Vinyl Flooring FAQ

There are so many kinds of vinyl flooring: waterproof, peel and stick, sheet vinyl, and then all those acronyms. LVF, SPC, WPC. It can start to look like a jumble of alphabet soup. Let's start with the basics so you know more about your options.

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What is the difference between WPC, LVF, and SPC flooring?

WPC vinyl

This technically translates to wood-plastic composite vinyl flooring. However, many people also use the acronym to stand for waterproof core vinyl flooring. Both meanings are correct. WPC vinyl flooring is 100% waterproof, and its core is made from a composite of plastic and wood. In the flooring industry, it's referred to as engineered vinyl flooring. WPC is recommended for residential use since it is softer underfoot.

SPC vinyl

SPC stands for stone-plastic composite or stone-polymer composite. Both of these terms are used interchangeably. SPC is also sometimes referred to as Rigid Core luxury vinyl flooring. That's because the stone-plastic composite core in this luxury vinyl is ultra-dense. Like WPC, SPC is 100% waterproof and is also called engineered vinyl flooring within the industry. SPC is great for both residential and commercial use.

LVF vinyl

This is the acronym for luxury vinyl flooring. Luxury vinyl flooring is sort of the umbrella term that often encompasses WPC and SPC. LVF can also refer to vinyl that is not waterproof or rigid core, but that has a higher-quality visual, and usually a basic glue down or a lock installation mechanism.

What is LVP flooring?

LVP stands for luxury vinyl planks. These planks are made to be very durable, able to withstand high traffic, kids, and pets. Standard LVP consists of a vinyl core with a printed surface layer. It might have an attached underlayment, though not always, and it can either be glued down or floated with a locking mechanism. Some LVP is waterproof, with WPC or SPC cores.

Though there isn't a defined industry standard for what 'luxury' flooring is, you should expect top-notch visuals (typically wood-look), and a thick wear layer to protect the surface from wear and tear.

What is LVT flooring?

LVT is another word for luxury vinyl tiles. Like vinyl planks, you should expect the best of the best out of LVT flooring. Luxury vinyl tiles can stand up to the challenges of a busy home with pets and lots of traffic.

Luxury tiles are very durable and stylish, with high-quality, stone-look visuals, and even some realistic textures in some cases. More high-end LVT products will feature waterproof cores, attached underlayment, and a thick wear layer, though you won't see these features with every single product.This is the acronym for luxury vinyl flooring. Luxury vinyl flooring is sort of the umbrella term that often encompasses WPC and SPC. LVF can also refer to vinyl that is not waterproof or rigid core, but that has a higher-quality visual, and usually a basic glue down or a lock installation mechanism.

What is the difference between LVP and LVT?

LVP is the acronym for luxury vinyl planks. LVP refers to the specific shape of the vinyl flooring shape ' a plank. Luxury vinyl plank flooring often features a wood-look image and the plank format helps sell the look.

LVT is the acronym for luxury vinyl tiles. Luxury vinyl tiles often feature a stone-look image and mimic natural stone flooring. Like LVP, LVT refers to the specific shape of the vinyl flooring' tile. These can come in different sizes but tend to keep the standard tile shape.

What is vinyl sheet flooring?

Sheet vinyl is a multi-layer, durable flooring that's easy to install and easy to clean. A vinyl sheet features a wear layer and a wear layer to protect it from scuffs and scratches, much like vinyl planks and tiles.

Vinyl sheets used to have a reputation for being 'low-quality,' but those days are long gone. Popular sheet vinyl is made of quality materials and contains a fiberglass layer that lays the sheet flat and keeps it from curling. This fiberglass layer also allows sheet vinyl to be loose laid or installed using double-sided adhesive tape, instead of a more labor-intensive glue down installation.

Luxury vinyl sheets come with a huge range of stylish looks, including realist wood and looks, and more contemporary decorative surfaces. The best part? You get all of these benefits at an affordable price.

Are vinyl flooring and linoleum the same?

Vinyl and linoleum flooring are actually very different! At one time the only vinyl anybody knew about was sheet vinyl, which has an appearance fairly similar to linoleum. Because of this, a lot of people confuse the two. Here are the main differences between linoleum and sheet vinyl.

Linoleum:

• Made of natural materials
• Anti-microbial
• Anti-static properties
• Needs to be sealed every year
• Requires a professional installation

Luxury Vinyl Flooring:

• Made of durable PVC
• Protective wear layer
• Backing options for fiberglass, foam, or felt
• DIY-friendly installation
• Virtually no maintenance

In this article, Linda has prepared three questions frequently asked by clients at work. Here we go!

What kind of ground can PVC vinyl flooring(homogeneous flooring) be installed on?

1. General cement floor ground

First, ordinary cement concrete foundations can be laid with a PVC vinyl floor (homogeneous flooring) without self-leveling construction. Whether it is vinyl sheet roll type or vinyl tile type floor, it can be applied, but the foundation must be: no sand, no hollowing, no cracking, and good ground strength, solid and firm; ground humidity requirements: less than 4.5%; 2mm error within 2 meters; no grease, paint, paint, glue, chemical solution and color pigments on the ground. If the above requirements are not met, self-leveling must be done.

2. Porcelain tile floor surface

The porcelain tile foundation can also be directly laid with PVC flooring(homogeneous flooring), but it is best to choose vinyl flooring or SPC lock flooring with a thickness of more than 2 mm; otherwise, the floor surface will see evident imprints of the tile floor joints after the construction is completed.

3. Wooden floor surface

The surface of the wooden floor can also be directly laid with PVC flooring(homogeneous vinyl flooring). Due to the poor stability of the wooden flooring, it is recommended to use white glue and wood powder to repair the floor joints and surface. After the PVC floor is laid, if the plastic floor is too thin, there will be seams on the surface. Self-leveling construction cannot be carried out on the surface of wooden floors.

4. Steel plate floor surface

The surface of the steel plate cannot be self-leveling construction, and it is possible to lay it directly above the PVC floor(homogeneous flooring). Note that the welds and joints of the steel plate must be repaired with putty and polished to level before the PVC vinyl flooring can be laid.

For those with protruding patterns on the surface of the steel plate, it is necessary to repair the surface of the steel plate with atomic ash before laying it.

5. Epoxy self-leveling floor surface

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Pvc Vinyl Flooring Manufacturers.

Self-leveling construction cannot be carried out directly on the epoxy floor surface. If self-leveling construction is to be carried out, there will be a delamination problem.

The curling problem of PVC Vinyl Flooring?

During the use of any floor, there may be problems of one kind or another. When the floor has a warping problem, there are actually a variety of factors, not all of which are quality problems. There may be the following reasons.

1. Quality

Poor quality PVC vinyl floor has poor structural stability, and it is easy to shrink or expand in the case of alternating cold and heat, so it is prone to warping.

After this kind of vinyl flooring has been used for half a year to a year, there will be apparent curling/warping.

The regular manufacturers of PVC vinyl floor production specifications, the quality of the floor is guaranteed, durable, and can reduce the chance of warping.

For example, our JinhaiStatic factory with ESD vinyl tiles products has a tempering process to strengthen its dimensional stability performance. We are the only factory in China with the tempering process in the ESD vinyl tiles industry.

2. Auxiliary materials

Construction auxiliary materials may also cause the PVC Vinyl flooring to warp/bulge. PVC vinyl flooring paving auxiliary materials(accessories) commonly use glue, double-sided tape, welding rods, etc. High-quality glue can make the vinyl flooring and the ground stick firmly, while bad-quality glue can easily lead to the weak sticking of the flooring and easy warping.

3. Construction quality

The construction quality cannot be ignored either. Professional construction personnel will inspect the construction environment and ground foundation before construction, and they will also be professional and do due diligence during paving. But unprofessional construction will not consider the ambient temperature and ground foundation, such as uneven ground: sand and gravel particles, water stains, etc., which will cause the floor to warp.

4. Daily maintenance

Improper daily use, careless maintenance, and maintenance, long-term soaking in water, etc., will also cause the floor to warp.

How to maintain the PVC vinyl flooring daily?

1. Remove all kinds of dirt on the flooring in time.

2. The PVC vinyl flooring should not be immersed in water for a long time. Although the waterproof and moisture-proof effect of PVC vinyl flooring is perfect, being soaked in water for a long time will accelerate the aging of the PVC vinyl flooring and seriously affect the service life.

3. It is strictly forbidden to use hard and rough cleaning tools such as steel balls to rub the vinyl flooring surface and prevent sharp objects from hitting it.

4. For places with high traffic flow and high wear and tear, the maintenance cycle should be shortened, and the number of waxing times of high-strength surface wax should be increased.

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