Manufacturers create beautiful flooring in many different ways. One of the most interesting is rotogravure manufacturing, used for getting the incredible and realistic designs on linoleum and vinyl. This type of resilient flooring comes in several different designs, from faux wood and faux tile to ceramic and stone looks.
Linoleum has long had a bad reputation. Many people think it looks old-fashioned or dated. However, new rotogravure manufacturing technology has changed that. It has brought new life to this durable, low-maintenance flooring material. Learning more about how vinyl and linoleum are made can help consumers explore the different options when it comes time to choose flooring.
Rotogravure manufacturing is a printing process that puts patterns right on the flooring substrate using an engraved cylinder. The colors and patterns are printed on the surface of the base layer, so the design goes all the way through. The rotating cylinder process provides crisp, colorful, and detailed results.
The five steps in rotogravure manufacturing are:
- Setting up the carrier sheet, or backing
- Applying the gel or foam coat to receive the ink
- Large drums apply the print film layer right onto the backing
- Manufacturers apply a thin wear layer—sometimes two—over the ink.
- Manufacturers cure the product in an oven and bond it with heat and pressure.
- Final inspection and approval to ensure quality before shipping
The design possibilities are endless with this type of manufacturing process, so more and more customers are seeing the beautiful results and demanding it for their own needs. Manufacturers most commonly use the rotogravure manufacturing method to make residential vinyl floors, and the results speak for themselves.
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