Sheet Vinyl

The World’s Fair.  So many things that are common to us today were introduced at these giant expositions:  Juicy Fruit Gum, Shredded Wheat, the hamburger, the zipper, Cracker Jacks and vinyl flooring.

Yes, vinyl flooring.  This classic for kitchens and bathrooms was introduced at the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago, and has been a favorite ever since.

And boy, has vinyl come a long way in the past 88 years.   Once it had to scrubbed, stripped and waxed, but the introduction of no-wax vinyl flooring put an end to all of the maintenance.  And the styles!  From natural stone to wood to classic tile to Jackson Pollack-esque paint splatters, there’s a vinyl style for everyone, and I mean EVERYONE.

Because of the versatile patterns and authentic-looking designs, vinyl has broken out of the kitchen and bathroom and can be found across the country covering floors in living rooms, bedrooms, dens and basements.

Vinyl requires a perfectly smooth surface to be installed on, and extensive floor preparation sometimes needs to be done in order to have a proper installation.  That being said, vinyl can be installed over just about any surface as long as adequate underlayment is used and proper floor prep is done.

Like with just about everything else in life, vinyl  can be found in good, better and best categories, so you’ll need to consider how much traffic you’re new floor will be expected to take.  You can get away with a base-grade floor for a guest bath that’s rarely used, but you’ll need something a little more heavy duty for a kitchen or high-traffic hallways.  Make you selection based on how and how often the room will be used, the size of your family, and how long you’re planning on staying in your home.

For 88 years, vinyl has been a top flooring choice in homes across the country, and that won’t be changing any time soon, so be assured that when you get your new floor installed, you’ll be part of a great tradition in flooring.