Vinyl Tile Guide

All you need to know about Vinyl Tiles. Vinyl tile is a strong and durable option and great for anyone on a budget. By using modern design and construction techniques the look and feel can be almost whatever you want it to be.

Overview

Vinyl tile is a strong and durable option and great for anyone on a budget.  By using modern design and construction techniques the look and feel can be almost whatever you want it to be.  This is a great choice for families or any household with high traffic areas but also bathrooms and kitchens.

Construction

A common Vinyl tile consists of 4 primary layers: A urethane wear layer to resist scratches and scuffs, a protective clear film layer to protect against rips, tears, and gouging, a printed design layer that carries the realistic colors and patterns, and a structural vinyl backing layer that adds strength and durability.

Design

Colour

Colour and pattern is one of the main reasons people choose vinyl tile. The modular tile format allows you to alternate different colors to create checkerboards or other patterns, or use a single color for an uninterrupted visual effect.

Look

Maybe your room calls for a vinyl tile that mimics the look of natural products such as wood, stone, ceramic or slate. You’ll find your options range from retro to modern, traditional to trendy, geometric to floral designs. Go where your inspiration takes you.

Pattern

Some vinyl tiles have a directional pattern. You can create more than one look with this design characteristic and have fun with it. Laying the tiles with the pattern running in one direction creates one look. Alternating the direction of the pattern 90 degrees from tile to tile, or even every few tiles, creates yet another look.

Size and Gloss

Standard vinyl tile size is 12”x12” and tile is available in low, medium and high gloss.

Lifestyle

Room

Vinyl tile is a flooring favorite for utility areas, kitchens, mudrooms, bathrooms and playrooms. It is a good choice if you are interested in a quick and easy room makeover. Vinyl tile is not meant for stairs, but for any and all flat, level surfaces.

Kids, Pets and Durability

Vinyl tile is very durable and forgiving of kids, pets and dropped objects in normal household use, however its durability and overall performance is typically less than luxury vinyl flooring types like Vinyl Sheet.

Warranty

Vinyl tile has a range of warranty options based on the tile you choose. Warranties can range from 5 to 25 years.

Floor Care

Caring for vinyl tile floor couldn’t be simpler. Regular sweeping and occasional cleaning with a floor cleaner is all that is needed.

Budget

Product Cost

Vinyl tile is one of the cheapest and best value options on the market.  Depending on the design and performance of the tile you choose you should not feel like your pockets have been emptied.

Design and Embossing

At the mid- to high-levels, look for vinyl tiles that are embossed-in-register (EIR), meaning that the look and feel matches the grain and pattern of the real material. Some tiles have a beveled edge that helps make the tile look more like natural stone or ceramic.

Installation Costs

DIY vinyl tile installation is very popular. Glueless (adhesive tabs or spray adhesive) and peel 'n stick self-adhesive (no glue needed) tiles are excellent DIY projects. You can save money and enjoy a beautiful finished project. Professional installation costs can vary based on geography (labor rates) as well as subfloor prep requirements. E-flooring recommends that you contact an installer using the "Find an Installer feature" to provide you with an accurate installation cost estimate.

Floor Removal

Don’t forget to factor-in the cost of removing and disposing of your old floor.  Depending upon where you live, the floor you are removing and your installer, budget around AU$25.00 per square metre to have it removed and hauled away but it can be more or less depending on the floor type and labour costs in your area.

Installation

Installation Options

Vinyl tile offers a variety of quick and easy installation options that are great for DIY-ers. Peel n’ stick adhesive tiles (no glue needed) is the most popular type of installation. Just remove the liner sheet and stick the tile to the floor. Careful though, these tiles are hard to remove once placed on the floor. The other option is glueless adhesive tabs or spray adhesive. These options are designed for easy placement and easy removal if you decide to replace the tile with another floor type in the future.

Installation Considerations

Look at the installation instructions carefully! No matter what kind of tile you're installing, the subfloor surface must be prepped so that it is smooth, flat and dry. Any bump, ridge, or indentation in the subfloor may eventually show through on the surface of the vinyl tile. If you're laying the tile over an embossed vinyl floor, you'll need to level the surface with an embossing leveler. If you're installing directly over new concrete, it should be tested for moisture emission rates and pH level to ensure it has cured prior to the tile's installation. If the tile is self-adhesive, it's a good idea to apply a latex primer to the subfloor before installation.

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