If there’s one upgrade you should treat your home with, let it be a floor upgrade. The reason is the importance of this essential home feature we use on a daily basis, how big of an impact the right touch-up can offer for your lifestyle, and the value of the abode in the long run.
Even though there’s no shortage of options, vinyl is the one that stands out in popularity, price, and benefits altogether. Mind you, though, not just any kind of vinyl, but practical and resilient roll vinyl flooring sheets that are quite the cost-effective solution. Despite the vinyl material, this type isn’t to be confused with tiles.
What Is the Difference Between Vinyl Sheets and Tiles?
The difference lies in the size, specifically thickness, and width, as much as properties, looks, and installation. Although both are great in terms of low cost and practicality, it’s the sheets that stand out when it comes to protection mainly because of the way the flooring is cut – in 1.5 – 3.5m rolls which make for fewer seams, creating a repellent cover that protects from moisture.
The tiles are cut into smaller pieces that end up creating more seams, opening up the possibility for cracks and a way for moisture to make it to the subfloor. It may not seem like that big of a deal at first, but wait until you get to a costly repair, or worse – mould infestation! If you’re still thinking of which to pick from these two, let it be the roll vinyl flooring for utmost protection for your floor and home and health in general.
This is especially true for improving some moisture-prone areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and basement. Sure, you may require the help of a pro to get it installed properly and avoid additional expenses to cover up mistakes, but you will get to save up on the initial cost as sheets are somewhat cheaper than tiles if we consider the square footage.
Is Vinyl Sheet Flooring a Good Idea?
If even after knowing the fact it offers incredible water-repellent properties you’re not sold on the idea of welcoming this type of vinyl in your abode just yet, then let’s look over some of the benefits that shed light on why it is a good idea for a worthy upgrade.
Versatile and Aesthetically Pleasing
If you care about the aesthetics as much as the function of the flooring, rest assured vinyl flooring sheets are a great idea since they do offer a lot when it comes to the looks as well. With a vast variety of colours, hues, and patterns, you can have fun creating your own unique and custom patterns without the worry they won’t work well.
It may not be as successful at mimicking other materials, particularly stone or ceramic, quite like the luxury vinyl tile with the impressive life-like texture, but the roll is still a perfect choice that happens to be on the lower end of the price. Keep in mind the designs are constantly improving, undergoing a lot of tech upgrades, so you might find more realistic sheets nowadays than in previous years that come at a fraction of the cost of ceramic tiles, for example.
Durable and Long-Lasting
A cheaper flooring that looks great and provides you with years and years of durability? Yes, you get all this from roll vinyl as it’s designed to last for at least a decade or two with proper care and maintenance.
As the rolls come with a finish layer (this could be no-wax, urethane, and enhanced urethane) that adds to the charm as much as the durability, you can expect the flooring to resist scratches and stains, and regular foot traffic. The only downside of this flooring is that it isn’t as easy to fix as the tile since you’d have to remove and replace a bigger patch.
Easy to Care For
You may have heard that the tile type is the one easier to take care of, sheets are low in maintenance too. To keep the sheet floors squeaky clean, you have to sweep and vacuum them up regularly to remove any dirt, and in case of some stains, wash with a specialised non-abrasive cleaner and mop up with a damp cloth with warm water but just a bit so that there’s not too much water around.
Depending on the specific stains you’re dealing with, there are different cleaners available so be sure to choose the right one for the needs to remove the stains efficiently and prevent any damages. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions to know what’s allowed and what’s not.
Protect the floor from scratches when you can by taking preventative measures such as equipping the furniture with plastic glides or wheel casters, and adding doormats to reduce the chances for outside dirt to make it inside.
