Resilient flooring

Residential resilient flooring, either vinyl-sheet goods or tiles, is still the most popular choice, and not just because it's affordable. Prices, after all, range from $6 to $40 per square yard, with installation often running an additional $4 to $9 per square yard.

There are really two categories of resilient flooring: layered and full depth. The layered kind has a printed vinyl fused to a white, fibrous or foam liner. The second type is inlaid, in that the colored composition particles extend the full depth of the flooring. The advantage of inlaid flooring is that there's no surface layer to puncture, snag or tear.

Printed vinyl can be dirt-cheap or rather pricey, depending on the thickness of the wear layer and, to a lesser degree, on the quality of the liner. Bear in mind that budget flooring can look as good as quality flooring on the surface, so price can be a fairly good indicator of quality. The better selections hold their finish for years and feel more substantial underfoot.

When selecting vinyl for kitchens, try not to dip below the lower-middle price category. With builder's discounts, seasonal sales and remnant prices confusing the issue, it's hard to fix a figure, but $14 to $20 per square yard is the likely range.

Aside from wear-layer thicknesses, expect few other variations. While most lines are designed to be glued down completely, a few can be glued only at the edges. These are usually more expensive, but offer two advantages. They require less labor and mastic, and are more flexible underfoot, which can reduce wear and abrasions.

And finally, you'll find a modest selection of self-sticking vinyl squares, usually 12 x 12 in. Most popular with tight budgets, they can be laid by any patient, diligent person. Prices range between 59 cents and a few dollars per square. As for quality, some are pretty good. The problem is all those seams. When laid over concrete, they hold up fairly well. When laid over wood subflooring, however, water entering the seams can cause the subfloor to bulge or the tiles to let go.

While many retrofit installations involve stripping the old flooring before laying the new, some sheet vinyls can be laid directly over existing vinyl, even if the old floor has an embossed surface pattern. In these cases, the installer deglosses the old flooring with an etching primer and trowels on an embossing leveler.

This kind of overlay is often a good choice, because most vinyl liners and mastics sold prior to 1982 contain asbestos fibers. The asbestos is stable when left in place, but becomes airborne when flooring is stripped. If old vinyl is taken up, asbestos abatement procedures should be followed. Check your local building codes.

resilient flooring