LVT & Vinyl Buying Guide
There is an endless choice of luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) and vinyls. The huge variety in designs, colours, and textures makes this a great option when looking for a unique design and look for your home. Many of our LVTs and vinyls can be delivered and fitted within two to three weeks, so you can enjoy your purchase in next to no time.
Visit our extensive showroom in Exeter, Devon and experience the full Queenstreet service including free measuring and estimating, professional advice at every stage of the process and samples to take home.
We have our own flooring fitters who are probably the most experienced in the south west, and most of whom have worked for us for many years. If you are looking for a DIY service, then we can easily supply the flooring only and have it delivered within days.
Vinyl tiles are an excellent alternative to natural materials and can be used anywhere in the house. They are designed to be tough, durable, hygienic and easy to clean, and so are ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.
Karndean is our best quality of luxury vinyl tiles. It is a great investment as it looks beautiful and comes with a guarantee which is fully transferable should the property be sold. Karndean is made up of tiles and strips that can be combined to make different designs. It is possible to create individual designs for any room, and there is plenty of scope for creativity. Most Karndean tiles are made up of several layers of vinyl, finished with a 1mm wear layer. The wear layer offers outstanding performance, which in normal domestic use, will last as long as you want.
Vinyl floor coverings are made of PVC (polyvinylchloride), a plastic material. It is available in a wide range of designs, styles and widths, is cushioned for comfort and insulation and impervious to water, making it ideal for kitchens and bathrooms. It is also hardwearing and long-lasting, as long as the subfloor (concrete, floorboards, etc.) is well prepared before laying. It is often necessary to have your floor levelled and smoothed first, otherwise the vinyl could show undulations and crease when warm.
Caring for your LVT & vinyl flooring
Vinyl is a hard-wearing, long-lasting, water resistant floor that is easy to clean and does not require large amounts of maintenance, making it very useful in kitchens, bathrooms and in commercial premises. However, the substance is not indestructible and it is important that the correct measures are taken to keep the product in good condition.
Cleaning your floor
How a vinyl floor is cleaned is important. Most spillages and stains can clean off quickly, but some will persist, often becoming dried on the surface and then hard to remove when using just soap and water. A variety of products may be used to deal with these, from peroxide to ice cubes, the latter being used to make some substances - like chewing gum or wax - brittle so they can be scraped up easily. A mixture of water and bicarbonate of soda can also be used to deal with yellow stains that can form from the placing of area rugs on such floors.
However, it is important to avoid certain materials and substances when cleaning a vinyl floor. Scouring powder and brillo pads should both be avoided as these can cause significant damage to a vinyl floor by scratching it. Another issue about floor cleaning is that it should not be scrubbed for at least five days after it has been laid down, in order to allow proper curing.
The best way of all to deal with spillages and stains is to move swiftly to clean them with a wet mop, as this means they are easier to remove in the first instance.
Maintaining your floor
As well as it being possible to damage vinyl through scouring, such a floor can also be scratched in a less obvious way by dust. In this case, each tiny particle scrapes away at the surface, making tiny indentations that collectively over time can cause the floor to deteriorate.
The presence of dust can be eliminated by using a mop or brush to sweep it away, but there are also steps that can be taken to stop the dust getting in to begin with. A floor mat by the door to wipe shoes on can stop grit and sand - the most abrasive sort of dust - being walked into the room, while floor protectors attached to the furniture can have the same beneficial effect.
One of the great things about vinyl flooring, however, is that when maintaining it there is no problem with using plenty of water. While materials such as wood, cork or bamboo will be limited by how much they can soak up because of the problems such as swelling and expansion the same is not true with vinyl.