Vinyl flooring is one of the fastest growing choices of floors in North America today. More chip-resistant and more water-resistant than laminate flooring, and avoiding the scratches and water-damage of hardwood while being much easier to install than ceramic, vinyl flooring from Winchester is an obvious choice. Available in many styles and patterns at your local Windsor Plywood store, these products will transform your floors.

With floorings like these, some people are curious about construction, where to lay it, is it waterproof, and how can I install it so that it has the most beautiful installation pattern? Please see below where we have inserted some frequently asked home-owner questions.

How is vinyl flooring made?

Vinyl flooring consists of PVC – a type of plastic – topped with a decorative paper layer and a wear layer. Some vinyl has a felt backing or is reinforced with fiberglass for greater stability. The wear layer may also be treated with aluminum oxide, ceramic bead or nano silver. A variety of finishes are available that are applied to the top of the vinyl, which makes it look more like real wood or tile.

Is vinyl flooring completely waterproof?

Because vinyl is made from PVC, it is completely waterproof by itself. However, glue potentially used during installation may decrease the overall imperviousness of the floor installation. Also, a large amount of standing water can seep through the seams between the planks or tiles, and damage your subfloor, just like with other types of flooring. For this reason, you should clean up spills as quickly as possible.

Where can I install vinyl flooring?

Vinyl flooring can be installed in almost any room, over a lightly textured or porous surface, or over a well-bonded, solid floor. We do not recommend that you install vinyl in areas where it will be exposed to long-term direct sunlight, such as in sunrooms or solariums.

Can I install vinyl flooring over concrete?

You can install vinyl flooring over concrete that has cured for at least 60 days prior to installation. Glue down and peel and stick products should not be installed on below-grade concrete surfaces where moisture may be a problem. However, floating products like Winchester Vinloc are always a natural winner below grade.

Should I stagger planks during installation?

Yes, always randomly stagger vinyl when installing the floor. Start the first row with a full plank, the second row with approximately 2/3 of a plank and the third row with approximately 1/3 of a plank. The distance between joints from one row to the next must be 20 cm (8”) or greater for the remainder of the installation. Make sure you avoid a repeating board plan as you stagger your boards at the starting side of your room so that the floor looks like it was laid by Mother Nature herself. And you can always use up your cut boards at the far end (finishing end) of your room.

With the Winchester Vinyl flooring, we are proud to make your home look brilliant and beautiful.