There are many different varieties of vinyl floors, ranging in price from $3 per yard to $60 per yard. When choosing a vinyl floor for your home, there are many things to consider besides just your personal taste and decorating budget. When you examine your sub floor look for uneven floor areas, holes in the floor, high spots, cracks, or anything that looks like it might be a potential problem. Most of these problems can be corrected with floor patch which can be used to fill in the voids in the floor and even it out. In some cases, if you have a wood sub floor, quarter inch Luan sheets can be used to correct the problems. (Luan is a finished material used for floors, doors, etc.) Standard vinyl is a full spread application where the entire floor is glued down. Any of the sub floor problems mentioned above will show in a standard vinyl application if the proper floor preparation is not done. However, many of the vinyl floors available today are specially made to help cover sub floor problems and minimize the amount of floor prep needed. These are perimeter glued or stapled floors which actually allow the rest of the floor to float, so the problems underneath are not as noticeable. This type of vinyl is actually made to shrink slightly once installed, providing a smooth appearance to the floor. Obviously any major holes or problems must be filled. Another thing to consider before purchasing your vinyl floor is what type of furniture will be placed on the floor. Any furniture with sharp legs or metal legs should have felt pads placed on them to prevent floor damage. Rolling chairs should never be used on a vinyl floor as the rollers will cause the surface and the backing to separate, no matter which type of sheet vinyl is used. If you have any of the above furniture issues, you may want to consider using vinyl floor tiles, instead of sheet vinyl. This type of floor is more resilient and durable, and can hold up to just about any type of furniture. Vinyl tile comes in many different patterns and thicknesses and is also appropriate for a commercial application. As you can see, design and budget aren’t the only considerations when choosing your vinyl floor. You have many different choices and price ranges available, but taking a close look at what will be below and above your floor can make all the difference in an attractive floor.
