Flooring

Choosing Your Next Kitchen Floor

Vinyl is a durable flooring material that is typically used in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms. There are different applications and styles of vinyl products, and homeowners can pick the type that works best for their room and design sense.

The term, "linoleum" is now used to describe an array of sheet flooring products. In the past, however, true linoleum was made from linseed oil, derived from the flax plant. Products sold as linoleum are generally large sheets of flooring that are custom-cut around appliances and the floor plan of the room. Because there are rarely seams in linoleum, there is little chance for warping or water infiltration. However, the large sheets can make installing linoleum cumbersome for the do-it-yourselfer, and bubbling or ripples may occur from improper installation.

Vinyl tile are individual tiles printed with a pattern. The tiles are individually glued down to the subfloor and cut as necessary for proper fit. While this product is easier to install than an entire sheet of linoleum, seams may eventually loosen due to moisture. While the tiles are generally waterproof, the adhesive on the tiles are not. The vinyl tiles may come with a "peel-and-stick"installation method. Thicker tiles may require a separate adhesive.

A newer product is vinyl sheet flooring. This product is sold in larger sheets, but not as large as linoleum. Depending on the backing on the vinyl sheet, the flooring may have to be glued to the subfloor. Other applications find the floor simply floats over the subfloor, much in the way laminate wood flooring would. Depending on the manufacturer, vinyl sheet products may feature interlocking seams that give the floor a more uniform look and easier installation.