Why Vinyl Floor Tiles for Bathroom
Vinyl floor tiles are a durable covering that can withstand heavy mechanical loads and adverse environmental factors. They are quite resistant to damage, can withstand high humidity, and have low electrical conductivity. Vinyl tiles are resilient, resistant to sudden impacts, fire and chemicals, and offer excellent sound insulation.
If you're looking for flooring for your home or apartment, and you have a large family with active children, vinyl flooring tiles are one of the best options. UV-treated tiles are slip-resistant, making them safe to use in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or children's rooms.
This type of flooring is very practical thanks to several of its features. Vinyl tiles look stunning on the floor, especially considering that modern technology allows for any color choice, even imitation wood. The only drawback of PVC tiles is their "unnatural" appearance. In other words, no matter how you look at it, these tiles will never look like real wood.
There are two types of vinyl floor tiles – quartz and PVC.
Quartz vinyl floor tiles
The wear-resistant properties of vinyl tiles are guaranteed by their high quartz content (up to 80%). This type of flooring is called quartz-vinyl tiles. These tiles are produced using a hot-pressing process, ensuring that all their components are evenly distributed throughout the material, ensuring they retain their color intensity and resist wear over time. For a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, manufacturers coat quartz-vinyl tiles with a special coating—polyurethane, an emulsion-metallized polish. They are also decorated with various patterns or made to resemble natural materials, such as marble, granite, or various types of wood. Consequently, the tiles reflect the texture of these materials.
Quartz-vinyl floor tiles are available in a variety of sizes and thicknesses. This material is also easy to maintain—damp cleaning is sufficient, though cleaning products can also be used.
The use of advanced technology by many manufacturers ensures that these vinyl tiles are hygienic. Using the new Nano-Silver technology, each tile is treated with a silver solution, providing an antibacterial effect. At the same time, the air inside the room covered with this flooring is also purified by the silver ions embedded in the tile structure.
Tiles are laid on a prepared surface: a level, crack-free concrete floor, pre-treated with a primer, or wooden joists. Tiles are glued using a special vinyl adhesive and acrylic dispersion. Before laying the tiles, it's necessary to mark the area. Vinyl tiles should be laid starting from the center of the room, just like ceramic, cork, stone, or any other flooring. To ensure better adhesion, roll a pressure roller over the tiles in different directions. Soft vinyl tiles are installed using the same technique as cork flooring.
PVC vinyl floor tiles
Another type of vinyl floor tile is pressed PVC tile. Its production process uses vinyl, resins, stabilizers, plasticizers, and other chemicals. Vinyl PVC tile is also produced through a hot pressing process followed by a protective PVC coating. This type of flooring can be used instead of linoleum, and it is much stronger and more durable. Vinyl PVC tile is ideal for both commercial and residential spaces. A variety of colors, shapes, and sizes allow designers to realize all their design ideas for bathrooms, hallways, and kitchens.
Installation of vinyl PVC tiles is similar to quartz tiles. In areas with high humidity, use a waterproof adhesive.
Advantages of vinyl floor tiles
Vinyl flooring is becoming increasingly popular due to its excellent consumer qualities, including:
strength and durability: most manufacturers provide warranties for it from 8 to 20 years; resistance to abrasion and mechanical damage; Over time, vinyl lining does not fade or discolor when exposed to ultraviolet radiation; The waterproofness of vinyl tiles is such that they can be used for covering the floors of bathrooms, swimming pools, balconies, and any outdoor areas; Unlike natural hardwood flooring, vinyl flooring does not expand, shrink, or warp under the influence of temperature and humidity fluctuations. This significantly simplifies installation, as the installer does not have to allow for warping. Vinyl flooring can be installed over heated floors without the risk of swelling.
Easy installation, and the ability to cut the facing material with a standard knife. The flexibility of vinyl allows it to be used on hard-to-reach, sloped, or textured surfaces. No special underlayment is required when installing vinyl flooring. The uniform shape and thickness of the tiles simplifies preliminary marking. Absolutely harmless to health, making vinyl flooring suitable even for children's rooms. The safety of this flooring material is convincingly confirmed by the fact that its composition is similar to that of plastic used to make disposable tableware, plastic bottles, and water pipes;
ease of maintenance: vinyl flooring is easy to clean with regular water and is not damaged by contact with detergents; the lightness of the material allows it to be transported from the store without any problems; the relative cheapness of vinyl flooring compared to other facing materials;
Manufacturers recommend keeping tiles at room temperature for at least 24 hours before installation. Vinyl flooring should be installed on a dry floor (with a moisture content of no more than 5%). When installing vinyl over underfloor heating, it must be disconnected at least 72 hours before installation. Vinyl flooring can be installed on any substrate, including concrete, wood, and brick, except asbestos, as asbestos fibers are carcinogenic.
Self-adhesive vinyl floor tiles
For easier installation, you can use a type of vinyl tile called self-adhesive. It can be laid on an old, flat surface with the adhesive side applied. To do this, simply remove the protective film from the back and press the tile firmly onto the surface with the adhesive side applied. Decorative self-adhesive mirror tiles are applied in the same manner.
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