Vinyl flooring is an alternative to traditional hard floors. It's affordable, easy to install and mimics the look of real wood, ceramic and stone. It's also waterproof, resists scratches and stains and is easy to maintain. New vinyl flooring is the quickest, least expensive way to give your kitchen, bathroom or any other indoor space a completely new look.
If you want the look of wooden planks without needing special tools or messy glues, take a look at the Achim Home Furnishings Tivoli II Self-Adhesive Silver Spruce Vinyl Floor Planks.
There are three main categories of vinyl flooring, defined by their size and shape. Each comes in many choices of colors and patterns.
Vinyl sheets come in 6- and 12-foot widths that can be precut or trimmed to fit on-site and are glued to the floor with liquid adhesives. Vinyl sheet flooring is ideal for wet, humid bathrooms when it is installed without seams.
Individual tiles are made to exact specifications for length, width and thickness so they fit together snugly when installed properly. Most tiles have adhesive backing that you just peel off and set the tile in place. Some snap into place.
Plank flooring is made to resemble wooden boards in color and texture, most several feet long and between 3 and 12 inches wide.
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is the top of the vinyl plank line and looks the most like real wood.
Rigid core vinyl plank flooring is made for high-traffic areas. It can be a composite of plastic and wood or plastic and stone.
Waterproof vinyl plank flooring has an advanced waterproof core suited for areas that get lots of spills and leakage.
Open the packaging and let your flooring adjust to the room's temperature and humidity.
Remove the baseboards and floor molding.
Clean, clean, clean. The cleaner the floor, the better your vinyl covering will attach to it.
Choose the look that best meets your needs, whether high gloss, matte or anywhere in between. Keep in mind that durability varies by finish, too.
No-wax finishes are the thinnest, suitable for areas that get little exposure to dirt and moisture and not much foot traffic.
Urethane finishes are heavier and can handle moderate foot traffic.
Enhanced urethane finishes are the heavyweights of the vinyl flooring world and are ideal for rooms that get lots of foot traffic, especially your kitchen.
Vinyl sheets: Vinyl sheeting comes in 6- and 12-foot wide rolls. Choose a width and cut it to length so you cover the floor with a single sheet, eliminating seams where water could seep through.
Vinyl tiles: Choose a size that best suits the scale of your room. Most vinyl tiles are 12 or 18 inches square or rectangles that are 12 or 18 inches on the long end.
Vinyl planks: You can choose a floor with all narrow, standard or wide planks, or mix the sizes to create an even more realistic look. Planks are usually 3 or 4 feet long.
Most tiles and sheets cost $1-$2 a square foot. Planks cost $2-$4 a square foot, depending mostly upon the quality of the materials and the finish.
A. Most manufacturers say no, but adding extra cushioning and a layer of waterproofing is always a good idea.
A. Wipe up any spills right away, sweep every day and use a soft mop with a gentle cleanser. Be careful — water from a too-wet mop will work its way into seams and edges and weaken the glue, so make sure yours is only damp.
A. The best way is to avoid heavy-duty cleaners, floor scrubbers and steamers. Be gentle and use white cloths, not colored ones. If you can’t get the stain out, you can replace individual tiles and planks with the extras you bought.
Achim Home Furnishings Tivoli II Self-Adhesive Silver Spruce Vinyl Floor Planks
What you need to know: Each plank is 36 inches long, 6 inches wide and about as thick as a dime.
What you’ll love: Forty planks come in a box, enough to cover 90 square feet in any room in your house. You need no special tools or messy glues — just peel and stick the planks to any flat, dry surface.
What you should consider: Some users said the backing is hard to peel away from the planks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Lifeproof Restored Rosewood Vinyl Sheet Flooring
What you need to know: Cut your sheet to the exact length you need from the 12-foot-wide roll.
What you’ll love: This moisture-proof flooring resists scratches and stains with its urethane stain shield. It installs over concrete, plywood, tile and vinyl subfloors without the need for an additional layer, and provides cushioned comfort and sound reduction.
What you should consider: It can't be steam cleaned.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Achim Home Furnishings Solid Black and White 12-inch Vinyl Floor Tile
What you need to know: Just peel and stick these floor tiles in a bold checkerboard pattern.
What you’ll love: These tiles come 20 to a pack and resist scratches and stains. The finish is low-maintenance and is made to be used in high-traffic areas.
What you should consider: Some reviewers said the tiles are too difficult to line up exactly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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David Allan Van writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
