Laminate and Vinyl Flooring

Remodeling All-Stars

Vinyl

For a tough, cost-effective floor covering, consider sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles. These are easily glued to concrete subfloors. Cushion-backed sheet vinyl offers an extra measure of comfort on hard concrete slabs. For any vinyl product, make sure the subfloor is completely smooth and free of defects before installation. Otherwise, imperfections such as cracks eventually will show through the flooring and possibly cause the material to tear.

Laminate

Laminate flooring features a decorative image printed on one or more thin sheets of paper or other fibrous material. The decorative layer, which mimics a variety of materials such as wood, ceramic tile, or stone, is impregnated with plastic or resin and bonded to a rigid core for durability. Today's virtually stainproof laminate flooring planks and tiles are easy to clean, never fade, and never need waxing. Add pads to furniture feet to avoid scratching the flooring surface.