Introduction to All Types of Flooring (Part 2)

In Part one of this two-part article, we mentioned the more significant types of flooring. In this part, we will dive even deeper into various flooring types and get familiar with all of the terms, differences, and pros and cons of each type. Let’s get into it.

PVC or Vinyl Flooring

PVC flooring has good resistance and is also resistant to water and moisture, so it is the right choice for kitchens. This type of flooring is heat-insulating and is warm in the winter and cold in the summer. They are also economical to use and easy to clean.

Other benefits of vinyl flooring include fire resistance. This type of flooring is more resistant to impact and abrasion than other floors. They are also a type of sanitary flooring or hospital flooring and can be used in health centers. Since plastic is used in the design of these floors, they are also called glass floors.

This type of flooring is made of a layer of PVC. Their lower and upper surfaces are covered with film. The final layer is a glossy and colorless layer. Today, the use of Vinyl flooring is very popular because it has many advantages over other floorings.

Installing PVC flooring

Like installing other floors, in installing PVC flooring, the substructure must be done first. A combination of cement, stone powder, and concrete adhesive are used for the substructure. These materials are mixed with water and spread on the surface with a flat spatula. The most suitable adhesive for gluing PVC flooring is industrial glue. PVC flooring is laid in various forms, like rhombus form, mosaic form, brick form, and other methods. The most common way is the brick form.

Disadvantages of PVC flooring

Although PVC flooring is very durable and easy to maintain, it has the following disadvantages:

The substances used in its production may produce toxic gases. These gases cause harmful effects, such as eye burns and respiratory problems.

Vinyl flooring has a high resistance to stains, but it will change color if it is exposed to rubber. 

When this flooring is damaged, it should be removed from the floor and replaced with another flooring. So, it can not be repaired.

PVC is a non-renewable material.

Roll Flooring

PVC flooring is generally in the form of rolls, and they are straightforward to install. Because these floors are packed in rolls, they are called roll flooring.

Industrial Flooring

Another example of flooring that can be used in construction is industrial flooring. This flooring can be used in warehouses, industrial centers, and even restaurants. The price of industrial flooring can vary depending on the area of ​​the desired space and the flooring quality.

Traffic Flooring

An example of flooring used in high-traffic environments such as parking lots, streets, etc., is traffic flooring. This flooring has high safety. Materials such as epoxy, concrete, polymeric materials, etc., are used to construct these floors.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring can be considered a subset of wood flooring discussed in Part 1 of this article. One of the advantages of bamboo flooring is its strength and pleasing appearance. Although these floors do not seem to have high strength and hardness, it is the opposite. The hardness of bamboo wood can be considered equal to oak wood. One of the advantages of bamboo flooring is its compatibility with any weather.

Glass Flooring

Another example of a type of flooring that you can use in building design is glass flooring. These floors can be used indoors and outdoors. There are misconceptions about the use of this flooring.

For example, some people think that these floors are not durable enough, but this is not the case. Like other floorings, glass flooring is available in different sizes and can be used according to every individual’s needs and tastes.

Epoxy Flooring

3D or plain epoxy flooring is used as decorative flooring and as a kind of sanitary flooring. These floors are one of the most suitable flooring types due to their various physical and chemical properties. They are available in different colors and have high transparency and gloss.

The advantages of decorative epoxy flooring include high abrasion resistance as well as fire resistance. Therefore, these floors are suitable for environments where there is a lot of traffic. They also have antibacterial properties, so they are used in hospital environments and stadiums.

The steps of applying epoxy flooring include cleaning and then surface sanding, using concrete primer, mastic, putty, and topcoat by comb method. Because these flooring types are resistant to environmental conditions and abrasion, they are also known as anti-wear floors.

Epoxy flooring can also be used as a hospital floor because it has the hospital floor’s characteristics such as uniformity, antibacterial, easy to wash, slip and abrasion-resistant, and so on. Epoxy flooring can also be the right choice for industrial kitchen flooring.

Epoxy is a material used in various floors’ production and is formed by the chemical reaction of two materials, epoxy resin and polyamine.

Concrete Flooring

Concrete flooring can be considered as a type of durable flooring. The use of these floors is common in environments such as modern terraces, industrially designed spaces, and apartments. They have a cold level, and it is better to use under-floor heating systems for cold seasons if used in the apartment.

Three Dimensional flooring (decorative flooring)

3D flooring can be considered a new generation of flooring. This decorative flooring will give a beautiful and fresh look to your home and will amaze anyone who enters the house. It should be noted that the best place to install these floors is in the bathroom.

Install 3D flooring

To install 3D flooring, after determining the size of the floor, measure the desired location. In the next step, print the desired design and prepare the selected location. The best substructure for installing 3D flooring is mosaic or cement. In the next step, mix the liquid polyurethane with the putty powder and spread it over the floor of the desired place.

Then place the print on the floor and make sure it is in the correct position. Then aerate with a rubber spatula and then draw the rollers dipped in the print material to create a perfectly uniform surface. After finishing the work, you have to wait for three days for the polyurethane to harden. 3D epoxy flooring is an example of this flooring.

Price of three-dimensional flooring

The price of 3D flooring can vary depending on the size of the space. The quality of the product can also affect its price.

Granular flooring

Granular flooring is produced from first-class materials of crushed plastic waste or raw granules. Its most important features are high strength and durability. Because of its strength, these floors are used in spaces such as parks, kindergartens, and sports clubs. Granular flooring is known as baby flooring and can be used in various colors in a child’s room. Granular flooring is also very suitable for a kindergarten floor.

Installing granular flooring

There are three ways to install granular flooring. The first method is a simple installation of flooring. In this method, the installation is completed only by placing the floor on the ground. Of course, using this method, in the long run, will cause the floor to move.

In the second method, industrial adhesives are used for installation. In this method, the appropriate infrastructure must first be done, and the surface must be smoothed. The glue is spread on the ground in the next step, and the floor is placed on it. In the last method, screws and roll bolts can be used to install the flooring. In this method, if it has a rough surface and you do not have enough time to rebuild, you can attach each puzzle to your side puzzle using screws and roll bolts. Granular flooring as an outdoor flooring such as parks can be an excellent option to use.

Polyurethane flooring

Polyurethane flooring is made on the basis of polyurethane resin and is evenly spread on concrete surfaces. This flooring is self-leveling at the time of execution, which means that it can be poured on the floor in any case, creating a very smooth and beautiful surface. Polyurethane flooring adheres well to concrete, metal, ceramic, and stone surfaces and has high flexibility.

The tensile and abrasion resistance of this flooring is high, and it is not damaged by impact and scratches. Also, their surface is shiny and smooth and does not react to acidic and alkaline substances. Polyurethane flooring is a kind of antibacterial flooring, and it is easy to clean. Polyurethane sports flooring and cold storage polyurethane flooring are examples of these floors.

Sports polyurethane flooring

The sports sample of this flooring is entirely uniform and is resistant to chemicals and fire. As their name suggests, polyurethane sports flooring is used in sports clubs. Among this flooring’s working tools, we can mention bubble rollers, mixers, floor polishers, etc.

Cold storage polyurethane flooring

Since cold storages are an example of industrial places, the use of industrial flooring in its design is essential. Polyurethane flooring is resistant to low temperatures; therefore, using them in cold storages can be the right choice. It is possible to find out how and at what price to do this by referring to polyurethane flooring companies and polyurethane flooring contractors.

Installation of polyurethane flooring

What is especially important in the installation of polyurethane flooring is the implementation of a suitable substrate. The best substructure for these floors is a concrete surface, which is mechanized. It takes at least 28 days for this concrete to reach deep dryness. After preparing the substrate, which should be free of moisture and dust, it is time to apply epoxy primer to the floor.

At this stage, fill the crevices with epoxy grout and then clean and sand the place. In the next step, use an epoxy primer for the whole surface. If necessary, glue the mesh on the seams and apply the middle layer of epoxy flooring.

Then clean again, and in the next step, apply the top layer of polyurethane flooring. The next step is to allow the top layer to dry and finally use the final layer of rollers to create a uniform surface.