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Sheet vinyl flooring vs click lock vinyl tiles

For aisles, kitchen and bath. What are the pros and cons of sheet vinyl (glued on subfloor) vs click lock vinly tiles (floating)? Thanks!

Comments (4)

  • SJ McCarthy
    6 years ago

    Wow. Ok. Where to start. First and foremost the SHEET vinyl is the only one that can brag about water proof. If you have leaky pets or leaky people, this is the go-to product if water PROOF is a requirement. Sheet vinyl requires a professional install which is normally quite reasonable. The costs grow with the subfloor PREPARATION costs (where are a separate line item that may not have a "final total" until the job is complete).

    The click together vinyl planks are all the rage right now. Some are DIY friendly - but most are quite picky about technique and take +++patience to learn how to do it right without breaking the click-edge. It is possible to do this yourself....but it requires an understanding that you will have a STEEP learning curve. Be OK with that.

    The cost to install the planks is a little bit more than laminate flooring. Again the costs go much higher once subfloor preparation is added in. Again, this is a separate line item that, as above, might not have a final tally until the job is complete. The "flatness" quotient for vinyl planks is extremely important and can be considered outside the comfort zone of many long-term DIYers who have tackled several different projects. Again, it is possible to DIY....but it takes quite a bit of time to learn the skill/trade. A professional can have most of this done before you have figured out how to work the self-leveling-compound (which is not self-leveling BTW).

    Is there anything else that you were looking at for information? I've just touched on the two biggest differences between the two products. I didn't know how much info you were looking for.

    Ontario_Canada5a_USDA4b thanked SJ McCarthy
  • Ontario_Canada5a_USDA4b
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks, and yes, I should have given more background info, so here goes.

    The area (aisles, kitchen, bathroom) has currently vinyl sheet flooring that is perimeter glued on 0.25" plywood (which is already installed on the subfloor, so no subfloor preparation is required).

    The glue has dried up after 18 years and some of the perimeter is curling up. I am currently considering either vinyl sheet flooring (again) or click lock (12" x 24") tiles.

    Why the latter option is all the rage these days? Is it ease of installation? Is there a drying time for glued on vinyl sheet? This time, I'd like full area glued (not perimeter glued). Some say that the new vinyl sheet can be glued on the old one, how sound is this advice?

    I would have either option installed (not DIY).

  • SJ McCarthy
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    It is common, after 18 years, to have adhesive let go. That's normal. It just means it is time to get a new floor. You CANNOT lay sheet vinyl over a floor that is failing. It isn't allowed. You need a "well adhered" layer of vinyl underneath to add another layer on top. And you do not have that. The original has to come out.

    The vinyl planks are a "rage" because of the wood-look appearance. Everyone wants wood-look products and vinyl planks give them that look. It is only a matter of aesthetics. And it is DIY possible. And the rage of DIY is HUGE (which is why we have many threads about how to do stuff).

    A full spread glue is an excellent option for sheet vinyl. It gives the longest life span. Adhesive cure times for sheet vinyl can have 2-5 days....but that's about it.

    Ontario_Canada5a_USDA4b thanked SJ McCarthy
  • socks
    2 years ago

    We have (old) coved sheet vinyl in the kitchen snd small bath which includes washing machine, refrigerator, and toilet. This week the icemaker sprayed 1” of water throughout kit and bath. Big mop up job. This was just coincidental with floor replacement which started yesterday. When the installer took up the old floor, there was no sign of wet on the subfloor. We are getting solid surface again Not sure if planks would have held back the water if we’d had that kind of flooring.