In the world of material selection for decoration, a “floor revolution” is quietly taking place. After traditional wooden floors and tiles dominated the market for many years, a new type of flooring material – vinyl flooring – emerged as a dark horse and entered the public’s view. With its unique properties and advantages, it has gradually become the new favorite for more and more households and commercial spaces. Today, let’s delve into this revolutionary new flooring material and unveil its mysterious veil.
Ⅰ.Redefining Ground Materials: What Exactly Is Vinyl Flooring?
Vinyl flooring, also known as polyvinyl chloride flooring (PVC flooring), is made by using polyvinyl chloride resin as the main raw material, along with fillers, plasticizers, stabilizers, colorants and other auxiliary materials. It is produced on a continuous sheet-like substrate through coating processes or by means of extrusion, compression or extrusion. From an appearance perspective, it can simulate various textures such as wood grain, stone texture, and carpet texture, and even achieve a realistic effect; from a functional characteristic standpoint, it combines a soft feel under the feet and excellent wear resistance, making it a strong competitor to traditional flooring materials.
Polyvinyl chloride, as the core raw material of vinyl flooring, is a non-toxic and harmless environmentally friendly material, often used in food packaging, medical devices and other fields with extremely high safety requirements. During the production process, through different processing techniques and formula adjustments, the vinyl flooring can be endowed with rich and diverse properties and appearances, making it suitable for different application scenarios.
Ⅱ.From Raw Materials to Finished Products: The Journey of Vinyl Flooring’s Birth
The production of vinyl flooring is a precise and complex process, and each step has a significant impact on the quality and performance of the final product.
The first stage is the raw material preparation. Polyvinyl chloride resin, calcium carbonate, plasticizers, stabilizers and other raw materials are mixed in precise proportions to ensure the stability of the final product’s performance. The quality and ratio of these raw materials directly determine the wear resistance, environmental friendliness and other characteristics of the vinyl flooring.
Then the extrusion or calendering process begins. The mixed raw materials, under high temperature and high pressure, are processed into continuous sheet-like substrates by an extruder or calender. This process is similar to making a pancake. By adjusting the equipment parameters, the thickness and density of the substrate can be controlled to achieve the optimal state.
Then comes the coating treatment. A wear-resistant layer, printed layer and a UV layer are applied to the surface of the substrate. The wear-resistant layer is usually made of special polymer materials, which gives the vinyl floor extremely strong wear resistance. Even in commercial areas with heavy foot traffic, it can maintain long-term beauty; the printed layer determines the pattern and design of the floor, whether it is realistic wood grain, grand marble patterns, or fashionable abstract designs, all can be presented through the printed layer; the UV layer serves the functions of preventing stains, moisture, and scratches, making the floor easier to clean and maintain.
Finally, it comes to the cutting and packaging stage. The formed vinyl flooring is cut according to the specified dimensions and undergoes quality inspection. The qualified products are then packaged and sent to various parts of the world, bringing a brand-new floor decoration experience to different spaces.
III. Material Comparison: Vinyl Flooring vs Wood Flooring vs Ceramic Tiles
(1) Fundamental Differences in Material Properties
The wooden floor is mainly made from natural wood. The internal wood fiber structure gives it a unique natural texture and a soft, smooth feel. However, it is also susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, which can cause deformation and cracking.
Tiles are made from main raw materials such as clay and quartz sand. They are processed through mixing, pressing, and firing. Their main component is silicate, which has the characteristics of high hardness and good waterproof performance. However, they are hard, cold, and have a poor foot feel. Moreover, they are prone to cracking when subjected to heavy impact.
The vinyl floor is based on polyvinyl chloride resin and is a type of high molecular synthetic material. It combines the advantages of plastics and rubber, having both certain flexibility and excellent wear resistance and water resistance. At the same time, it is lightweight, making it convenient for transportation and installation.
(2) Performance Comparison
In terms of wear resistance, the wear-resistant layer of the vinyl flooring enables it to withstand various friction during daily use, far exceeding that of ordinary wooden flooring. Although tiles are hard, once the surface glaze is scratched, it is difficult to repair. In terms of environmental friendliness, high-quality vinyl flooring does not use harmful substances such as formaldehyde during production, meeting environmental standards; wooden flooring may use glue during processing, posing a risk of formaldehyde release; tiles themselves have better environmental friendliness, but during production, they consume a large amount of energy, causing certain pressure on the environment. In terms of foot sensation experience, vinyl flooring is soft and elastic, making it more comfortable when walking, especially suitable for families with the elderly and children; wooden flooring has a warm foot sensation, but its elasticity is slightly inferior; tiles have a hard foot sensation, and prolonged standing or walking can easily cause fatigue.
The vinyl flooring, with its unique material and properties, has broken the conventional framework of traditional flooring materials, providing people with more possibilities for their decoration choices. Whether it is for a home space that pursues fashion and beauty, or for a commercial place that has high requirements for wear resistance and easy cleaning, vinyl flooring has demonstrated strong adaptability and competitiveness. As people’s understanding of this new material continues to deepen, it is believed that vinyl flooring will shine even more brightly in the future field of floor decoration.