February 9, 2009

Vinyl Flooring: Tips For The Handyman

by: Ernest Jarquio

Vinyl Flooring is made of various amounts of vinyl and these can either be solid or composite. The solid vinyl flooring is made up of vinyl pieces which are then set into a vinyl base while in the composite version the pieces are embedded into a non-vinyl filler. The most expensive type of vinyl flooring you can buy today is the solid version while often you can get composite discount vinyl flooring relatively easily.

The good quality vinyl flooring that you see produced by such companies as Armstrong Vinyl Flooring and Tarkett Vinyl Flooring have a protective top coat which is made with urethane. If you do not have a high budget then there are plenty of places where you can purchase discount vinyl flooring either online or through your local flooring supplier.

The great thing about vinyl flooring is that it is extremely resistant to being scratched or stained and so is ideal for such rooms in the house as the kitchen, bathroom or even a child's play room. But if it does not have a urethane covering then it is likely to lose the gloss and shine it had when it was first laid.

As well as being resilient and durable, the other advantage that this type of floor covering has over other kinds is that installing vinyl flooring is very easy and normally can be done in a matter of a few hours for each room.

If you wish your flooring to remain in the same condition as when you purchased it you should regularly clean it and apply a wax polish to it.

Every type of vinyl flooring now available including the latest innovation known as vinyl plank flooring comes with a cushion backing. The thickness of the backing that comes with your vinyl flooring will all be dependent on the type you buy. You will find that the much more expensive versions of this kind of flooring will have a much thicker backing than the discounted ones.

The benefit of having a vinyl flooring with a much thicker backing to it is that it is much more comfortable to walk on. However, it is more prone to dents if heavy objects are either dropped or placed on it without any protection.

When installing vinyl flooring you will notice that most come with an adhesive backing, and all you will need to do is peel off the backing that covers the adhesive and then stick it on to the floor. So if you are looking to lay new flooring in your home without all the hassles associated with laying other kinds of flooring such as laminate, real wood or tiles, vinyl is your best bet. However, before your begin laying any type of vinyl flooring you should ensure that the base flooring is completely clean and dry or else the adhesive will not affix to it properly.