Sheet Vinyl vs. Vinyl Tile: Flooring Face Off

Lowe’s sells sheet vinyl that’s 12 feet wide and cut to length. This expansive width allows you to add flooring to small, narrow rooms with few to no seams, increasing the floor’s durability and reducing install time.

Vinyl sheet flooring typically costs from less than a dollar per square foot to $2 per square foot. The durability of the vinyl, including the overall thickness of the flooring and the thickness of the wear layer, is a major factor in the cost of the vinyl sheets.

Sheet vinyl offers fantastic water resistance since there are so few seams. Many types of vinyl sheet flooring are waterproof and suitable for bathrooms.

Sheet vinyl doesn’t tolerate high levels of heat well, so factor this into your installation plans and the care you exercise in day-to-day activities. Heaters, sparks from a fireplace, etc. can cause damage.

Sheet vinyl is easy to keep clean. Sweep or vacuum up dirt and debris and then damp mop the floor with your favorite vinyl floor cleaner.

Sheet vinyl flooring is also easy to maintain. Avoid exposure to high heat and be careful with heavy or sharp objects that might dent or tear the material. Protect the flooring from furniture with pads and chair leg tips. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the suns rays can lead to fading over time, so use window treatments to protect the flooring. Avoid excessive moisture around any seams in the vinyl sheets.

Due to its size, it’s best to leave sheet vinyl installation to the pros. Handling large pieces of vinyl and applying a glue to the subfloor is a challenge if you’ve never done it before. It’s not impossible to do it yourself, but it’s not easy for a first-time installer.

While there are benefits to a nearly seamless finish, one drawback is how challenging it is to replace a section of sheet vinyl if it gets damaged. The replacement section is often very noticeable and can stand out more than the damage.

With quality, professional installation and good maintenance, sheet vinyl can last 10 to 20 years. The actual durability and lifespan depend on how rough your household is on the flooring, so if it’s getting a lot of foot traffic or if you have pets, it might show wear faster. Thicker vinyl with a thicker wear layer tends to last the longest.

Just like porcelain or ceramic floor tiles, Lowe’s sells vinyl tile in a variety of sizes and shapes, with options like 10 inches by 10 inches, 12 inches by 24 inches, 18 inches by 36 inches and more. Choose the version that best fits your space.

Vinyl tile prices vary from standard vinyl tile that’s less than a dollar per square foot to LVT that’s $6 per square foot and more. As with other vinyl flooring, durability, thickness and the quality of the wear layers are factors in vinyl tile cost. LVT is usually more expensive than standard vinyl tile. Waterproof and antimicrobial qualities can add to the cost, as well as an interlocking design.

While vinyl tile itself can be water resistant or even waterproof, the seams between each tile create a vulnerability when exposed to a lot of moisture. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding on what room to place the tile in, and make sure the tile is recommended for the location.

Vinyl tile can handle low levels of warmth, but high levels of heat from space heaters, drips of hot grease from cooking, etc. cause damage.

To clean vinyl tile, sweep or vacuum up dirt and debris and then damp mop it with a vinyl floor cleaner. Keep moisture to a minimum.

In addition to being careful with moisture when cleaning, wipe up spills quickly before liquid can seep into the seams. Protect the flooring from heat and regular, extended exposure to direct sunlight. Be careful with heavy or sharp objects, which can tear or gouge the flooring. Use furniture pads and protective chair leg tips.

One of the benefits of vinyl tile is how easy it is for you to install for a DIYer. Choose from tile that offers a glue-adhesive installation, interlocking installation or peel-and-stick installation based on your existing floor or subfloor. Proper preparation beforehand and the right tools (don’t forget knee pads) help. Purchase extra tiles for to account for waste when cutting and to have a few available for future repairs.

If a vinyl tile is scratched or damaged, it’s easy to remove the tile and replace it with a new one. In some cases, you might need to heat up the adhesive to make it easier to remove from the subfloor but check with the tile manufacturer beforehand.

With a good subfloor, correct installation and good maintenance, vinyl tile can last 10 years or more. Vinyl is resistant to stains, so it cleans up nicely. The tile holds up against foot traffic. LVT typically has a thicker wear layer, making it more resistant to traffic and scratches than standard vinyl sheets or tile. The ability to replace individual tiles can help extend the life of a vinyl tile floor, but eventually any vinyl flooring will wear out and need to be replaced.

Vinyl sheet flooring has a wear layer that helps prevent it from scratching easily with typical wear from foot traffic. However, luxury vinyl tile, which has a thicker wear layer, is more resistant to scratches.

Daily foot traffic shouldn’t tear sheet vinyl, but this type of flooring is vulnerable to damage from sharp and heavy objects. You can minimize the risk of tearing by using pads and chair leg tips on your furniture and using care when moving furniture on a sheet vinyl floor.

Flooring choices depends on several factors, including personal preference and comfort. Vinyl sheet flooring has some benefits over carpet, depending on your flooring needs. Viny sheet flooring is easier to clean, is water resistant and stain resistant and can have a slightly longer lifespan. Carpet, however, can be more comfortable and is better at dampening sound.

Sheet vinyl flooring can buckle or bubble for several reasons, including poor installation, moisture under the vinyl sheet and exposure to excessive temperature changes. In addition, if the flooring is near the end of its lifespan, the adhesive might break down to the point that it no longer secures the vinyl to the subfloor.

Vinyl tile offers durability, the look of tile, wood and stone and DIY-friendly installation, making it a good flooring option for many homes. Most vinyl tile is water resistant and a good flooring type for kitchens. Some vinyl tile is waterproof and suitable for bathrooms. However, the seams in the flooring create some moisture vulnerability, so it’s best to clean up spills quickly.

LVT flooring refers to luxury vinyl tile flooring. LVT can give an attractive, more economical alternative to wood and tile flooring. LVT is more durable than standard flooring tile, giving it a comparatively longer lifespan.