Margot Cavin / The Spruce
Standard vinyl flooring still plays a major role in residential flooring.
The two forms of standard vinyl flooringsheet vinyl and vinyl tilesshare many of the same advantages.
But there are also key differences between the two types, making each particularly well suited for certain applications.
Margot Cavin / The Spruce
Both are relatively thin materials, as little as 1/16 inch thick.
(Luxury vinyl planks, by comparison, can be as much as 1/3 inch thick.)
When you see standard vinyl flooring, you nearly always recognize it as an economy, low-end flooring material.
High heat can melt the surface, leaving a disfiguring burn mark.
Vinyl tile has the same easy-clean profile as sheet vinyl.
Simple daily sweeping and occasional damp mopping with a mild detergent is all that’s normally required.
Margot Cavin / The Spruce
Durability and Maintenance
Vinyl flooring, as a category, is only modestly durable.
Even just dropping a heavy pan on vinyl flooring can leave it with a permanent scar.
Cutting out the patch along existing pattern lines can help, but it is a difficult skill to master.
Margot Cavin / The Spruce
Repairs are easier with tile than with sheet vinyl since it is possible to remove and replace individual tiles.
From there, you could replace the tile with a matching tile.
Done carefully, the repair is completely and invisibly integrated into the rest of the floor.
Margot Cavin / The Spruce
Special techniques are required to join the seams where two pieces of vinyl meet.
Sheet vinyl is sometimes installed by DIYersmany of whom then wish they had not attempted it.
Tile has the unquestioned advantage over sheet vinyl in the eyes of do-it-yourselfers.
Tiles are relatively easy to install once careful layout lines are drawn on the underlayment.
The project can usually be done by a moderately skilled amateur.
Some pros find this method questionable and prefer to use trowel-on adhesive since it is more secure.
It is easy to see why, since sheet vinyl can be mass-produced in huge rolls.
Peel-and-stick vinyl tile generally sells for $1.50 to $3 per square foot.
Lifespan
Good quality sheet vinyl has been known to last for 20 years or even more.
A more typical lifespan is 10 years.
The lifespan for vinyl tile is comparable to that for sheet vinyl.
Best for Lifespan: Tie
On average, vinyl flooring lasts 10 to 20 years.
Vinyl flooring in a rarely used guest bathroom, for example, may last for many decades.
Vinyl tiles are usually squares ranging from 9 to 18 inches across.
Vinyl tile has the same characteristics for comfort and sound.
Resale Value
Standard vinyl in any form is regarded as an economy flooring material.
Vinyl tile is also considered an economy flooring material.
Top Brands
The major brands for vinyl flooring are very large, well-known companies.
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.
