Consume more consciously!
At vinylflooring, we create more than beautifully designed flooring inspired by nature. We believe in supplying products that are better for your overall well-being.
Selecting one of our flooring products is a simple way for you and your family to make an immediate impact on other people's welfare and the planet we all share. We ask you to think twice before selecting your flooring or heading to the checkout. Please think about the damage your choice may have already made to people and the environment. You do not need to spend more money to reduce pollution and advance social good!
At vinylflooring, we encourage you to learn what is inside your flooring and the impact the manufacturing process has had on the environment and the people who made it for you.
What is an Environmental Product Declaration or EPD for short?
An EPD is a declaration from the manufacturer which transparently communicates the environmental impact of a product over its lifetime.
For interior designers and architects, using a product EPD is the first step to ensure the products they consider supports carbon emission reduction. EPDs also make it possible for professionals to compare different products' impacts to ensure they select the most sustainable option.
We believe your first step in LVT selection is to ensure you only consider products with an EPD.
If you would like to learn more, click this link.
What is a Health Product Declaration or HPD for short?
An HPD is a form of disclosure that allows the prospective purchaser to select healthier products by understanding what ingredients and chemicals have been used during the manufacturing process.
For interior designers and architects, using a product HPD is the first step to indicate the health impact of using the product within a building. The HPD also exposes potentially hazardous chemicals that may have been used. The ultimate goal is for transparency and full disclosure for healthier and safer products in your home.
If you would like to learn more, click this link.
What is the Social Justice Label or JUST for short?
The Just program is a voluntary disclosure tool for manufacturers that want to demonstrate how they treat their employees. You could say that it is a nutrition label for socially just and equitable manufacturers. The ultimate goal is to help manufacturers improve and enhance employee engagement.
If you would like to learn more, click this link.
Selecting the right product for your home
To achieve a fantastic looking floor, you must first consider your home and the furniture within your home.
Do you live in a studio flat or an apartment, a terrace, semi-detached or detached house, a period property, cottage, farmhouse, rental property, bungalow, forever home or even a mansion?
Choosing the right floor for you can be difficult, so we have made a simple Yes or No rule of thumb to help.
1. Is your property new
2. Will you hear your neighbours, or will they hear you
3. Do you have underfloor heating
4. Do you have children or pets
5. What furniture will be on your flooring
6. Have you any disabilities or special needs
7. What happens if water splash or spill on your floor
8. Will the room be accessed directly from outside
9. Do you live in a rural setting or want that farmhouse kitchen look
10. Is your room south-facing, or will it be in direct sunlight
Is your property new
New properties like studios and apartments are generally finished with 18/22mm tongue and groove chipboard flooring. Tongue and groove flooring makes your decision easy as you can select any of our floorings. However, to reduce noise and increase underfoot comfort and ease of installation, we would suggest Click or Loose Lay.
Learn more about these products below.
Will you hear your neighbours, or will they hear you
In buildings today, sound can travel. It would be best if you considered this when selecting your flooring. There are two types of sound you will hear in your home: impact and airborne sound.
Examples of impact sound would be your feet on the floor and doors banging. Examples of airborne sound would be talking, dog barking and TV's etc.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). The lower the dB rating of your flooring, the more sound you or your neighbours will hear.
Our Click flooring has the best insulation and highest dB, nearly ten times higher than all glue-down products on the market. Our loose lay product has over five times higher than glue-down.
Do you have underfloor heating
In the UK, the use of underfloor heating grows at around 5% per annum. However, due to the cost of installation, many builders choose not to install these systems.
If you are lucky enough to have underfloor heating, you need to consider the following before selecting your flooring:-
- What is the relative humidity reading within the concrete (see below)
- You can never let the room temperature rise quickly or go above 27 degrees
Once you or your flooring contractor is happy with the above, you can select any of our ranges.
Do you have small children or pets
It is a known fact that children and pets are the leading cause of accidental damage to flooring. Fortunately, all of our flooring is stain, scratch and water-resistant and suitable for your family. However, we would suggest you consider a 100% waterproof premium click flooring like Aspecta.
If you want to learn more, click to download the brochure
What furniture will be on your flooring
All of our floorings are scratch-resistant, but nothing is scratch proof. We suggest that you should check the bottom of your furniture to ensure that you have suitable protective caps or gliders to avoid damage to your new floor.
If you want to learn more, click to download the brochure or watch the video.
Have you any disabilities or special needs
More accidents happen at home than in any other environment, so special consideration should be given to comfort and slip safety when planning your new flooring.
Having flooring that states it is suitable for a bathroom or kitchen may not be enough for your needs. You need a product that has been tested using BS 7976 and achieves a score greater than PVT 36 in the wet.
We would suggest selecting one of our aesthetically pleasing click floorings as they are 100% waterproof, and they exceed PVT 36 in the wet, the recommended UK testing requirement to prevent slips.
Also, you will be pleased to know that all of our range has been tested to BS 7976 and that it all meets PVT 36.
If you would like to learn more,click this link.
What happens if water splash or spill on your floor
All our flooring is water-resistant, bottom to top and top to bottom. This is because our flooring is not made of pressed wood like laminate flooring.
Having no wood within the product means that your flooring will be safe and secure if the dog's bowl goes over, your bath or shower overflows or even if your dishwasher or washing machine floods.
If you live in an area prone to flood, you may want to consider our click flooring, which is 100% waterproof and can be taken apart to allow the floor to dry.
Will the room be accessed directly from outside
Considering your rooms proximity to the garden or outside space is a crucial factor in selecting the best product.
Dirt and stains will appear on your new flooring, and it will need cleaning. Colour selection is an essential factor when it comes to how a dirty floor looks between cleans.
Light floors will show pet hair, stains and dirt. Dark floors tend to show dust build-up. Choosing a floor that helps to hide dirt can be achieved by selecting a product with texture or pattern.
All of our products can be wiped with a damp mop, so routine maintenance is the key.
If you would like to learn more, please read the section on cleaning.
Do you live in a rural setting or want that farmhouse kitchen look?
If you want to create a cosy, rustic, chic look in your kitchen and breakfast room, carefully consider your flooring. Small farmhouse style kitchens with extra-long planks may not work. If you are short of floor space, consider using herringbone or chevron or even small plank layouts with borders.
If you have large floor space, select extra-wide and extra-long planks, which will add character to your kitchen.
If you would like to learn more, check out the Iconic range (this should have a link back to Iconic)
Is your room south-facing, or will it be in direct sunlight
Direct sunlight can be damaging to all LVT flooring. Before purchasing your LVT flooring, you need to check that your glass reflects heat to avoid causing a localised hot area on the surface of the LVT.
If you live in an older property, you could apply a UV protection film or glass tint directly to the windows, limitings the heat and light transfer through the window. Hanging blackout blinds or thermal curtains is another way to limit the effect on your LVT flooring near adjacent windows.
Finally, before purchasing, please consult with us directly at orders@vinylflooring.im
If you would like to learn more, please click this link.
Installation and Cleaning
Installation – in this section, we would like to engage with the customer to help them understand the best product for their home.
Regardless of the LVT product, you select, it is crucial that your LVT is stored flat and kept away from direct sunlight or heaters before installation. This is called acclimatisation and the recommended period is 24 - 48 hours between 18c and 27c.
All our products come with acclimatisation and installation instructions that need to be read and followed exactly.
What is Glue-down flooring?
Glue-down is when you use a wet adhesive to stick your flooring directly to a smooth and completely flat subfloor. Above all, before starting your installation, you must test your subfloor to ensure that the moisture reading is below 75% relative humidity.
There are many different subfloor types. Your floor preparation and adhesive choice need to be considered carefully as a large number of uneven or open joints will leave many places for food and bacteria to build up.
With this type of installation, we would always recommend that you employ a professional flooring contractor. A professional flooring contractor can advise you on relative humidity, subfloor preparation, adhesive, material acclimatisation, minimum and maximum room temperatures and the actual installation.
When using glue-down flooring, you also need to consider the environmental impact of the adhesive. As, over time, non-volatile organic materials gradually evaporate and make their way into the air, you breathe within your home.
What to learn more, click this link to download our floor preparation brochure.
Why would you use a glue-down flooring product
Suppose you are looking to create a pattern or combine two different products at the same height. For example, within an open plan kitchen, you could lay a stone effect in the kitchen area and a wood effect from the same range in the breakfast room?
Loose Lay
If you have a smooth and flat subfloor, you may like the idea of laying your flooring, or if you are a landlord and you are looking for an easy to install flooring for your "Buy to Let" properties, we suggest Loose Lay.
Our anti-slip backing ensures the planks and tiles adhere to your subfloor without the need for a wet adhesive. However, in areas over 30m2, we suggest using Uzin Sigan 2 double-sided tape or Uzin U 2100 tackifier adhesive.
The Loose Lay planks and tiles make these products a perfect acoustic solution for bedrooms, flats, apartments, and loft conversions. Along with enhanced noise reduction, this could be the ideal product for you.
Why would you use a Loose Lay flooring
The Loose Lay range has been made for landlords, "Buy to Let", and the DIY enthusiast. Who is keen on reducing refurbishment and installation time and of course expenditure.
Want to learn more? Please click here to see the brochure or here to see the installation instructions.
What is SPC Ridge Core
Ridge Core is a heavy-duty 100% waterproof floating floor. These simple click together planks and tiles are formed from solid extruded limestone and vinyl, making Rigid Core extremely robust and dimensionally stable.
This quick and easy to install product has an incorporated underlay to help even out minor subfloor imperfections and increase sound insulation to a massive 20dB. With minimal subfloor preparation fitting, your floor can be completed in half the time of a traditional glue-down installation.
The perfect product for listed buildings, large open areas with high ceilings, made for landlords, "Buy to Let", and the DIY enthusiast. Who is keen on reducing refurbishment and installation time and of course expenditure.
Why would you use a Ridge Core flooring
Floating floors allow you to avoid unnecessary remedial works and associated costs. As Rigid Core can be installed directly over the top of old hard floorings like ceramic tiles or vinyl sheet that is smooth, flat and firmly fixed. Your installation time and costs will be significantly reduced.
Want to learn more? Please click here to see the brochure or here to see the installation instructions.
What is ISOCORE Click
ISOCORE is our premium product made from a pioneering technology featuring an extruded closed-cell PVC structural core. ISOCORE is waterproof and lightweight, and provides insulating characteristics through a pre-attached acoustical underlayment. With the longest planks available on the market. ISOCORE is stronger, straighter, tougher, light and easier to install. Take the ISOCORE challenge.
This quick and easy to install product has an incorporated underlay to help even out minor subfloor imperfections and increase sound insulation to a massive 18dB. With minimal subfloor preparation fitting, your floor can be completed in half the time of a traditional glue-down installation.
The perfect product for listed buildings, large open areas with high ceilings, made for landlords, "Buy to Let", and the DIY enthusiast. Who is keen on reducing refurbishment and installation time and of course expenditure.
Want to learn more? Please click here to see the brochure or here to see the installation instructions.
Cleaning
All LVT flooring get dirty and need regular cleaning to remove stains and dirt. The good news is that our products are wonderfully simple to clean.
If you would like to learn more, click here. to download the brochure.