Are you looking to outfit your home with quality flooring? If so, you’ve probably heard of vinyl flooring planks. This durable and easy-to-maintain flooring option has a lot to offer. But does it live up to its reputation? After all, you deserve the best for your home, so it’s important to know what your hard-earned dollars are going toward. Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of Calgary vinyl flooring.
What is Vinyl Flooring?
Vinyl flooring comes in long, slender strips instead of conventional cubed tile flooring. This product is a multi-ply flooring option with numerous layers, such as:
- An aluminum oxide top layer that prevents markings such as scratches and blemishes
- A transparent layer that safeguards from more severe rips or tears
- A design layer offering a realistic appearance of stone or wood
- A supporting layer consisting of moderately tough vinyl, making up nearly 90 percent of the overall luxury vinyl thickness
Each layer contributes to the luxury vinyl’s durability, making it five times thicker than its conventional sheet vinyl counterpart. You can even purchase vinyl flooring with an old-fashioned look, which adds to its character and personality.
Pros and Cons of Calgary Vinyl Flooring
This list will give you perspective regarding vinyl flooring. As you go through the pros and cons, you can determine whether this flooring option meets your needs and, as a result, make a more informed purchasing decision.
Pros
- Water resistant: Vinyl produces an insulated coating, making it moisture and water-resistant. This feature is in opposition to its hardwood equivalent.
- Simple installation: Vinyl is easy to install. The tiles’ plastic backs peel off, revealing adhesive that allows you to press them into position. This simple process ensures that installation of vinyl flooring is possible even for the novice DIYer.
- Easy maintenance: Vinyl floor finishes have a protective layer that is dirt and stain-resistant. As a result, maintenance is simplified. Spills and splashes are easily cleaned. And provided you occasionally mop and sweep the floor, it will remain intact for years.
- Can accommodate heavy-foot traffic: Proper maintenance will retain the vinyl flooring’s durability, enabling it to sustain the abuse of heavy-foot traffic.
Cons
- Doesn’t improve home value: Vinyl plank flooring will not improve your home’s value. This is because vinyl planks are cheaper than their hardwood counterpart. The discrepancy in price means homes boasting natural wood flooring typically sell for more than those with vinyl plank floors.
- Not Eco-Friendly: The entire manufacturing process of vinyl floors is not very eco-friendly. Moreover, vinyl planks aren’t biodegradable, which makes them difficult to recycle. So if you are environmentally conscious, this may not be the ideal product.
- Challenging to remove: Once the floorboard adhesive hardens, the vinyl’s glue becomes very challenging to remove. Luckily, professional tools are not required to remove vinyl floors. Instead, a little elbow grease will usually do the trick.
Is Calgary Vinyl Flooring Right for You?
Like any other flooring option, vinyl flooring has its pros and cons. Whether it’s appropriate for you depends on your preferences. If you want a durable, long-lasting, easy-to-maintain floor, then vinyl is ideal; if you want an eco-friendly option, you’re better off with another floor, such as natural hardwood.
At Floor Trendz, we are Calgary’s vinyl flooring experts. And with over 30 years of experience, we’re here to help with your flooring needs. So contact us today to get a free quote.