Vinyl is emerging as one of the most popular choices for flooring material, in the home and in the workplace. What was one viewed as cheap and low-budget now brings amazing textures, styles and patterns to the marketplace. Customers can get the look of tile, wood, and even stone with high quality vinyl for a fraction of the cost and it is much easier to maintain.
Unless people have experience or training in how to install vinyl flooring, they don’t know all the hard work and know-how that goes into preparing the subfloor. Many do-it-yourself home owners or business owners may choose the wrong material for the sub-floor and the underlayment, creating unnecessary problems with the surface that will result in substandard vinyl flooring installation. Using the right materials is critical in getting the most out of vinyl flooring.
Sub-flooring for Vinyl
Flooring contractors with years of experience agree that there are several different types of material that can best create the ideal sub-floor in preparation for vinyl. The best type of sub-flooring material for a vinyl floor is plywood, tongue and groove wood, and concrete with no cracks. These materials, when installed correctly, will result in vinyl flooring that holds up well and looks beautiful.
Underlayment for Vinyl
The underlayment is an important part of preparing the surface of the subfloor for vinyl flooring. However, not just any material will do for this task. Flooring contractors with experience know that there are three types of underlayment that work the best: Self-leveling, cementitious and cementitious fiber board and lauan plywood. Using any other type of underlayment material means that the installation may not go very well.
If flooring contractors rely on these materials for the subflooring and the underlayment, their vinyl flooring job will have the best chance of providing the customer with years of service and little to no problems. There’s a reason why vinyl is becoming a true favorite for customers that want durability and beauty, but a subpar subfloor or underlayment can significantly affect appearance and performance.
While there are many different materials that can be used as subfloor and underlayment for vinyl, market research and manufacturing tests show that these popular materials are the best choices for flooring contractors that want error-free installation and outstanding results.
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