For a clickable PDF click here

Resilient Sheet Flooring

Resilient sheet flooring creates an impervious surface throughout the entire room.  There are no deep crevices or cracks where moisture and dirt can collect.  And wherever liquid or water spills are common, such as in kitchens or baths, resilient sheet flooring is an excellent choice.

The most common resilient floor covering material is sheet vinyl, including inlaid designs and photographic printed versions, and vinyl composition tiles or VCT.  Other resilient floors include rubber and cork.

Recent innovations in manufacturing technology have created styles of sheet vinyl floors that are guaranteed not to rip, tear or gouge for the life of the warranty.  Your salesman can show you only those products if you are concerned with potential damage.

Nearly all sheet vinyl floors have a urethane no-wax surface.  These surfaces not only free you from waxing, but are easy to clean and resist staining and scuffing.

So, What’s Linoleum, Anyway?

Everything old eventually gets to be new again.  That’s also true for one of today’s more enduring building products for the home- linoleum flooring. 

Linoleum was invented in England in 1863 by Frederick Walton who coined the name from the Latin word linum, which means flax, and oleum, which means oil.  He got the idea from the leathery skin of oxidized linseed oil that forms on open cans of paint. 

Linoleum is a natural product made of linseed oil from flax, mixed with powdered wood, cork, ground limestone, resins, drying agents and pigments, all affixed to a backing of jute fiber.

Linoleum drifted out of favor in the 1960’s, with the advent of easy-care vinyl’s that did not require waxing.

Today, linoleum is being reintroduced to a new generation of floor buyers.  The new designs are totally original and represent a break with the traditional image of linoleum.

Some Considerations

Sub-Floor: No matter whether you are installing sheet vinyl in a new home or in an existing home, the single most important factor is the condition and preparation of your sub-flooring.  The installer should measure the moisture levels of your decking and sub-floor.  He should also carefully follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for sub-flooring.

Improperly prepared sub-floors may “telegraph” lines through the sheet vinyl, which will result in an unsightly appearance and dramatically reduce the performance and useful life of your flooring.  In most cases, your salesman will recommend a new sub-floor as part of the installation cost.  Occasionally, preparation with patch or leveling products may be done.

Fixtures and Appliances: Be sure to discuss appliance and fixture removal and replacement arrangements with your salesman.  In most cases, it is wise to have everything done by the floor covering installer.  If you choose to remove and replace your appliances and fixtures, be sure to lay a plywood panel on your new floor and then slide the appliances into place without damaging the floor.

Wall Base: Moldings, wall base and toe-kick guards will need to be removed before installation.  This is a good time to replace your molding or wall base boards by coordinating it with your new flooring.

Clearances: New flooring may add some height to your floor.  Sometimes door bottoms need to be shaved so they will swing freely over your new flooring.  Take into consideration pocket and French doors as well.

Seams: Your seams will be treated with a seam coater.  This creates a virtually seamless floor with no place for dirt to hide.

Damage: Most floors can be repaired by cutting the damaged area out of the floor and replacing it.  The installer will ensure that the pattern is aligned correctly and that the seams are tight so that the repair is not noticeable.

Immediately After Installation

• Let the seam sealer dry properly.  To ensure proper seam bonding, don’t walk on the seams for 24 hours after seam sealer application.  It is important to avoid tracking seams sealer across the floor.

• Keep foot traffic to a minimum during the first 48 hours to allow the adhesive to harden.

• Furniture should not be placed on the floor until the adhesive has had adequate time to dry (at least 24 hours).

• To ensure proper curing, setting and bonding of products, maintain a room temperature of 65°F for 48 hours after installation is completed.  Then use a damp sponge, cloth, or mop to wipe off the manufacturer’s logo and 800 number printed on the face of the floor.

• The adhesive under your floor needs time to thoroughly dry after installation.  Therefore, we recommend that you do not scrub or wash your floor for five days.

Caution

Resilient flooring, like other types of smooth floors, can become slippery when wet.  Allow time for the floor to dry after washing.  Immediately wipe up wet areas from spills or wet feet.

Protect your investment

• Place a walk-out mat at outside entrances to reduce the amount of dirt, grit and soil brought into your home.

• Draw drapes and blinds during peak periods of strong sunlight.  Resilient floors, like other home furnishings, may discolor or fade when overexposed to the sun.

• When moving appliances or heavy furniture, lay a plywood panel on your floor and “walk” the item across it.  Do not push or pull appliances and heavy furniture without first protecting your floor.  The plywood panel prevents scuffing and tearing.

• Make sure furniture legs have large surfaced, non-staining floor protectors.  Floor protectors under furniture legs reduce indentations and scratching.  As a general rule of thumb, the heavier the item, the wider the floor protector needed.  Replace small, narrow metal or dome-shaped glides with smooth glides that are flat on the floor.  Glides should be equipped with self-adhesive felt pads to avoid scratching the surface of the floor.  The pads should be checked periodically for grit and wear and replaced when necessary.

• Heavy furniture or appliances that are not moved often should be equipped with flat, non-staining composition furniture casters or cups of appropriate size- available square from 1” to 5-5/8” and round from 1-3/8” to 1-5/8”.

• Movable appliances and furniture should be equipped with easily swiveling casters.  They should be at least 2” in diameter with non-staining hard rubber treads at least ¾” wide.  Do not use ball-shaped casters as they can damage the floor.

• To help prevent staining from tracked-in asphalt marks, we recommend the use of a latex-based driveway sealer. 

• Heat-producing appliances, such as a refrigerator or range, or hot air registers emitting a direct flow of heat in excess of 120°F, even intermittently, can scorch, burn, discolor or fade your floor.  Cigarettes, matches and other very hot objects can also damage your floor.

• Avoid wearing stiletto or spiked high heels on your floor.  These types of heels can indent or damage almost all types of floors.

Regular care for your floor

To preserve the lasting shine and fresh look of your investment for years to come, we recommend that you…

Do: sweep or vacuum regularly to remove dirt and grit that can abrade, dull or scratch your new floor.  Wipe up spills as soon as possible.  Remove dried spills with proper floor stripper and cleaner using a white cloth.  Wash your floor as required with manufacturer recommended cleaning products.  To return your floor’s original shine if it begins to look dull, use the manufacturer’s recommended finish restorer.

Use non-staining vinyl-backed walk-off mats or woven rugs that are identified as “colorfast” by the manufacturer.

Don’t: use detergents, one-step “mop and shine” products, dishwashing liquids, paste wax, abrasive cleaners, solvent-based polishes or oil-based cleaners.  These may leave a residue that can attract dirt, dull your floor’s finish and in some cases even permanently damage your floor.  A vacuum with a beater brush may damage your floor’s surface.  Highly abrasive scouring or scrubbing tools may also dull and scratch the finish of your floor.

Cleaning Products

Protect your investment by using only recommended cleaning products on your new vinyl flooring.  Your dealer will usually have these products in stock.