The merits of lino flooring
Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM
Vinyl flooring may not always seem the most glamorous of materials, but it offers a practicality, resilience and value for money that can ensure it is a good choice in many domestic situations. Hardwood may have more of a sheen and carpet may be cosy, but vinyl is waterproof, scratch resistant and thanks to the development of the technology involved in making it, can come in a wide variety of colours and deigns.
Those looking for cheap lino flooring will have no problem finding it, for cost is certainly one of the advantages of the material, being lower than that of many other materials, not least ones it can be designed to mimic, such as hardwood.
Indeed, the fact that wood effect lino flooring, stone effect vinyl flooring and all sorts of other materials, shades and colours can be represented - from the natural to the synthetic and exotic - is one of the great advantages of vinyl.
Lino flooring is also very tough. This makes it great when kids or pets are around and ensures it lasts a long time. But alongside this is its waterproof nature, something many other materials will not share. It will not stain like carpet, will not warp or cup like wood and will not attract mould or mildew in the way that cork can if damp is allowed to seep in. Quite simply, nothing seeps into vinyl.
Vinyl can also be comfortable too, with cushion vinyl floors being an example of this. By having a slightly thicker material with some give in it, feet can walk over it without too much pressure being applied. In this respect it can match up to cork and carpet as well as beating wood.
Furthermore, vinyl can be green. While not made from organic materials, it can be recycled and many lino products are partly made from material that has been used before. And by being a long-lasting material, it can certainly be described as "sustainable".
So for a floor that lasts a long time, can be kind to the feet, is available in many patterns and designs, lasts a long time and repels most substances thrown at it or dropped on it - and all this at a cheap cost - vinyl has much to offer.
