low amounts of foot traffic (e.g. bedrooms).
AC2 – ideal for medium traffic (e.g. living areas).
AC3 – ideal for all areas including high foot traffic areas (e.g. kitchen and hallways).
AC4 – ideal for all areas of your home and some commercial spaces.
AC5 – ideal for heavy duty traffic in commercial spaces.
Expert Tips:
Most buyers looking for laminate flooring for their home choose an AC3 or AC4 style of laminate. Speak to one of our experts at Parrys Carpets if unsure.
Read our guide on laminate AC ratings.
How long your laminate flooring lasts depends on a variety of factors.
Firstly, the quality of the laminate you choose can have a huge effect on its longevity. Whether you add underlay and what thickness of underlay you choose can also have an impact.
How much traffic and wear and tear the flooring experiences is another factor that can affect how long your laminate flooring lasts. A home with a retired couple is going to have very different foot traffic to a family of 6.
Finally, engineered wood laminate can last a lot longer than plastic laminate flooring, but it will need to be cared for, and sanded down, and refinished over the years.
Expert Tips:
Think about who will be using the home and how much effort you are prepared to put in to maintain your flooring in optimal condition.
Of course, you’ll need to clean your floors regularly, no matter what kind of flooring you choose.
Laminate flooring needs to be swept or vacuumed on a regular basis. You can also dry mop the floors with a damp (not wet) mop.
Using a wet mop could allow moisture to seep into your laminate and cause it to warp. Never allow pools of water to form on the flooring and even if your flooring is water resistant or water proof, always aim to clean up any spills as soon as you can.
Good To Know:
A quick vacuum once or twice a week is usually enough to keep your floors looking nice and clean. Make sure to use the hard floor setting on your vacuum.
Read our ultimate guide to cleaning and looking after your laminate flooring.
So now that you know what to look out for when it comes to choosing laminate flooring, it’s time to head into your nearest Parry’s Carpets showroom and take a look at some of our laminate flooring options.
Our team can help you find the perfect laminate flooring for your home, and answer any questions you may have about the whole process of buying and installing laminate flooring.
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