The Flooring project

Vinyl Flooring Sheet | Homogeneous or heterogeneous

There are two words that are integral to understand: heterogeneous and homogeneous. These define the construction structures that play a role in where and how the products are used.

Heterogeneous means layered or of multiple types. In this type of product, each of the layers looks a bit different. There’s a back layer, a coated core layer, and a wear layer on top. To help remember, think of a hamburger or a layer cake. When you look at it from the top, it looks like one thing, but when you cut and look at a cross section, you see multiple, distinct layers in which each layer serves a different purpose.

Heterogeneous Sheet Vinys vs. Homogeneous

The homogeneous vinyl flooring is the ultra-durable solution. This is ideal for very heavy traffic areas, and homogeneous vinyl sheet is mostly used in places with large flow of people in industrial places. For example, hospitals, educational institutions, health care systems, etc.

Heterogeneous vinyl flooring is composed of several layers. It can also reduce sound transmission and absorb shocks. Suitable for small spaces such as offices and homes.

Sheet vs. Tiles

Technology has moved on and there have been some drastic improvements to vinyl flooring, the finest of which is known as LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile).

What sets it apart from old fashion sheet vinyl? LVT comes in either tiles or boards (depending on whether you’re after a stone effect or wood effect), which gives you a lot more control over installation and appearance. The floor is laid tile by tile, which allows you to fit it perfectly to your room. You have a lot of freedom over the direction you lay the tiles, and you can even mix up two types of tiles for a customised floor. If you want, there’s the option for further customisation with the design strips – these are very thin strips of vinyl that look like grouting, which can be used to add definition to the tiles.

If a tile becomes damaged, it’s much easier to simply remove and replace it – replacing a big sheet of vinyl, meanwhile, can get very expensive and messy!

Each tile is created with detailed designs and intricate textures which simply aren’t possible to recreate in the larger sheets, offering an incredibly realistic appearance. The tiles are more rigid than sheet vinyl and can have a much thicker wear layer, so the whole structure is more resistant to dents and scratches.

A. Damp-proof
PVC flooring is moisture resistant. The same cannot be said for parquet and laminate. When laminate or parquet come into contact with moisture, damage can occur immediately. PVC (fortunately) does not react to moisture, which is very pleasant for a floor.

B. Wear-resistant
A floor is not something you replace often. So it is important (we think) that the floor remains beautiful for a very long time. PVC consists of several layers and is often finished with a protective layer. This protects the floor from stains and scratches, making it last longer.

C. Underfloor heating
A PVC floor is very suitable to combine with floor heating. This is in contrast to the well-known parquet and laminate.

D. It’s sustainabe!  Many flooring manufacturers have started take-back programs to make the industry as a whole more sustainable. In addition, recycled PVC are increasingly being used in the production of new vinyl flooring.

History

The idea of a resilient flooring style took root in 1845, with the invention of linoleum floors. Throughout the next century, inventors dabbled with different flooring styles, trying to find the perfect one. This was the era of flooring discovery: rubber, cork, and vinyl.

Although vinyl was created in 1872 by chemist Eugen Baumann, it wasn’t transformed into a flooring tile until the 1930s. First presented to the public at the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago, vinyl tile flooring was a hit. However, due to wartime constraints, vinyl wasn’t broadly sold until after World War II.

Flooring design through the years

From groovy flowers to boldly colored checks, vinyl was immensely popular. By the 1970s vinyl had a slightly new form: planks that vaguely resembled traditional hardwood floors.

In recent years, luxury vinyl flooring has gotten a facelift. Although you can still find vinyl with a 1960s influence, it is no longer the norm. Nowadays there is a variety of vinyl styles, which accurately mimic natural stone or traditional hardwood floors. If you are looking for an affordable stone or hardwood alternative, then vinyl is perfect for your homes.