If your approaching middle age as we are at Faithfull Installations you probably remember vinyl floor tiles as black and white (or other garish ’70’s colours) square chequer board patterns that were brittle and prone to cracking. The ’80’s brought rolled vinyl flooring which gave us a wider choice in design and was not as brittle, the downside being it was soft enough that a stiletto heel or dropped paring knife would leave a dent. Then came our love affair with laminate wood flooring. Laminate paired perfectly with Swedish inspired interior design but was really quite noisy to walk on as anyone who has lived below a flat with laminate flooring will attest to.
A generation later and vinyl has improved in leaps and bounds. The current offerings from manufacturers such as Karndean, Amtico and Camero, amongst others, are aesthetically pleasing with colours and styles for all and with some ranges having a 15 year guarantee robust enough to stand up to full on family life. If you do damage a tile or plank it is usually possible to replace just that one piece in most cases.
These vinyls can be layed onto heated floors up to 27 degrees C and naturally feel warmer under foot than tiles. Although both ceramic and vinyl tiles will take on the ambient temperature of a room, vinyl does not wick the heat from un-slippered feet so fast as ceramic and subsequently just feel more comfortable.
The options with vinyl are a real plus point. Wood plank styles are available in several widths and lengths and are usually laid in a random offset pattern with a range specifically for parquet/herringbone floors. Planks replicate the looks and feel of real wood through grain and knot patterns, shade variation and embossed detailing. With colours from the darkest Ebony through to driftwood there is going to be a wood plank floor for your decor.
Within the tile ranges there is even more choice. Square tiles are available in various sizes together with oblong tiles. These can be laid with or without coordinating or contrasting grout strips.
If you want a traditional look a stone effect floor with a pattern made of several sizes could be for you or perhaps a Victorian inspired geometric design.
For something a little bit different a 3D effect floor has real wow factor but might not be what you want to get up to on the morning after the night before!
Whichever style is chosen you will have a hygienic, easy to clean floor that gives lasting beauty.
For more inspiration why not take a look at the Karndean, Amtico and Camero websites and then get in touch to arrange a quote.