Vinyl flooring is one of the most popular flooring choices in the United States. It's affordable, versatile, and easy to install. A current trend regarding vinyl floor manufacturers is the availability of styles that resemble hardwood or natural stone. These new styles open up lower-cost possibilities for consumers who prefer the look of wood, tile or stone. Another trend is the popularity of vinyl floor tiles that are easy for a novice to install.

It's a good time for vinyl floor manufacturers as new-home builders and remodeling consumers continue to choose resilient flooring, but manufacturers need to stay abreast of trends that may affect their future business. Where do you go when you're researching, for example, self-stick vinyl floor tile manufacturers or commercial vinyl tile flooring?

In order to stay on top of vinyl floor manufacturers news and trends, check out these tips:

1. Look for news sites for floor industry professionals, as well as business news sites.

2. Join associations that represent vinyl floor manufacturers as well as building or remodeling interests for a bigger picture.

3. Get a competitive edge by attending and participating in trade shows.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate vinyl flooring news to help build your business

Floor covering professionals have several online news magazines to keep them abreast of the news. These sites track pertinent stories regarding vinyl flooring and other flooring types, as well as news in the construction industry.

I recommend: Floor Daily delivers breaking news for the floor care professional. Floor Covering Weekly offers free newsletters, including FCW Prime for flooring executives, or Floor Covering Weekly Global for the international community.

Stay in the know when it comes to vinyl flooring issues

Vinyl floor manufacturers must stay informed so they can respond to changes in the industry. One controversy is the composition of vinyl flooring (polyvinyl chloride or PVC), as the vinyl industry contends with the safety of PVC products.

I recommend: National Floor Trends spotlights news in the floor industry and developments in vinyl flooring. Mindfully discusses setbacks in the effort to include vinyl flooring as a feature of healthy homes.

Join associations for vinyl flooring manufacturers

Several associations exist for vinyl flooring manufacturers to help them get their products to consumers as well continue to learn about the industry through online classes or seminars. Trade shows are also a good place for vinyl tile floor manufacturers to showcase new vinyl products and check out the competition in flooring choices.

I recommend: The North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) offers continuing education opportunities for distributors of vinyl flooring. Learn more about vinyl floor manufacturers at the annual Floortek show sponsored by the American Floor Covering Alliance, a nonprofit for manufacturers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Share the information you gather on the vinyl flooring industry with your employees, so they can grow professionally as well.

As one of the fastest growing segments in the flooring industry, vinyl tile flooring has experienced steady growth thanks to low price points, excellent quality and durability and a wide array of patterns and colors suited for today’s decorating trends.

Consider a variety of factors before choosing your vinyl flooring and your vinyl floor manufacturers because, as with any other flooring, quality, durability and selection can vary greatly from one manufacturer to the next.

Understanding the many benefits of vinyl floor tiles will help to guide you when making your decisions.Vinyl floor tile, when compared to hardwood, tile and stone, offers the following benefits:

1. Warmer and more comfortable underfoot
2. Easier and faster to install
3. Less expensive
4. Well-suited for uneven subfloors
5. Can be used above or below grade level
6. Can suit a variety of applications

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Examine the manufacturers' selections

Today's self stick vinyl floor tile manufacturers have stepped up to offer great choices in vinyl flooring. Bland designs have given way to sleek, fashionable patterns, as well as styles designed to replicate stone, wood, marble and slate. Provide your customers with a wide selection of vinyl tile flooring to suit various tastes, styles and budgets.

I recommend: Congoleum’s Endurance Plank and Forum Plank styles simulate real wood. Tarkett offers a wide variety of vinyl floor tiles that simulate stone. Mannington features a line of flooring designed to simulate refined limestone. Domco offers an extensive collection of subtle, neutral patterns and geometric designs.

Examine vinyl floor tile warranties and quality ratings

Create an easier shopping experience for your customers by ensuring that the self-stick vinyl floor tile flooring manufacturers you choose clearly mark the warranty information and quality rating. Provide your customers with a variety of grades or classifications to suit different needs and budgets. Vinyl floor manufacturers can offer warranties from 5 years to a lifetime. Consider your market when making choices regarding quality, warranties and price points.

I recommend: Armstrong clearly marks their vinyl tile flooring using a Good/Better/Best system. The tile’s warranty, durability and maintenance are all taken into consideration when determining its classification. Earthwerks also clearly marks their warranties and includes both a residential and commercial warranty for all vinyl tile styles.

Stay in the loop

Staying up to date with the latest information in vinyl flooring by examining industry news, trends and events will ensure greater success.

I recommend: Floor Covering News, Floor Covering Weekly and Floor Daily are all excellent resources for vinyl floor distributors and installers. These sources offer articles, interviews and reports to enable business owners to stay in tune with the latest trends and issues in the marketplace. When you're in the know, you can plan accordingly.

Stay connected with vinyl tile floor manufacturers

Join flooring organizations and attend industry events and meetings to talk with manufacturers and distributors. These organizations often allow access to additional resources, educational seminars and trade shows.

I recommend: Become a member of WFCA and take advantage of the exposure. The website enables consumers to find a floor covering professional from their list of WFCA members. Join NAFCD and attend their annual meeting for a chance to talk with other distributors in the flooring industry and conduct business with flooring manufacturers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Take into consideration ease of installation for your installers or subcontractors when choosing your vinyl tile selection.
• •  Carry a selection of commercial vinyl tile flooring and expand your market.

Vinyl floors give customers great flooring options, and there are so many options available to consumers. Vinyl floor manufacturers have listened to consumers who say they want hard-flooring options with style and texture. Vinyl floor manufacturers have delivered with stylish alternatives to wood or ceramic tile floors.

But you may be looking for ways to sell your customers on the benefits of vinyl flooring. One of the great advantages of vinyl flooring is that it's easy to install, especially the peel-and-stick varieties. Stress the cost savings over hard-surface flooring options such as hardwood, laminate or ceramic tile. You can also use vinyl floors in moist areas such as bathrooms.

When selling the benefits of vinyl flooring to your clients, stress the following points.

1. Explain to customers that vinyl floor manufacturers have now engineered styles that mimic popular and more expensive flooring options.

2. Emphasize the ease of installation, particularly for self-stick varieties.

3. Point out the ease of cleaning vinyl floors, as well as the safety factors, as vinyl floors may offer more slip resistance than ceramic tile in kitchens or bathrooms.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Sell customers on new innovations from vinyl flooring manufacturers

If home builders are looking for a way to cut down on flooring costs for customers, they should consider offering vinyl flooring instead of costlier flooring options. If customers don't want to let go of their dreams of a hardwood floor, builders can introduce them to vinyl options that look like hardwood.

I recommend: Gerflor designs their Aqua vinyl floor specifically for the bathroom. This floor has the appearance of a boat deck, and is waterproof on both sides. Mannington, one of the most popular vinyl tile floor manufacturers, has developed their Resilient line of vinyl tiles to resemble stone.

Browse through the choices from vinyl floor manufacturers

When consumers think about vinyl flooring, they may think 'boring!' Take your customers to flooring wholesale stores and big-box retail stores, where you'll be making the most of vinyl floor manufacturers' flooring options.

I recommend: Meet your clients at Prosource, which can be a big help in comparing choices from different vinyl floor tile manufacturers. Lowe's is a good place to browse vinyl floor options, particularly self-stick vinyl tile floor manufacturers such as Cryntel.

Compare quality from vinyl floor manufacturers

All vinyl floors are not created equal. When comparing U.S. vinyl floor tile manufacturers quality, look for high quality enhanced urethane finish and thicker construction, as well as a strong warranty that guards against wear and fade.

I recommend: RemodelHomeGuide.com lists consumer reviews of vinyl floor tile manufacturers. Flooring Xpress gives a good overview of what buyers should expect from quality vinyl floors.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The effectiveness of vinyl tile flooring is only as good as the subfloor underneath it. Make sure you have a perfectly smooth surface before you apply the vinyl floor tiles.

Vinyl or resilient flooring is a popular choice among consumers and businesses. It is a leader in the flooring industry due to its affordability, practicality and style. Vinyl Floor manufacturers have created a variety of new designs in vinyl flooring. Resilient flooring resembles wood, stone or slate and comes in an array of fashionable colors. It is easy to clean and water resistant making it ideal for kitchens and bathrooms. Get familiar with terms used by vinyl flooring manufacturers for greater understanding of the industry.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Vinyl or resilient flooring

Vinyl, or resilient flooring, is flooring made from a mixture of plasticizer (makes PVC softer) and polyvinyl chloride. There are two types of vinyl flooring, sheet vinyl and vinyl composition tiles. Resilient vinyl floors are malleable and yield or 'give' when walked on. Rubber, cork and linoleum are additional examples of resilient flooring.

I recommend: Home Tips gives you information about vinyl flooring, its installation and manufacturing techniques. WiseGeek provides detailed information about resilient flooring to the prospective buyer or interested business.

Subfloors

A subfloor is the structural layer or support floor of a home or building. Floor covering can be laid directly over the subfloor if the subfloor is of good quality. Vinyl tile flooring will not adhere properly if the subflooring is not smooth.

I recommend: Living With My Home covers subflooring and how to build solid subfloors. Bruce Home provides installation instructions for vinyl tile, and stresses the importance of proper preparation of subfloors.

Rotogravure or inlaid vinyl manufacturing process

Rotogravure and inlaid are the two types of vinyl manufacturing processes that are used to make vinyl or resilient flooring. Rotogravure is the most common and uses a print cylinder to create colored ink dye patterns. Inlaid manufacturing is more involved and etches patterns deeply into the vinyl creating a longer lasting design.

I recommend: Home Guide Flooring explains the construction of vinyl flooring using the inlaid and rotogravure processes. All About Floors gives you step-by-step information on the manufacture of vinyl flooring, with graphics for additional information.

Wearlayer

The wearlayer is a layer of material placed on the top surface of vinyl floors to give it resistance to scratches, spills, punctures and other damage. It's made from either PVC or urethane and is critical to the appearance and durability of vinyl flooring.

I recommend: Floorfacts Flooring Guide provides a complete description of wearlayer and its importance to the durability of vinyl flooring. World Floor Covering Association explains the crucial role of wearlayer in vinyl floor construction.

Urethane

Urethane is a vinyl wear surface that enhances a vinyl floor's durability and appearance. It is a step above the general PVC covering. Urethane helps vinyl floors resist scuffing and scratching as well as upholding the floor's new look. Enhanced urethane outperforms standard urethane.

I recommend: Onlinetips.org explains what a urethane wearlayer is and how it is used. The Home Depot describes vinyl floor finishes including urethane and enhanced urethane.

PVC or polyvinyl chloride

PVC is a vinyl polymer plastic that resists water and fire. In vinyl flooring, it is the least durable of the floor finishes or wearlayers. It is easy to clean and has a no wax finish similar to urethane. It is also less expensive than urethane, but is not recommended for highly traffic areas. There is concern in the general public regarding the safety of PVC. In addition, PVC is widely used and generates a large amount of revenue.

I recommend: PVC gives you a description and chemical composition of polyvinyl chloride. Beckler's describes the pros and cons of a PVC finish.