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New Zealand Home & Building, October-November 1985

Treading softly with Vinyl and Rubber

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Treading softly with Vinyl and Rubber

Photo courtesy L. T. Jacobsen Floorings Ltd.

Photo courtesy L. T. Jacobsen Floorings Ltd.

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Vinyl sheeting is a product of today. It has been well proven and is now availble in a wide range of style, colour and cost. We import all vinyl products for the local market.

Vinyls are made in one of three ways:

1.As a pre-mixed solid slab of material which is baked on to a backing and contains one colour. This has very hard-wearing properties and is the way some commercial sheet vinyl is made.
2.As a series of layers. A jel is spread over the backing and printed with a pattern. Then a clear vinyl wear layer is added. These vinyls have a length of life that corresponds with the thickness of the wear layer. The cost of the vinyl is often indicative of the life expectancy of this wear layer.
3.Inlaid vinyl, which is a process somewhere between the two. The pattern is incorporated into the PVC material itself and is present throughout the vinyl thickness which produces a very hard-wearing product.

Prices of vinyls range from $20 to over $100 per linear meter, but it is a fact that in this sort of flooring cost is a good indicator of quality.

While most suppliers would recommend that vinyl be professionally laid, there is a growing market for the DIY enthusiast. A recent introduction to the market has been the 'lay flat' vinyls, which may be loose-layed not completely adhered to the floor, or layered in a temporary fashion with the use of special double sided tape. Vinyls can be laid on any hard surface provided that it is clean, dry and smooth.

There is a wide range of colour and design to choose from in New Zealand.

European styles have recently had a very strong influence locally, superseding designs from America which were more popular five years ago. This is attributed both to changing tastes and the strength of the American dollar. The European look is often soft using strong but muted earth tones, while the American look is usually light, bright and clean cut. Some of the new high-tech looks, however, have also come from Europe including 'metallic look' vinyl sheeting.

As fashions change, so does the use of vinyl. Vinyl wall cladding has become increasingly popular and the product used for this is the same as for flooring, as long as it is flexible. It is therefore important to consider the pliability of the vinyl you choose if you are considering using it on walls. Cladding for walls also comes in narrower widths than flooring vinyl.

For many years, vinyl has been used to simulate other more expensive floor surfaces; slate, for example, or quarry tiles. But today, vinyl sheeting is chosen for itself and is frequently used as a fashion item in its own right.

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Vinyl Tiles

Vinyl tiles have the same qualities as sheet vinyl but are easier to lay and allow flexibility of design. Tiles can be laid on any smooth surface provided the recommended adhesive is used. The ease with which they are laid makes them very popular with the home handyman, but they also receive plenty of interest from the commercial world, particularly in areas of high traffic density. In this situation, areas which may wear more quickly than others can be replaced without the need to resurface the entire floor.

Vinyl tiles are also available in a wide range of colours and styles ranging from simulated natural stone to high-tech and bold colours.

As with all vinyl products, the life expectancy of any tile is dependent upon the quality of the wear layer.

Rubber

Pirelli rubber flooring, the studded rubber tile imported from Italy is gaining ever-increasing popularity. Once used solely for commercial interiors, it has recently become popular for domestic interior design. The product is now available in a wide page 103range of colours, the majority of which are available readily in New Zealand.

The tiles which are 500mm square, have a surface which is covered in raised, circular studs about the size of a ten cent piece. The studs have sloping sides to discourage dirt build up and for ease of cleaning.

Rubber flooring with its high-tech appeal has proved so popular that a new product is now available for the light commercial and domestic market which has a lower profile stud than the traditional tile. It is easily maintained, requiring only a vacuuming and the occasional light wash. Floor polishes should not be used.

There is also a vinyl product on the market which looks very like Pirelli flooring. It also has hard wearing properties and comes in several colours.

Vinyl was chosen for this kitchen floor because it was practical for an area that tends to be used as a main entry by its owners.

Vinyl was chosen for this kitchen floor because it was practical for an area that tends to be used as a main entry by its owners.

Vinyl flooring — there is now a wide range of colour and design to choose from in New Zealand.Photo courtesy L. T. Jacobsen Floorings Ltd.

Vinyl flooring — there is now a wide range of colour and design to choose from in New Zealand.
Photo courtesy L. T. Jacobsen Floorings Ltd.

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