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What You Should Know Before Buying Vinyl
Flooring
Resilient or vinyl flooring can be both fashionable as well
as durable. Resilient flooring is available in a variety of
colors, styles and textures to suit any customer's budgetary,
aesthetic, or performance needs.
Manufacturing
Rotogravure
Printing
In the Rotogravure Printing process, a coating of
liquid gel is applied to the backing. The liquid gel is then
cured in an oven. This gel later becomes the inner core of
the vinyl. It is this layer on which the pattern is printed
by passing through a series of cylinders. The number of cylinders
used depends on how detailed and colorful the pattern is.
A different color and a part of the pattern is applied with
each cylinder. The inks contain a chemical inhibitor that
reacts to heat. This chemical controls the expansion of the
gel coat layer during printing creating an embossed surface
on the vinyl. After printing, a wear layer is applied in liquid
form. This layer varies in thickness depending on the product
being manufactured. The product then goes back through the
oven curing the wear layer and causing the gel coat layer
to expand creating the pattern's definition and embossing.
Products are available in both 6 and 12 foot widths.
Rotogravure with
Inlaid Chips
This process is similar to the Rotogravure Printing process;
however, after the gel coat surface is printed, a liquid wear
layer surface is applied, and vinyl chips are sprinkled into
the liquid. This wear layer is then cured in the oven. A final
wear layer is then applied and cured in the oven again. This
process provides additional patterning effects in vinyl products.
Some manufactures may refer to this process as inlaid vinyl.
Inlaid Vinyl
In this process, metal stencils are made. The stencils are
placed one at a time over the backing, and many colorful vinyl
granules are sprinkled through the stencil. A different stencil
is used for each color and part of the pattern. Of course,
the more complex or rich designs will require more stencils
than simpler patterns. Following the stencilling process,
intense heat and pressure is applied in order to fuse the
granules into a solid, durable product. A wear layer is then
applied in a liquid form and the flooring is placed back through
the oven to be cured. Since each of the stencils are 54 inches
long, the inlaid flooring can only be made 54 inches at a
time. This is a slower and more costly process than Rotogravure.
Inlaid products offer an elegant, hand-crafted look. Products
are available in 6 foot width only.
Backing
Felt
A moisture-resistant latex backing. Felt backing is made to
fully adhere to the floor. If the floor has irregularities,
felt backing should not be used.
Vinyl
Flexible backing that enables a floor to be installed over
most existing flooring and will expand and contract with subfloor
movement while bridging over subfloor irregularities. Vinyl
backing products should be used over particle board.
Finishes
Satin PVC (Poly-Vinyl-Chloride)
Provides a more dull or unfinished look. PVC will require
periodic polishing or buffing to retain its "like new" look.
PVC is very resistant to staining.
High Gloss Urethane
Provides a more "wet" look. Urethane backing is low maintenance
and scuff resistant.
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