Vinyl Floors Glossary

Vinyl Floors Glossary and Vocabulary of Terms

For definitions of other terms not listed here, please go to these sections: Vinyl Construction, Before Buying Vinyl, Vinyl Choices, and Before Your Vinyl Arrives.

LVT/LVP

Luxury vinyl tile/Luxury vinyl planks.  LVT and LVP are manufactured as individual tiles or planks rather than in rolls like sheet vinyl.   LVT and LVP have all the advantages of vinyl, are available in various colors, and can look good anywhere. Spare luxury vinyl tiles or planks can be kept on hand to repair worn areas, and the LVT/LVP format allows for unlimited possibilities for developing your own unique patterns.

Adhered

Adhered vinyl comes with a non-permanent adhesive meaning that it can be removed and repositioned without leaving any sticky residue.

Aluminum Oxide

Added to the urethane finish to increase the abrasion resistance of the wear layer.

Backing

Vinyl is constructed of several different layers: the wear layer, the decorative layer, an inner core comprising of a foam and vinyl layer, and a backing. The type of backing controls how it can be installed.

Decorative Layer

The rotogravure printing process used for sheet vinyl offers a multitude of design possibilities that are expressed through the decorative layer, such as geometrics, patterns, natural stone designs, and more.

Floating

A technique of vinyl flooring installation in which the flooring is not bonded to the substrate by any adhesive.

Full Spread

A vinyl flooring installation method in which the adhesive is troweled over the entire substrate.

Inlaid

A sheet vinyl manufacturing process that uses solid colored vinyl chips laid on top of a carrier sheet and then embedded together with heat and pressure. The inlaid process has been around for years and generally results in geometric type patterns and designs.

Inner Core

Consisting of a foam and vinyl wear layer, the inner core provides insulation, durability, and comfort.

Linoleum

Made of natural ingredients that consist of linseed oil, cork, wood flour, limestone, and tree resins. The color goes all the way through, making it extremely wearable and durable.

Perimeter Adhered

A vinyl flooring installation technique in which adhesive is only applied to the perimeter of the flooring and also at the seams.

Resilient

These floors have some “give” or elasticity when you walk across them. This category includes linoleum, rubber, cork, and specialty resilient.

Rotogravure

The most commonly used method for making residential sheet vinyl floors.

This process includes a print cylinder that spins around while the vinyl’s core layer passes beneath. The cylinder systematically prints different colored ink dyes to create the pattern.

Rubber

Rubber flooring is extremely durable, quiet, virtually indestructible, and warm to walk on. It also resists dents and stains, and its waterproof surface has an anti-slip finishing. However, rubber is costly and must be installed by an experienced installer for maximum performance.

Seams

Because sheet vinyl comes in 6’ and 12’ widths, seaming may be necessary depending on the surface to be covered. Certain patterns will hide seams better. For example, tile patterns with grout lines are better able to mask seams.

Seam Sealer

A thin liquid adhesive applied to the cut edges of carpet to lock in the tufts and avert edge ravel. Seam sealers may be visible in contrast with a wide array of vinyl textures and finishes.

Subflooring

A rough floor on top of which the vinyl flooring is applied.

Substrate

The surface on which the vinyl flooring will be laid. If installing over a wood substrate, an underlayment will generally be necessary. A concrete substrate will not require an underlayment but will require some floor preparation.

Vinyl

Made from a mixture of plasticizer and polyvinyl chloride, it is usually flexible and non-porous. Pigments are added for color.

Wear-Layer

A layer of material applied to the top surface of vinyl flooring. The thickness of the wear-layer differs with each vinyl product collection, or series, and is typically measured in mils. The thickness of a mil is about the same as a page in a book. Premium wear-layers offer superior resistance to stains, scuffs, and scratches. How long a vinyl floor will look new and fresh is based on the wear-layer’s performance.

Vinyl/Resilient Advantages

• In fact, no other floor covering category offers you the selection, ease of maintenance, styling, and value as a vinyl floor!
• Thanks to some great technological advancements and styling, vinyl floors have been changed forever.
• Vinyl flooring can now realistically mimic the look and textures of stone, real ceramic, and wood grain patterns.