Dear Bob and Betsy,
I’m trying to find the perfect flooring for my house, but I’m stuck! What is floating vinyl flooring and is it a good choice for homes?
– Hannah M.
Dear Hannah,
Congratulations on starting your new project! To give you the best definition of the term “floating vinyl flooring,” I’ll break it up into a few different sections. We have compiled more information for you to help to decide what’s best for you. Cheers! Bob & Betsy
Floating
When a manufacturer or contractor says that a floor “floats” it means that it does not sit directly on top of the subfloor. Your subfloor is wood or concrete. Putting the vinyl directly onto the subfloor can make your flooring louder, harder, and more prone to damage.
To “float” your vinyl flooring, you will need to install underlayment. This is a protective layer that offers some cushioning underneath the vinyl.
Vinyl
Vinyl is the material used in your flooring. This popular type of flooring is made out of synthetic resin or plastic.
Vinyl flooring has come a long ways since inception. Now, more homeowners are opting for “luxury” vinyl flooring that looks and feels better than the vinyl that was installed a few decades ago. Now, vinyl gives the appearance of wood or stone. Most of the time, people cannot tell the difference between vinyl and the natural product at first glance.
Browse through some of our vinyl with the stone or wood look to see how natural this flooring appears today.
Vinyl is a popular choice because it is practical, durable, and easy to maintain. It will keep up its appearance for the long-run so it is very popular in many homes. I strongly encourage you to order a free sample and see how good floating vinyl flooring could look in your home.
12 comments
Hello we are getting around 5000 sq ft of lockin floating vyinl planks in our church. Installer wants to also glue it . He says it will hold up better with hi traffic. And because it locks together it will be harder for planks to separate over time like traditional glue in planks. Is he right?
Hi Cat, thanks for the question. For large spaces, it is best to glue vinyl, however, you will need to install glue-specific planks. You could experience issues and void your warranty if you install it with glue instead of floating.