Common Types of Resilient Flooring and its Pros and Cons

As per Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), “Resilient Flooring is a non-textile floor that provides underfoot comfort. It is anything that is NOT carpet, hardwood, or laminated, stone, ceramic, or concrete. It refers to the floor coverings that are firm but has a certain amount of ‘bounce-back’ and are considered a durable type of flooring for residential and commercial space.

The three most common types of Resilient Flooring are:

  1. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) – This is the common standard traditional vinyl flooring that is made of polyvinyl chloride resins and calcium carbonate (PVC).
  • cost-effective
  • thinnest core (4mm or less)
  • can be glued down or installed with click-locking systems

2. Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) – this is an upgrade from LVT. A rigid vinyl floor that is a combination of polyvinyl chloride, calcium carbonate, plasticizers, wood pulp, and a foaming agent.

  • ideal for settings where people are const.
  • provides additional padding with more sound without the use of additional backing
  • easily installed with a glue-less, click-locking systems without the need of an underlayment.

3. Stone Plastic Composite (SPC) – Made of 60% calcium carbonate (limestone), polyvinyl chloride, and plasticizers, these floors are extremely strong and are the most durable, waterproof vinyl flooring on the market.     

  • provides a hardest rigid core but only 3.2-7mm
  • more resistant to damage from impact or heavy weights
  • top of the line in rigid floors
  • most realistic looks that may have people wondering whether it’s real wood or stone
  • Engineered to withstand heavy traffic with minimal damage

For today’s consumers, vinyl flooring is a popular choice due to its extreme versatility and wide variety of colors and styles. Moreover, because it is resistant to water, mildew, and stains. Spills are not an issue with resilient flooring because the liquid stays on the surface and can be easily wiped away.

In choosing what’s the best fit for your place, Mannington Commercial can help you know more about raising your resilient flooring IQ. They offer a helpful resilient flooring guide that will tell you the life cycle impacts of a product and its pros and cons. Here are the basics:

Pros and Cons of Resilient Flooring

Ceramic tiles crack, solid hardwood flooring swells when wet, and laminates de-laminate. Every type of flooring has its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages, including resilient flooring:

Pros

  • Durability. Some linoleum installed over decades can still be wearing strong.
  • Flexibility. It is capable of bridging and riding over minor bumps and edges that would crack the surface.
  • Affordability. It is the cheapest floor coverings in the market.
  • Comfortability. Its flooring is soft enough to stand on over long periods.

Cons

  • Indentations. Appliance feet such as table legs can create small pressure points that can permanently indent the flooring. That is why it is it is always best to put floor glides under the pointed legs of the table and chair.
  • Inconsistent Value. There are premium, high-quality vinyl brands and low-quality vinyl squares that can wear down and peel away. This represents the buyer’s highs and lows of the value perception.
  • Rubber flooring can be recycled but NOT vinyl and linoleum.

Resilient Flooring was engineered for comfort, flexibility, and design. You can have the perfect material of your choice if you know you’ve got the right product in the right application.

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