Commercial Sheet Vinyl Flooring

Durable and Versatile

March 23, 2023 | By AHF Contract Expert

Commercial sheet vinyl flooring is popular in several industries, including healthcare, education, hospitality, and retail. It offers durability, versatility, and slip resistance. Plus, it’s low maintenance and comes in multiple designs and colors. Best of all, it’s affordable compared to many other commercial flooring types.

Types of Commercial Sheet Vinyl

There are two main commercial sheet vinyl flooring types: homogeneous and heterogeneous.

Homogeneous sheet vinyl features a single layer of material using the same content from top to bottom. As a result, its color runs throughout the entire thickness of the material. Although this limits the design options for homogeneous sheet flooring, it improves its wear resistance compared to heterogeneous.

Conversely, heterogeneous sheet vinyl uses multiple layers in its construction – UV, wear, printed, glass fiber, and a backing layer. The printed layer allows manufacturers to create different patterns and designs, mimicking natural materials like wood or stone. However, the design is limited to the print layer and doesn’t permeate the entire material like homogeneous sheet vinyl.

Indeed, thickness and wear layer are essential considerations for commercial sheet vinyl flooring. Thicker flooring typically lasts longer and is more durable in a commercial environment.

The wear layer determines the level of protection against scratches, scuffs, and stains. For example, higher-end commercial vinyl sheet flooring has a wear layer of 20 mils (20/1000 of an inch) or more.

Benefits of Commercial Sheet Vinyl Flooring

First, it’s highly durable and long-lasting, with some products lasting up to 20 years or more. Its longevity makes it cost-effective for businesses with heavy foot traffic looking for a lasting flooring solution.

Second, commercial sheet vinyl flooring is low maintenance. For example, unlike other flooring types requiring more involved care, you can easily clean it with a damp mop. Moreover, commercial sheet vinyl doesn’t require waxing or polishing like other commercial flooring types. So, you’ll save time and money on maintenance costs.

Third, commercial sheet vinyl is slip-resistant, making it a safe choice for businesses where slip-and-fall accidents could happen. In addition, many commercial sheet vinyl products have textured surfaces. Those surfaces provide additional grip and traction, even more reducing the risk of accidents.

Fourth, you can customize the flooring to fit your aesthetic needs. For example, you can create the look of hardwood flooring or use a bold, colorful pattern to make a statement. That level of versatility adds to its growing popularity.

Fifth, commercial sheet vinyl is easy to install. Typically, standard rolls are 72 inches, which covers a significant area when rolled out. That makes installation fast while reducing seams and creating a cleaner overall look.
In addition, there are no ends or joints, unlike tile and plank flooring products. That prevents dirt and grime buildup for improved hygiene.

Finally, commercial sheet vinyl flooring is affordable, especially compared to stone, wood, or tile materials. You can install quality flooring that withstands heavy traffic but won’t break the bank.

In addition, there are no ends or joints, unlike tile and plank flooring products. That prevents dirt and grime buildup for improved hygiene.

Finally, commercial sheet vinyl flooring is affordable, especially compared to stone, wood, or tile materials. You can install quality flooring that withstands heavy traffic but won’t break the bank.

Healthcare Facilities Routinely Look to Commercial Vinyl Sheet Flooring

Commercial sheet vinyl is routinely used in healthcare facilities. They demand flooring that’s easy to clean, slip-resistant, and capable of withstanding heavy traffic.

Most importantly, sheet vinyl has excellent infection-control properties, which is critical for healthcare settings. For example, sheet vinyl flooring has fewer seams, making it ideal for areas where moisture is a concern.

Indeed, the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) recommends that areas like operating rooms use monolithic or seamless flooring. It dramatically improves sanitation and infection control, and sheet vinyl fits the bill.

Moreover, as mentioned, vinyl sheet flooring installs quickly. So that helps reduce installation costs, allowing healthcare facilities to stick with their budgets.

Other Businesses Increasingly Turn to Commercial Sheet Vinyl

Not surprisingly, other commercial sectors have caught on to the benefits sheet vinyl has always provided for healthcare operations. As a result, commercial sheet vinyl is growing in popularity among retail, commercial, education, and hospitality settings.

COVID has increased hygiene awareness across each of these sectors. So many now turn to sheet vinyl for its hygienic benefits. At the same time, they enjoy the added benefits sheet vinyl affords:

·       Durability to withstand high traffic
·       Fast installation for cost controls
·       Moisture resistance for bathrooms, gyms, kitchens, etc.
·       Slip resistance for safety considerations.

And the icing on the cake is that sheet vinyl is incredibly affordable compared to other flooring options. It’s even more affordable than other vinyl options like luxury plank and tile.

Installing Commercial Sheet Vinyl

Like any flooring, proper installation is crucial to ensuring its longevity and appearance.

You can install sheet vinyl over concrete, hardwood, vinyl, or plywood. In addition, you can glue or float the flooring. But there is a significant caveat.

Before installing any sheet vinyl, properly preparing the subfloor is imperative. It must be clean, level, and debris-free. Properly preparing the subfloor is critical, or imperfections will be noticeable after installation. Equally important, bumps will impact the wear of the flooring.

If the subfloor isn’t level, you may need to sand it or use a self-leveling compound. Once your subfloor is level, you can roll out the sheet vinyl to fit the space. Although sometimes forgotten, sheet vinyl should be left to acclimate to room temperature at least 24 hours before installation.

Maintaining Commercial Sheet Vinyl Flooring

As mentioned above, facilities love sheet vinyl for its almost maintenance-free properties. Just sweep or vacuum regularly to remove dirt and grit that can scratch the floor. And it’s best if you also wipe up spills promptly.

Aside from that, you can damp-mop the flooring with a mild detergent or a neutral pH floor cleaner as needed. Always avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners that can damage the flooring.

You can add some years to the flooring’s life by taking some added precautions:

1.     Consider placing mats at entryways to reduce grime buildup
2.     Use pads underneath the furniture to avoid denting or scratching
3.     Use furniture glides if you have to move any office furniture.

Equally important, you’ll never have to polish commercial sheet vinyl flooring. So you won’t have to worry about spending significant monies on flooring maintenance.

Talk to AHF Contract™ About Your Commercial Flooring Needs

We specialize in commercial vinyl flooring. You can select everything from commercial sheet vinyl and rigid core to luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and vinyl-based tile (VBT™).

You can even see how our flooring looks in your commercial setting. Just upload a photo of your interior to our flooring visualizer and let it do the rest.

Call 1-866-243-2726 to talk with one of our representatives.