PVC flooring: expert installation advice

Advantages of modular tiles

This PVC tile has the following advantages:

1. The product is durable enough to withstand heavy loads and impacts. That is, you can freely move furniture on it without fear of damage or scratches appearing on it.
2. The material is resistant to the negative effects of solvents, gasoline, and chemicals.
3. Has an anti-slip effect.
4. The product does not accumulate static electricity.
5. The material does not burn.
6. Works well in rooms with high humidity levels.
7. These PVC tiles are very easy to install and clean. That is, they can be washed with a damp cloth and detergents. And 100 square meters of space can be tiled in just a day.
8. The product is universal, since the finished coating can be quickly disassembled and moved to another room.
9. Modular tiles are able to absorb noise and vibration well when walking.

It is used both in industrial premises and in living rooms. More details about the qualities of a modular floor in the video:

Scope of application of PVC floor coverings

• Warehouses (the coating is resistant to wheeled vehicles);
• Offices (the coating is resistant to the wheels of chairs and office chairs);
• Industrial enterprises (the coating is extremely wear-resistant);
• Premises or shops with high traffic (withstands the movement of a large number of people, shopping carts, stackers, forklifts);
• Garages, auto repair shops and repair areas (the coating is resistant to thorns, salts, oils);
• Seasonal premises such as outdoor cafes (floors can be dismantled and reassembled);
• Workshops (the coating does not cause sparks when metal parts fall);
• Rooms where you need to quickly lay the flooring (high speed of floor installation);
• Clinics, hospitals, children's institutions (coverage certified).

Technical characteristics and areas of application

Modular PVC tiles can be laid in the following places:

• Production workshops.
• Areas where food is prepared.
• Training and sports halls.
• Residential premises: bathrooms, toilet rooms, hallways, corridors.

Modular tiles are successfully used in garages, gyms, industrial premises, offices and in the home
. As for the technical characteristics, they are as follows:

1. Lock type: T-shaped, dovetail, stud, hidden.
2. Tile thickness: 0.5-1.6 cm.
3. Module sizes: from 25x25 to 50x50 cm.
4. Material weight: 3.3-12 kg.
5. Product density: 1.3-1.4 g/cm3.
6. Hardness of PVC tiles: 45-94 Shore.
7. Temperature range at which operation is possible: from -30 to +50 degrees.

Hidden lock type modular tiles

Main characteristics

Properties characterizing products made of polyvinyl chloride and quartz vinyl:

• the density of the material is 1.18 – 1.3 g/cm2;
• tensile strength 10 – 25 MPa;
• compressive strength 6 – 10 MPa;
• static bending strength 4 – 20 MPa;
• Brinell hardness 110 – 160 MPa;
• impact strength 7 – 15 kg/cm2;
• thermal conductivity 0.12 W/m*K;
• moisture resistance 0.0 1%;
• sound insulation 19 dB;
• wear resistance class 32.

In addition to the traditional option for manufacturing floor tiles, PVC panels are available for connection with each other with a tongue-and-groove system located around the perimeter of the tile and with Click and Lock locking systems, similar to laminate tiles.

In terms of quality, PVC flooring is superior to linoleum and comparable to some properties of laminate.

When choosing floor coverings and the same quality indicators, the cost of the products becomes decisive.

Classification of modular coverings

There are different types of modular PVC tiles:

• Tough.
• Semi-rigid.
• Soft.

In addition, the material can be divided by areas of use:

1. Lightly loaded.
2. Sports.
3. Highly loaded.
4. Dirt-resistant.
5. Moisture resistant.

The video will tell you about the different areas of application and types of modular tiles:

Based on the material of manufacture, the modular coating can be as follows:

• Garden decking. It is made from thermowood or wood materials of various species.
• Rubber tiles with special locks, which are installed mainly in technical rooms.
• Rubber crumb material that is fixed to the base with adhesive.
• PVC tiles, which are most often used in living rooms and public spaces. This is one of the most durable and reliable coatings, which is used in garages, hospitals, workshops, and residential premises with heavy load on the floor.

It is necessary to take into account that when choosing the presented floor covering, it is necessary to take into account not only the technical characteristics, type and cost of the material, but also the general design style and color of the product.

Types and varieties

According to the installation method, there are PVC floor tiles with a self-adhesive base, and there is a regular one (installation of the second type will require glue). Finishing material for this type of floor is glued end-to-end onto a flat, clean base. With this installation method, the floor covering forms a monolith with the base.

There are tiles with locks - mechanical and adhesive. The elements are connected to each other using these locks, and the coating itself turns out to be unrelated to the base. This option is called a “floating” floor.

Like linoleum, PVC floor tiles are classified according to the degree of load:

• Class 23-31 is suitable for premises with a small number of visitors. It can also be called household. Linoleum tiles of this class are the cheapest, have a thickness of up to 2 mm and a not very thick protective layer. Furniture on wheels cannot be used on such a surface. If you need a good floor covering, vinyl tiles are one of the options.
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• PVC floor tiles class 32-42 are intended for areas with intensive use. Its thickness is from 2 mm to 2.5 mm, the thickness of the protective layer is sufficient to withstand any furniture, including those on wheels. This class is optimal for apartments and private houses, and the thickness of the protective layer should be from 0.3 mm (more is better, but also more expensive).
• Class 43 is a super abrasion-resistant coating that can even withstand traffic. Area of ​​application: workshops and production facilities.

In any of the classes, the choice of color and texture is very wide. There are imitation of natural materials - wood, various types of stone, etc., there are plain ones, with and without decorative additives. The most common shape is rectangular, with different side lengths, there are squares. Rectangles are most often made to look like wood, imitating parquet or wooden floors, but squares are more often found in plain colors. Interesting panels are collected from them.

When choosing, along with the class, you need to look at the thickness of the protective coating. The thicker it is, the more durable the coating will be. The optimal choice for a house and apartment is a tile thickness of 3 mm, the thickness of the protective layer is 0.3 mm.

Installation

How to prepare the base?

In this case, there is no need to remove the old coating or layers of paint (varnish), and there is no need to moisten or dry the subfloor. All preparation consists of the following:

1. First you need to remove nails, various fasteners, and trim off large protrusions.
2. Then it is advisable to thoroughly examine the surface of the base for the presence of holes and cracks, which also need to be repaired.

   
   Holes, irregularities, cracks and chips in the base must be eliminated using cement mortar

3. Now you need to thoroughly clean the subfloor from sand, debris, and dirt. For this it is better to use a construction vacuum cleaner. Although you can get by with a homemade one, which should be quite powerful.
4. In order to prevent moisture from getting under the modular PVC tiles, it is advisable to treat the base with a special antiseptic.

Laying features

You can lay PVC modular tiles yourself. No special tools are required for this, except for a wooden or rubber mallet. The surface must be smooth and clean.

Installation should begin from the corner of the room. Do not forget about the compensation gap between the tiles and the walls, which is usually 0.6-1.2 cm. It is necessary so that the floor covering does not warp under the influence of temperature changes. It will not spoil the appearance of the room, since it will subsequently be covered with a plinth.

On the side that will be adjacent to the wall, the PVC tiles should not have locks, so they must be removed with a jigsaw. Next, the elements are connected using locks located at the edges of each module. To fix them, you do not need to hold the elements at an angle. To make a better connection, tap the lock lightly with a mallet from above.

Visual installation in video:

If the last elements do not fit into the space between the covering and the wall, they can be trimmed. Modules can be mounted with or without offset. The original option is when two colors of PVC modules are used. In this case, the floor will look like a chessboard. To create an intricate pattern, you can use tiles of several shades.

PVC tiles: not only for floors

PVC tiles can also be glued to walls - or rather, to sections of walls. For example, to highlight a TV zone. Black and white square tiles can be used to create a checkerboard on the wall. PVC tiles are sometimes used to cover walls in bathrooms.

PVC tiles with interesting patterns and textures are used to decorate furniture - for example, they cover the lids of old chests of drawers. In a word, PVC floor tiles are not just a floor, but an excellent finishing material, the scope of which is limited only by the designer’s imagination.

Types of modular tile reliefs

Modular PVC coating can have different reliefs:

• "Corn". Most often, such tiles are used for installation in technical premises: garages, repair shops. The main advantage of the product is the small depth of the pattern, so cleaning the coating will be simple and quick. In addition, the material is not slippery.
• "Coin". This type of material is made in different colors, so it can be safely used for cladding living rooms or children's playgrounds. It is characterized by a high degree of environmental cleanliness and is non-slip.

• "Orange". Best suited for gyms or food industry workshops.
• "Shagreen". This type of coating can be found in gyms, hospitals, shops, and production workshops. It is easy to clean, has a good appearance and is environmentally friendly.

Features of care

The presented PVC coating does not require the use of special cleaning products. You can simply sweep away dust and debris from its surface or vacuum it. Wet cleaning involves the use of conventional detergents.

If it is necessary to remove greasy or difficult stains from the surface of the coating, you can use degreasing solutions. In order for the surface to last longer and have a good appearance under technical conditions, it can be treated with acrylic polish.