When it comes to materials pertaining to floorings and wall coverings, tiles are usually the first thing that come to mind. Being an expert tile supplier in Singapore, we at Malford would obviously fall in the same category!
However, being tile experts has resulted in us being flooring experts too. Over the past few years, a new building material has been invented as an alternative to tiles – Vinyl Flooring.
Vinyl Flooring, though new, has become increasingly popular among many homeowners in Singapore. It is also an interesting point to note that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) now prioritise vinyl flooring over homogeneous tiles for all bedrooms in newly constructed Built to Order (BTO) flats.
Vinyl Flooring actually falls under the category of Resilient Flooring, along with Linoleum, Cork, and Rubber. Resilient flooring has and will always be a considered material for any building project because of its durability, safe designs, and most importantly, economical cost. Being the latest innovation of resilient flooring, vinyl flooring already provides users with many reasons on why they should be used.
What are Some Useful Applications for Vinyl Flooring, and Why?
The number one application for such flooring is the bedroom floors of residential homes. Other areas that are also starting to use Vinyl flooring more often are hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, schools, retail shops, and even offices.
The reason to why vinyl may be preferred in the above mentioned areas are plenty, but let us touch on the few main ones. Of course, price is always the main factor. The cost of the supply and installation of vinyl may be just 30% of the total cost when tiles are used (including hacking of existing material, supply, and installation). It is also interesting to note that vinyl flooring is extremely easy to clean and still have a slightly natural textured anti-slip surface. Other important factors that make vinyl flooring such a coveted product would be the fact that it does not have the ability to absorb water, and that it is soft to touch with your bare feet (unlike tiles which would feel so cold in an air-conditioned room).
That being said, no matter how resilient and durable vinyl flooring is, it would certainly never match the strength and longevity of porcelain tiles.
How is it Produced / Manufactured?
Unlike other resilient flooring, vinyl flooring does not require the use of harmful chemicals during its production stages. Not only does the production have the high possibility to emit harmful gasses, but the end product is very often considered as harmful too. Vinyl flooring is made of different types of thin layers, pressed together with a machine to provide the end result. These sub materials are usually felt, fibreglass, PVC, and a hyper realistic printed design (usually timbre look designs). Malford does its part by only partnering with factories that produce materials that are friendly to the environment. We ensure that this is possible by registering and testing the product with the Singapore Environment Council to certify it under the Singapore Green Label Scheme (SGLS). In summary, the material has to contain recycled content, not emit harmful gasses during production, and not be harmful for interaction with people.
Formats and Installation.
Vinyl Flooring is a material that is extremely easy to install. Factories all around the world usually produce them in strip sizes (to best mimic timbre) in thicknesses of 3 mm to 7 mm. It can be laid over your current flooring so long as it is flat. The best part? You do not need any sort of glue or adhesives. Most vinyl flooring are now built with grooves on the edges and they can be attached to another piece using the conventional tongue and groove method. It is so easy that it can actually even be done as a family activity! This installation may sound weak, but it has been tested to be highly durable and even waterproof at the same time. Upon attaching both pieces together, water will not be able to pass through.
Thank you!
We hope you have enjoyed yet another article by Malford Ceramics Pte. Ltd. If you would like to share your newly acquired knowledge, do remember to give this post a share! To check out the Vinyl Flooring selection by Malford Ceramics, do check out them out by clicking here!
Cheers!
Love,
The Team at Malford
