A Guide to Resilient Flooring Types – Vinyl

Vinyl floor coverings are made up of a combination of PVC, fillers and plasticisers to enhance the product performance characteristics. Vinyl floorings are attractive, cost effective and have excellent in-use performance and durability.

Sheet and tiles are generally manufactured using one of the following constructions:

• Homogenous – these products are made up of one or more layers of material of the same composition, colour and pattern throughout their thickness. They are usually made up of a mixture of PVC and mineral fillers. They are manufactured to ensure a consistent, dense and smooth or embossed wear surface.
• Heterogenous – these products are made up of a wear layer and other compact layers which differ in composition and/or design. This construction is common in sheet and tiles with printed designs which are sandwiched between a hard-wearing unfilled PVC wear layer and supported by a filled PVC backing layer. This construction is also used for products with a solid colour wear layer. Heterogeneous vinyl products usually incorporate a glass fleece in the backing layer for additional dimensional stability.

The following information outlines just some of the available types, formats and design options available with vinyl floorcoverings.

Fully adhered options

Both homogenous and heterogenous fully adhered options are available in a variety of thicknesses, although 2mm is the thickness used in most contract sheet installations. The standard installation is with SBR (synthetic rubber) or acrylic emulsion type adhesives as recommended by the flooring manufacturer.

Loose lay sheet options

A new generation of loose lay sheet products are available which can be fitted to a prepared subfloor or directly over other suitable existing floor fitments. These products offer quicker installation times and the advantage of ease of removal at the end of their life.

There are also sheet options with an integral moisture control backing format to provide a simple installation option for damp subfloors up to 97% RH.

Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) to BS EN ISO 10582

Luxury vinyl tiles simulate either natural or man-made products such as wood, natural stone, granite, ceramic and bespoke designer patterns/colours. They are normally produced in heterogeneous construction, consisting of a backing layer, print film, reinforcement, and clear or coloured PVC wear layer for durability. They can be of calendared (roll) or pressed (slab) sheet construction from which the tiles are cut to the finished size.

The thickness of the wear layer determines the durability and type of use area. LVTs are available in a range of gauges with a wide choice of sizes, configurations (e.g., plank and tile) and qualities for both domestic and commercial situations.

Foam backed sheet and tile to BS EN651/BS EN ISO 11638

This type of product generally comprises homogeneous or heterogeneous sheet vinyl flooring which is backed by a high density PVC foam. The wear surface affords all the advantages of unbacked sheet vinyls to BS EN10581 and BS EN10582 in application, use and appearance. The inclusion of a foam backing affords excellent resilience and quietness and increased acoustic performance in terms of insulation against impact sound.

This type of flooring was designed to provide a highly resilient and hard-wearing flooring to suit increased need for impact sound reduction in multi-use residential, hospitals, shops and office buildings, to meet the requirements of Building Regulations. Impact sound reduction performance for these products is typically within the 14dB to 19dB range.

Static Control Floorcoverings

These types of floor covering are used to control, within specified limits, Electrostatic Discharges (ESD) in usage areas where even very low levels of static charge may cause electronic component or systems failure, fire or explosions.

Cushioned vinyl flooring to BS EN ISO 26986 and EN 651

Cushioned vinyl floorings are available in a varied range of products and qualities for both domestic and commercial situations. Domestic cushioned vinyls are excellent for the home because of their resilience and ease of maintenance. The integral foam backing provides comfort and warmth underfoot. Cushioned vinyl floorings with commercial-use classifications are suitable for private housing, flats and light contract areas.

Sport flooring

Special grades of foam backed vinyl floor coverings are available for sports hall installations. Whilst offering acoustic performance, the construction of these products is designed to meet the performance requirements of BS EN 14904 for indoor surfaces for multi-sport use.

For more information, visit the CFA Guide to Contract Flooring.