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In 1954, the editor of Modern Plastics magazine, Hiram McCann, wrote in an article titled \”Surfacing and Decorative uses of Plastics in Building\” that the first vinyl flooring ever installed occurred twenty years earlier in 1933. Hiram McCann informed the reader that vinyl flooring made its debut at the Bakelite Company\’s booth at the Chicago World\’s Fair, and that it was \”tramped on\” by almost twenty million visitors. That historical vinyl flooring installation was eventually removed and reinstalled at the Bakelite Laboratory in New Jersey.

\”Today, 20 years later, that tile is almost as good as new,\” McCann wrote.

One may consider the term \”vinyl\” as a sort of nickname for \”polyvinyl chloride\”, also commonly referred to by the acronym \”PVC\”. Vinyl was discovered in 1926 accidentally (as so many \”inventions\” were) by research chemist Dr. Waldo Semon during the course of various lab experiments. Dr. Semon was attempting to produce an adhesive that will bond rubber to metal when the curious substance had formed.

Because vinyl is an inexpensive synthetic product, is incredibly durable, and highly resilient to liquids and grease, its many uses were eventually offered for the commercial market. It is why vinyl flooring is still, to this date, the most popular choice for bathrooms and kitchens, and second in sales after carpeting for use throughout the rest of homes and office space.

It may be the diverseness of vinyl flooring, more than anything else, which makes it so worthwhile. Vinyl flooring is available in what would seem to be an infinite variety of designs and colors. Whatever a person\’s taste, there is a good possibility that a vinyl flooring exists to his or her liking. And even if it doesn\’t, a custom order can be requested from a number of vinyl flooring manufacturers, such as that of a vinyl tiled formation of a company\’s logo.

A somewhat puzzling, yet very agreeable characteristic of vinyl flooring is how one can, by choosing the correct shades and colors, make a room look bigger or smaller than its actual size, or make a room look brighter or darker, depending, again, on one\’s taste. Vinyl flooring is also a sound-resilient type flooring, meaning that it absorbs much of the sounds of common foot traffic.

Not only is it possible to have an entire room look stunningly beautiful by covering the surface with vinyl flooring, it is one of the least expensive floorings on the market. A selection of square foot vinyl tiles can often be found at neighborhood dollar stores for 99 cents per tile. It is also one of the simplest floorings to install, especially since many styles of square foot vinyl tiles are typically \”peel-and-stick\”.

In a process similar to putting on a Band-Aid, the paper backing of a vinyl flooring tile is peeled off, exposing the adhesive on bottom of tile; the installer then sticks the tile to the room\’s surface. It is very important, however, to be certain that the surface is very clean. Even the smallest particle will show as a dotted bump in the installed tile if the base floor was not cleaned and wiped thoroughly.

One of the drawbacks of some vinyl floorings (especially low quality tiles, such as the ones sold in dollar stores) is the setting heavy furniture.

Over a period of time, the weight of furniture may leave indentations in tiles that are especially obvious when furniture is removed or moved to another spot. Other than that, with some very simple cleaning and maintenance, a vinyl floor can continue to look as good as new for many years to come.

Mira Floors and Interiors is Greater Vancouver\’s premiere floor and window covering specialist for both home owners and commercial spaces. Mr. James Alisch and his team can assist in all aspects of floor installations, carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl and tile. For further information about your flooring options go to Mira Floors and Interiors