The use of vinyl in homes and commercial premises has been widespread for decades, but much has changed.
It may be argued that vinyl flooring dates back to the 19th century with the arrival of linoleum flooring, although the discovery of vinyl chloride in the 1930s was the start of true vinyl flooring.
The Vinyl Countdown
Vinyl always had certain qualities of being water and scratch-resistant and easy to clean, making it useful for areas like kitchens. But while it could be made in wood or stone effect, or some coloured patterns, there is no doubt the standard of design and the extent to which it looks realistic has greatly improved.
In those early days, vinyl came in sheets, but the 1970s brought the next big step forward with the advent of luxury vinyl, which was suddenly available in plank form and could be made to look a lot more like wood, but without the issues real wood might get from scratches or warping.
The 21st century brought more innovations, firstly with luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and then engineered vinyl click flooring. Not only is vinyl more aesthetically pleasing than before, but it is also available in different assembly forms (glue down, loose lay, click and interlocking), which offers the flexibility to suit a range of needs and settings.
Our LVT product range caters for these different needs, but also provides solutions to meet several other considerations, such as how much wear and tear the floor needs to withstand, which can be measured by wear classification and manifested in the thickness of the wear layer, which can range from 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm.
Be On Target With Tarkett
Among our providers, Tarkett vinyl flooring offers some of the finest LVT products around. For example, there is the essence glue down 30 LVT standard plank wood, which comes in 1200 x 200 mm tiles and offers ten different wood effect designs, including four herringbone designs. It has an ultra matt finish.
It has a wear layer of 0.3 mm, with a wear classification of 31 moderate for commercial use and 23 heavy for domestic use. The warranty lasts ten years.
Another version is the Tarkett Essence 55 glue down standard planks, which come in the same range of designs as the 30 and the same 1200 x 200 mm measurements.
It has a 0.55 mm wear layer and a wear rating of 33 moderate for commercial settings and 23 heavy for domestic purposes.
A further variant of this is the Essence 55 glue down plank mini wood, with its chevron patterns. Once again, it comes with ten patterns, including the four herringbone styles, plus a durable polyurethane coating. These measure 100 by 600 mm.
Like the Essence 55, it has a 0.55 mm wear layer and a wear rating of 33 moderate for commercial use and 23 heavy for domestic environments. It is also suitable for use with underfloor heating.
The number 55 is associated with all these products in a different way, as they are made from 55 per cent recycled material. This is in line with our commitment, as well as that of our product suppliers, to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Tarkett’s other LVT products include the Authentics 70 Rigid Click LVT Plank Wood, which measures 1200 x 200.5 mm and comes with a rigid click installation.
An outstanding product, this comes with embossed wood effect planks, 0.55 mm and 0.7 mm wear layer options, an ultra matt TEKTANIUM finish, and a design that enables it to be laid on top of an existing floor, making installation extremely easy. It is recyclable through the Restart scheme.
Other LVT Makers
Other LVT producers whose items we stock include Forbo. Its products include the Allura Flex 1.0 (wear layer) wood plank, measuring 120 x 20 mm and coming in a delightful honey oak effect. The product comes with glue-down installation and has a wear classification of 23 for domestic use and 34 for commercial use.
Apart from its fine wood-effect appearance, it is 100 per cent phthalate free, made from 20 per cent recycled material and fully recyclable at the end of its life.
Forbo also produces a 0.55 wear layer version, which still has a domestic wear classification of 23 but is slightly lower at 33 for commercial purposes.
Other LVT producers include the likes of Gerflor, which can add noise resistance in its products to strong wear resistance and, once again, widespread use of recycled materials in the manufacturing process. Gerflor offers a variety of quality stone and wood effect designs in lots of colour options and sizes, and with a variety of wear layers.
Vinyl has come a long way down the years. Check out our products to see how you can make the most of the latest designs and innovations. Select your samples and check stock and lead times before you order. We are more than happy to help you, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
