Advantages and disadvantages of vinyl flooring
Below are advantages and disadvantages of vinyl flooring. As a wood flooring contractor, some homeowners may balk at the prices of wood flooring and be tempted to switch to vinyl flooring that closely resembles wood flooring. However, homeowners should be properly informed about the disadvantages that vinyl flooring may have.
The look of vinyl is essentially created by producing a photographic image layer between the backing and the clear wear layer.
Luxury vinyl flooring may look convincingly similar to real wood flooring, but the fact is that they are worlds apart.
Some disadvantages of vinyl flooring include:
Cannot be repaired.
Can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Shorter lifespan than wood floors.
Difficult to remove, especially if adhesive is used during installation
Not environmentally friendly; difficult to recycle
A quality alternative to vinyl flooring
With the low price of vinyl flooring and the knowledge of its disadvantages, you may find it difficult to decide on an alternative to vinyl flooring. However, there is an obvious choice to offer them.
If the homeowner is looking for an economical floor that is low maintenance, easy to install and durable, a quality alternative is laminate flooring.
Depending on labor costs, hardwood floors can be more expensive than laminate floors. They offer many of the same benefits homeowners seek from vinyl flooring, including stability and durability. Laminate floors feature a 1 mm to 4 mm thick wood wear layer over a thick inner core made of plywood, which contributes to the stability of the planks.
Compared to vinyl flooring, laminate and engineered flooring are slightly more expensive, but offer the following benefits:
Improves the resale value of the home.
Available in eco-friendly varieties.
Less time required for installation: pre-finished flooring arrives already sanded and finished.
No drying or curing time required
No strong odors or sanding dust during installation
Clearly, compared to vinyl flooring, laminate flooring offers more advantages and is better suited to those thinking about the big picture. With a little education and some guidance, you can guide homeowners from vinyl flooring to a much better option for decorating or remodeling.