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5 Myths of Vinyl Flooring

As I’ve been gearing up to renovate the Kid’s/Guest bathroom I’ve been considering several different options for new flooring.  As  I’ve searched I’ve been very impressed by what I have seen in the vinyl flooring arena.

Over the years it seems vinyl has gotten a bad reputation in the design world for being outdated and weak on the scale of durability. You may be surprised when you learn these following myth busters regarding vinyl flooring.

 

1).  Vinyl flooring is outdated and unattractive.

Vinyl flooring has come a long way in both looks and durability. I think for many people the term vinyl flooring conjures up images of one giant seamless sheet of vinyl rolled out onto the floor. However, this is only one type of vinyl flooring.

Two more contemporary vinyl options are vinyl tiles and vinyl planks. Vinyl tiles are pre cut square pieces of vinyl that usually come in 12x 12 inch or 18 x18 inch sizes. They are often designed to mimic the visual appearance of ceramic or other stone tiles.

 

vinyl flooring 101

Armstrong Flooring via Houzz

 

Hatchett Design/Remodel via Houzz

 

 Kaufman Homes, Inc. via Houzz
(Amtico Linear Chalk Luxury Vinyl Tile)

Over the past 5-8 years vinyl tiles have increased in popularity and it’s realistic appearance. There are even vinyl tiles available that can be grouted in the same manner that ceramic tile would be grouted.

 Robert Thomas Homes via Houzz

 

In recent years as hardwoods and laminates have taken the front stage of coveted flooring, vinyl is now being offered in vinyl planks. These vinyl planks are often 4-6 inches wide and 3-4 ft long. Their color and pattern can resemble hardwood so closely that from afar you would never know it was vinyl!

 

Milestone Homes via Houzz
(Floors by Centura, the Dura Vista line and the color is called Milo)

 

Jackson Design & Remodeling via Houzz
  (Armstrong_Luxe Plank Collection Timber Bay Hickory (Color: Barnyard Gray))

 

via Pinterest
TrafficMASTER Allure Ultra 7.5 in. x 47.6 in. Aspen Oak White Resilient Vinyl Plank Flooring (20 sq. ft./case)-54617.0 at The Home Depot
via Home Depot

(TrafficMASTER Allure Ultra Aspen White Oak)

 

The Old Painted Cottage via Houzz
(Allure by Trafficmaster. Country Pine)

A great “wood” vinyl option can be found, Here! (affiliate link used for your convenience).
2).  All vinyl flooring is created equal.

This is not so! Vinyl flooring varies in quality and durability. The durability of vinyl hangs on two factors, the thickness of the vinyl and the finish. Thinner vinyl will wear more quickly. Hence, in most cases the thicker the vinyl the better the quality.

Vinyl also has levels of durability based on the surface finish. For example, some vinyl has no finish, others a urethane finish, and the most protective finish is called enhanced urethane. self adhesive vinyl floor tiles

via Pinterest

It is important to pay close attention to these characteristics of vinyl as well manafacturer warranties and customer reviews when searching for durable vinyl.

 

3). Installing vinyl flooring should be left to the pros.

No way, especially with all of the stick and peel options out there this is totally a do it yourself project you can tackle even if you are a beginner. In fact other than painting walls this was my very first DIY project ever! It came about 9 years ago when i was using the bathroom at a friend’s house. 🙂  I liked her flooring and asked her about it.  She told me she had used peel and stick vinyl tiles and had done it herself.

What? I had no idea this even existed! So when we bought our first home a couple of years later and the master bathroom had 13 year old vinyl sheet flooring that had become worn and dingy so I asked her more about it. She told me all she did was clean the previous floors really well and then use good scissors and an exacto knife to cut the vinyl tiles when going around the toilet, sink, and walls.

In tricky spots like the toilet you can use a 12×12 piece of paper as a template to draw the line around it and then trace it onto the vinyl tile (or you could lift the toilet if you know how).  Anyways, here’s some links to how to lay a variety of vinyl tiles.  Just know it’s definitely doable!

Video tutorial on laying Peel N’ Stick Tile

Video Tutorial on laying dry back Tile

Video Tutorial on laying a floating Vinyl Plank floor

 

4). Vinyl flooring is a less expensive option to tile and laminate floorings.

Surprisingly not always! Perhaps for a very basic sheet of vinyl or a solid color vinyl tile but not necessarily for some of the better quality look-a-likes.

The solid vinyl tiles tend to be less expensive some are even as low as 50 cents a square feet which could be used to create fun patterns like the ones below.

 

Fiddlehead Design Group, LLC via Houzz

 

Crogan Inlay Floors via Houzz

 

 Studio Z Architecture via Houzz
(Forbo Marmoleum Composition Tiles in Jade (3222) and Barley (707))

 

As I mentioned earlier I’ve been on the hunt for flooring for the kids/guest bathroom renovation and have been specifically looking at tile, wood laminates, and vinyl look-a-likes.  I have found vinyl tile and planks for as low as 89 to 99 cents a square foot, however, I have also seen ceramic tile and laminate flooring that low too!

 

I think I’ve decided on Trafficmaster’s Allure Alpine Elm Resilient Vinyl plank flooring (shown below).  It has great reviews and is sold at Home Depot for $2.09 a square foot.
$2/sq ft. TrafficMASTER Allure 6 in. x 36 in. Alpine Elm Resilient Vinyl Plank Flooring (24 sq. ft./case)-63275.0 at The Home Depot
via Home Depot

 

But to prove my point there is also good tile and laminate and even engineered hardwood in that price range!

 

I did score some vinyl peel and stick tiles at Home Depot clearanced at 33 cents a square feet to do my current master bathroom floors. One of the best $20 I’ve ever spent!

 

vinyl flooring peel and stick tiles

 

Before

Master Bath2

 

After

master bath after

It is a great quality laminate and even a friend with very expensive taste thought it was tile!  But that was lucky, most of the nicer quality vinyl will be closer to the $2 and up range.

 

5)   If vinyl isn’t a lot cheaper than other options then there is no reason to purchase it.

Vinyl actually has some great intrinsic qualities.  Personally I prefer it over tile for several reasons.  One, is it is easier on the foot.  You can call me a pansy but I don’t like the hard feel of tile as well as how cold it gets in the winter (go ahead say it, I can take it) 🙂  I feel vinyl is more comfortable to walk on barefoot for these reasons.

Also with children I worry with falls that they could become injured if they hit their head on tile.  Vinyl seems like a softer, less dangerous material to me. In addition tile requires more upkeep and maintenance.  Right now we have tile throughout our foyer, kitchen, and half bath.  In a few areas the grout has become cracked and chipped away (as shown below) and needs repair.

 

pros of vinyl flooring

 

In addition, compared to laminates and woods it does better holding up to moisture and to nicks from dog nails and other wear.

Lastly, although vinyl may not necessarily be less expensive as tile and laminate it is easier to install.  So if you are able to install it yourself than you do save money by going the vinyl route vs. the tile or laminate route.

 

I hope this post on myth busters of vinyl has been helpful! Do you have experience with vinyl? Do share!

vinyl flooring 101
UPDATE: I ended up going with Oyster Travertine peel and stick vinyl tiles in our Kids/Master Bathroom and love it! You can see it in action here!:-)
Oyster Travertine Vinyl Tiles

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before and afters// budget decor// decorating// DIY// flooring// money saving tips// tutorials44 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kathy says

    Sunday, June 22, 2014 at 11:05 pm

    Great information, Tamara! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Monday, June 23, 2014 at 9:37 am

      My pleasure! 😉

      Reply
  2. Jennifer Lippi (Decorating Delirium) says

    Monday, June 23, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    I have to admit, I had believed some of the myths to be true. I am amazed at how realistic the vinyl hardwood floors look! Thanks for setting the record straight 🙂

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 9:26 am

      I know right, vinyl has come along way in recent years! As always thanks for stopping by, Jennifer!!

      Reply
  3. shirley says

    Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    I want to say that I put self stick tile in my basement 40 years ago. It has seen 2 floods and power washed both times and it is still sticking. So what ever they say it works and that was probably a new thing not like they have now.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 4:10 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Shirley! Being flood resistant is a pretty cool feature!

      Reply
  4. claymire cottage says

    Friday, June 27, 2014 at 11:44 pm

    We have armstrong vinyl in our foyer, it looks like slate and is very durable. It was NOT cheaper than stone/slate, but it is durable, beautiful and low maintenance. Thanks for this post!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 8:53 am

      I love the ones that mimic slate. I bet it looks great! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!

      Reply
  5. Barb Davis says

    Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 6:54 am

    Very helpful information. We will be redoing our bathroom soon and I have been looking at several flooring options to replace our old vinyl sheet floor.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 8:48 am

      Barb, yep that is what we had in our master bathroom which I ended up being thankful for because it was so easy to lay the new peel and stick vinyls right over it. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Mel says

    Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 7:13 am

    I installed Allure vinyl flooring in my kitchen last year, this year continued it into my dining room. After previously having porcelain tile, the vinyl is much nicer feeling and looks amazing too. The best part is that I was able to install it myself.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 8:45 am

      Thanks for sharing your experience with it, Mel!!

      Reply
  7. katie says

    Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 9:01 am

    Does using vinyl affect your ability to sell your house later on?!? I was thinking about using it to replace the laminate in my living/dining room area (I have a dog and laminate is a pain with the dog) but I’m afraid I’d have to redo it if I went to sell my house sometime in the future

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 10:01 am

      That’s a great question, Katie! I think a realtor would best be able to answer that question. However, I think one of the most attractive things to a potential buyer is that the home is updated and visually appealing. My personal opinion is that if you are using a good quality vinyl that mimics the appearance of stone, tile, or wood planks that you will be improving the look of your home and hence the likelihood of it’s sell. Great question!

      Reply
  8. Becca says

    Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 11:58 am

    We are planning to use the same Allure flooring in our bathroom as well – but as flooring newbies, I was wondering how you’re planning to install it – any extra precautions for water, or just lay it down and go?

    Great post!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 2:39 pm

      Hi, Becca, great question! Vinyl is very water resistant so you won’t need any kind of underlayment. I’ve always just made sure the floor underneath is clean and then I start peeling and sticking. Remember to leave about a 1/4 inch space when you get to the walls because with changing temperatures the vinyl will expand and contract. When you are all done it looks really nice to add a quarter round moulding trim against the baseboard. It hides the 1/4 inch gap and gives a professionally finished look. Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Therese says

    Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    I miss vinyl floors. They were warmer and softer than the tile and granite I have now. Also, anything that gets dropped on the tile gets broken. I’ve lost lots of glasses, dishes, Christmas ornaments and IPhone screens to my tile floors. Viva La Vinyl!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 2:41 pm

      Good point, Theresa! I’ve lost some glass items on my tile too :-(. Thanks for stopping by!!

      Reply
  10. Christina says

    Sunday, June 29, 2014 at 12:09 am

    This is exactly what I needed to hear. We are currently deciding on flooring. We were iffy on the type but after reading this I think it’s a no-brainer.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Sunday, June 29, 2014 at 12:39 am

      Christina, glad you got some clarity on your decision!

      Reply
  11. Erin @ whalingcitycottage says

    Monday, June 30, 2014 at 9:13 am

    Great post! We put Trafficmaster Allure vinyl “wood” planks in our bathroom and love it! The look of wood without the worry and hassle.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Monday, June 30, 2014 at 9:43 am

      I appreciate you sharing your experience with it, Erin!!

      Reply
  12. NancySJ says

    Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at 7:47 pm

    Great information; thank you! I’ve seen some vinyl flooring these days that’s really attractive and am thinking about redoing our hall bath, which is currently a shrine to the 1990s.

    My dad told me a trick about replacing vinyl (the kind on a roll, not the tiles) for a small room: Tear out the old flooring and use it as a pattern to cut the new vinyl in one piece to the exact dimensions — assuming the new vinyl is wide enough. Then you can lay the new in one fell swoop! He did this once for a laundry room with a connected powder room and closet — all in once piece!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      That’s a great trick, Nancy! I hadn’t heard of that one! Thanks so much for taking the time to share it!! 🙂

      Reply
  13. blesserhouse says

    Sunday, July 13, 2014 at 12:32 am

    I totally agree with all of your points! We have vinyl in our bathrooms, and we really like it. No one can tell it’s vinyl. They always think it’s tile until I show them and they have to practically put their nose to the floor to tell.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Sunday, July 13, 2014 at 8:41 am

      I loved hearing your experience with vinyl! Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
  14. linda says

    Friday, January 9, 2015 at 5:43 pm

    2 years ago we remodeled our kitchen. I put in vinyl that looked like ceramic tile. My sister and husband came for the kitchen reveal, and my brother in law said, we need new flooring in our kitchen but not stone tiles. I said , it is not stone tiles , it is vinyl. It was not the stick and peel but floor to floor length vinyl . I just could not pick out what I liked and I got a swatch and my two daughter’s picked my floor. No regrets , love it and the up keep is great! Found your blog looking for designs to add on an overhead at our front door. Thanks

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:27 pm

      Linda, thanks s much for sharing!! We had wall to wall ceramic tile looking vinyl in our kitchen in our previous home and loved it too! So easy to clean.:-)

      Reply
  15. Leshia says

    Friday, January 23, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    DiD you do it right over the old flooring or did you rip that up first?

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Friday, January 23, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      I’ve always just installed it right over the old flooring (which has always been vinyl sheets). Thanks for your question, Leshia!

      Reply
  16. Tammy says

    Friday, January 23, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    I put the Allure hickory in my old house as what started as a bathroom remodel. After 6 months we took all the carpet out and put it down in the whole house. I loved it and it’s extremely pet friendly. When we sold our house it and stainless appliances is what most of the lookers commented on. We are about to use it again in our new house.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Friday, January 23, 2015 at 7:09 pm

      Thanks for sharing your experience with it, Tammy!

      Reply
  17. Jama Ballard says

    Friday, January 23, 2015 at 11:18 pm

    This is a little off subject but in the bathroom photo above, what type of countertop did you use? That bathroom shown above with the peel and stick oyster travertine is my exact bathroom and vanity. I need to replace the mauve tile countertops in my master bathroom desperately!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Friday, January 23, 2015 at 11:37 pm

      Hi there! The countertops were already there. They are cultured marble which is very different from marble. Cultured marble is A LOT more affordable!:-)

      Reply
  18. Amber Carlson says

    Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    Is grouting required for the vinyl tiles?

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 2:31 pm

      Great question, Amber! No, grouting is not required for vinyl tiles! There are some vinyl tiles like the ones I installed in my kids bathroom that you can grout if you want in order to make appear more like ceramic tile but I never have grouted vinyl tile and have still loved the results!!:-)

      Reply
  19. Andi says

    Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    I put vinyl tile and grouted it in my kitchen and it looks so good. I knew I couldn’t afford the marble flooring I wanted and did find anything else I liked. I was really surprised when I saw the sample at Lowe’s of it grouted and knew it would make a nice “for now” floor for me. Once it was in I LOVE it. I’ve lived in my house a little over a year and I still love it.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 7:50 pm

      Your floors sound awesome, Andi! Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

      Reply
  20. Lisa G says

    Sunday, June 28, 2015 at 8:43 am

    I just finished installing floating vinyl plank flooring in my kitchen. The worst part was waiting more than 8 weeks for it to arrive in the store. My kitchen floor is beautiful and everyone that has seen it thinks it’s real wood.
    Next, I have picked out the oyster travertine vinyl peel and stick tiles for the bathrooms and entry hall and laundry room.
    Thanks for this post as I enjoyed reading all about the advancements in vinyl.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Sunday, June 28, 2015 at 9:40 am

      Thanks for sharing, Lisa! Great job at installing your new kitchen floors!! We have the Oyster travertine in our kids/guest bathroom and love it! Excited for you to install yours!:-)

      Reply
  21. Katrin says

    Sunday, January 24, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    Well, I am so glad to have stumbled upon this blog. I to am a do it yourself girl. I am not afraid to try to do the job myself. .we have purchased our wonderful generic dominion home 9 years ago and now that the kids are about grown-up and I have more time I decided it was time to update the house. Boy when I found the peel and stick vinyl planks on clearance (3 boxes for $50) I was giddy with excitement.well the guy at Lowe’s tried to get me to pull up the old vinyl and get all the extra stuff “required ). I thought nope, I will try it my way. Really it couldn’t have gotten any worse than the existing 17 year old vinyl lol. So I cleaned up the floor really good, laid the new floor and since I didn’t take the baseboards of, I finished the job with 1/4 rounds. I was until now afraid I did it wrong, however the floor looks great and everyone thinks it is real hardwood lol. So yes this is definitely a great way to update your house without the expense of hiring someone.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Sunday, January 24, 2016 at 7:33 pm

      Way to go, Katrin!! Sounds like we are two peas in a pod!:-)

      Reply
  22. Puna says

    Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    Floors look great! I actually have a question about your vanity. How did you paint between the tub and vanity? I have a vanity that isn’t right up against a tub but the space is also too small for me to get into. It’s like the couldn’t decide! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at 8:22 pm

      Hi, Puna, hmmm sounds like a tricky scenario! Are they so close together that the side of the vanity cannot be seen?

      Reply

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