hundstorfer

Ask most people their opinion of vinyl flooring and it's a safe best you'll get a lot of negative reactions. That's because vinyl flooring products have historically been some of the ugliest things in the home construction industry. Combined with linoleum, which vinyl is often confused with, synthetic materials has long been the bane of many a flooring designer and installer.

Yet today's technology is changing the face of vinyl flooring from a cheap product reserved for the lower class, to one for the masses that rivals even the finest natural materials. It's no longer necessary to spend a small fortune for an elegant kitchen or dining room floor that looks good and is durable. One need only look around for a quality vinyl manufacturer.

Amtico is just one of the manufacturers taking advantage of today's market for simulated flooring. They have been in business since the 1960s, perfecting their patented techniques for creating the world's finest vinyl flooring tiles. Their hundreds of products, from simulated wood to stone to glass, have made Amtico an industry leader in vinyl flooring.

One of their most impressive products is an antique wood “plank” engineered to look like reclaimed flooring from an old house. The incredible detailing includes cuts and scratches, nail holes, and a patina finish that is absolutely unreal. And like all Amtico floors, the antique wood planks are guaranteed to not wear out for at least twenty years.

Some of the other things that can be done with vinyl include a simulated marble floor with slate inlays. Unlike the old vinyl and linoleum floors of days gone by, which came in long roles, modern vinyl flooring is manufactured as individual tiles or planks. With the simulated marble, you are laying the floor down in tiles, just as you would with real marble. The corners are bevelled so that you can insert the individual pieces of the slate inlay.

Even simulated glass and copper is no problem for a good vinyl manufacturer. Amtico makes a simulated wood floor with an intricate, patterned border around the perimeter. The outside edge of the border is defined by what appears to be a real copper strip. It even has that slightly shiny glimmer one normally expects with copper.

One of the best things about modern vinyl flooring is the ease of installation. The best manufacturers pre-cut and fit your tiles or planks right in the factory. The only think you need to cut yourself are the perimeter pieces. Installation is just a matter of applying a thin coat of adhesive and laying the tiles in place. It couldn't be simpler.

Home owners, a new age of vinyl flooring is here. I say, welcome.