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Flooring advice
What Is Vinyl Flooring?
October 1st, 2020

Bursting with benefits such as either water resistance or 100% waterproof, pet-friendly and easy to clean, vinyl is great for busy homes looking for a worry-free floor. Available in a range of either wooden plank or stone tile effect luxury vinyl or wood, stone or patterned effect sheet vinyl, all options deliver a striking look that will complete the design of any room.

With a range of different installation types and price points to fit your need, luxury vinyl is great for any circumstance. Depending on whether you choose glue down, our click system, or our rigid core click system, vinyl is perfect for either a professional installer or someone looking to tackle their own project.

Its easy-care surface makes upkeep a breeze, so this fuss-free floor will make a valuable addition to your home. Made with up to 50% recycled materials, this practical and sleek flooring is also environmentally friendly.


How durable is vinyl?

Incredibly hard-wearing – enhanced with a durable wear layer, vinyl flooring is perfectly suitable for busy areas in your home. It’s tough scratch-resistant top layer provides texture and protection for a flooring, that not only looks the part, but is designed to withstand everyday wear and tear.

Sandwiched between the top layer and a clever sound absorbing base layer that improves the stability of the plank, lies a high-quality printed décor layer, a vinyl layer and a fill layer for extra strength and rigidity.

Our rigid core luxury vinyl comes equipped with a 70% limestone core, providing even greater protection in those high traffic areas. Thanks to this increased durability, you’re guaranteed at least a 25-year residential warranty.

Sheet vinyl flooring still comes with the main durable qualities that you find with luxury vinyl tiles, but it’s found in a thinner, more flexible form. Sheet vinyl can either be loose laid or glued down and this can alter how durable your flooring is. If your sheet vinyl is glued down there is less likelihood of it shifting. However you fit your sheet vinyl, it’ll still withstand the wear of day to day use.

Vinyl flooring AC rating

As well as all these beneficial layers, it’s important to factor in the AC rating of your vinyl floor as this will help you choose the best fit for your room. Our vinyl floors are available in a range of AC ratings, from AC3 to AC5 – not to worry if you’re unsure what these mean as you can find a full explanation in our AC Rating guide.

Where to use luxury vinyl flooring

Great for areas where splashes and spills are frequent thanks to its water-resistance, luxury vinyl makes a great choice for bathrooms, kitchens, playrooms, hallways and utility rooms. Thanks to rigid core’s limestone core it can withstand surface temperatures of up to 60°C, making it perfect for conservatories. Rigid core is also compatible with underfloor heating systems up to 27°C. Whatever you need for your home, we have a floor to fit your needs. Our highly versatile flooring range comes in a wide variety of styles and materials and are suitable for residential or commercial settings.

Where to use sheet vinyl flooring

Sheet vinyl is great for most areas due to its versatility and durability. Thanks to it’s brilliant sound absorbing layer, it is perfect for busy office spaces or noisy playrooms, but can also be installed in kitchens and bathrooms due to being fantastically water resistant. As sheet vinyl is not 100% waterproof, we do not advise it be installed in wet rooms, as this can cause it to lift at the edges. We also advise you not install it in conservatories due to how humid they can become. Thanks to the wide variety of styles and benefits, sheet vinyl is ideal for both residential or commercial settings.

How to acclimatise vinyl flooring

Before installing your dream floor it’s essential to carry out the acclimatisation step to allow the planks to get used to the room temperature and humidity levels. It’s simple to do – all you need to remember is to lay your vinyl flooring flat, in its original packaging, in the room its due to be fitted in for 48 hours beforehand for standard vinyl. For rigid core, vinyl acclimatisation is much shorter. Due to its rigidity, there isn’t as much movement while settling and is ready to install in just 12 hours.

Unlike other types of vinyl, sheet vinyl needs to be unpacked, cut to size and laid flat in order to acclimatise to the room. This will need to be done 24 hours prior to installation.

How to install vinyl flooring

When it comes to choosing your new luxury vinyl flooring, there are multiple installation methods you can choose from – click system, rigid core click system, glue down, or loose laysheet vinyl.

Luxury click vinyl is the most DIY-friendly option with few tools and no adhesive needed for a successful installation. If you're looking for comfort underfoot, this vinyl floor is a great option and pairing it with a quality underlay adds an extra layer of cushioning. If you’re planning to dabble in some DIY, be sure to follow our How to Install Vinyl guide.

Luxury rigid core click vinyl is the same as our standard click system, making it perfect for those looking to tackle their own project. For more information on how to install rigid core, please see our dedicated rigid core guide.

Luxury glue down vinyl requires adhesive, so this vinyl floor calls for a professional or experienced DIYer to fit. This durable option is ideal for larger or busier rooms in your home. It’s also important to note it doesn’t need to be installed over underlay.

Sheet vinyl flooring can be installed in two different ways. Our sheet vinyl flooring can be loose laid up to 24m², depending on which floor you choose, this is as simple as cutting the flooring to size and laying it in your preferred room. Alternatively you can also glue down our sheet vinyl flooring. This is advised in rooms larger than the upper loose lay limit per range, or if they’re being installed in a room with high traffic to lower the risk of the floor lifting. For more information installing sheet vinyl flooring, check out our dedicated sheet vinyl blog.

How to choose a vinyl floor style

From timeless greys to dramatic darks, our vinyl floors come in a whole range of colours to suit your interior style and preferred colour schemes. Got a colour in mind? You can Shop by Colour and discover all the room inspiration you could need.

You can also choose from a wood or stone effect, featuring an authentic textured surface, so you can achieve your desired look with all the practicalities of vinyl.

How to maintain vinyl flooring

As vinyl flooring is a long-lasting, waterproof floor that’s easy to clean, it doesn’t need as much TLC as other floor types do.

To keep your floor looking tip top and free from dust, it’s recommended you use a mop or brush to regularly sweep it. Accidents do happen but not to worry – if you do spill or drop anything the best thing to do is treat the area with a damp mop.

Be sure to check out our selection of daily and specialist vinyl cleaning products to keep your floor looking it’s best.

Check out our Shop by Room pages for ultimate vinyl flooring inspiration.