Wear Layer Vinyl Flooring

In the middle is a slice of vinyl plank flooring from the home decorators collection in noble oak.

Wear layer vinyl flooring.

The two main types of vinyl flooring are luxury vinyl tiles lvt and vinyl roll. The most popular is a urethane based layer that protects the floor against scratches stains and scuff marks. If you are going to be installing your vinyl plank flooring in an area with high foot traffic such as a restaurant or retail space choose flooring with a wear layer of at least 20 mil 0 02 in. Thick vinyl thick wear layer higher quality.

Why is the wear layer important. The thickness of the wear layer is measured in mils and wear layers are typically 6 12 or 20 mils thick. Put simply the wear layer is the top surface that provides the durability stain and scratch resistance of vinyl flooring. The wear layer is usually a clear urethane based coating that keeps the original appearance of the floor and provides easy maintenance.

Made of clear pvc film and applied to the top of the photographic layer the wear layer adds an extra boost of durability and extends the life of your resilient flooring. Opt for a 20 mil wear layer for commercial spaces. Well it s what protects your vinyl flooring from surface scratches and stains. It s simple the wear layer helps your floor last longer.

The level of wear on a vinyl plank is measured in mil one thousandth of an inch a mil is not the same as a millimeter as roughly 40 mil equals 1 0 mm 39 4 mil to 1 mm to be exact. Typically the wear layer is given some level of texture or embossing to better compliment the look of the print film being used. Vinyl flooring is a product composed of several layers of different materials sandwiched together to form a highly durable practical and affordable floor covering. Vinyl floor layer diagram courtesy of.

This will ensure that your flooring is sufficiently durable to last for several years. This top layer of pure vinyl is called the wear layer and is the most expensive part of the flooring since it is the only thing protecting the paper print film. A thicker layer is more resistant to scratching and denting. Thicker longer warranty.

Better quality flooring tends to have the highest wear layers but is more expensive. It s slightly thicker at 4mm with an 8mil wear layer while the bottom sample is shaw matrix at 3 2mm thick with a 6mil wear. If you re using vinyl planks for a low traffic area you might not need the thickest wear layer. In the photo below the top sample carries the trafficmaster allure branding and is 3 8mm thick with a 4mil wear layer.

The wear layer is the protective coating on top of the decorative layer of the vinyl flooring. They also have a transparent wear layer which provides additional durability. With new technology some vinyls now offer added uv or durability layers on top of.