Vinyl Floor Manufacturers Key Terms

Learn key terms used by vinyl floor manufacturers

By Sherry Grant

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.

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