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Waterproof products such as wood plastic composite (WPC) vinyl and stone plastic composite or stone polymer composite (SPC) rigid core vinyl are growing in popularity, as homeowners look for more innovative, durable flooring solutions. Read all about the benefits of installing waterproof flooring products to your home!
4 Reasons to Choose Waterproof Vinyl Flooring
Prevents Moisture Buildup
Spills and water splashed from showers and sinks all create moisture in the home. Leaky pipes can also cause moisture buildup before you even detect the problem. It’s not just the accident-prone who have to worry about moisture buildup, either. Steam from showers and even high levels of humidity can make moisture build up in your home. More porous floors of rooms below the ground, such as basements, are also vulnerable to water vapor from the soil seeping in.
When moisture builds up, it creates the perfect breeding ground for nasties such as mold and mildew. Mold and mildew spores can be picked up by the air and transported throughout your home. They can cause a raft of health problems, including itchy and watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and breathing difficulties. Some medical professionals fear they could even cause cancer and damage the liver and nervous system. Certain people — including asthmatics and others with respiratory illnesses, people with allergies, and the sick and elderly — are especially vulnerable to the effects of mold and mildew.
Mold and mildew aren’t just hazardous to your health. Over time, these substances and a buildup of moisture itself can also cause water damage, especially in notoriously damp areas such as basements. Polystyrene treatments do their best to protect basement floors, but it takes just a little puncture to render them useless. Regular flooring can also swell, warp, and discolor as water takes hold. Fixing water damage is costly. Waterproof flooring reduces the risk of incurring an expensive water damage repair bill.
Water has the potential to damage more than your home. It can also damage expensive items in it. Should the bathroom above your home office leak, you’ll be grateful for a waterproof floor that prevents water dripping down to your computer and printer below.
Easy to Clean
Waterproof vinyl flooring is a breeze to keep clean because it repels spills and stains. Substances sit on the surface of waterproof floors, rather than soaking in, so you can simply wipe them away. For a more intensive clean, simply run a wet mop or a steam cleaner over the floor. Since it’s water-resistant, you don’t need to worry about water damage as you do when cleaning wooden floorboards.
Waterproof vinyl’s easy-to-clean properties make it perfect for high-traffic areas where spills and splashes often occur, such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Perfect for Pets and Kids
If you live with pets and children, you know accidents happen. Trying to break them of bad behaviors can be nearly impossible, but you wouldn’t have them any other way. Rather than forcing these messy members of your family outdoors, make flooring decisions that let your pets and kids do their thing. With waterproof vinyl, you can breathe a little easier and let your human kids and your fur kids roam freely around your home.
Water isn’t the only wet substance that won’t seep into waterproof flooring solutions. If your pet isn’t house-trained, accidents can easily go undetected until odors set in. With a waterproof floor, however, these accidents will simply sit on the surface until you find them. Your kids’ spilled milk is no reason for tears either, when you have a waterproof floor.
It doesn’t just resist water and other wet substances. It’s coating also resists damage, so it shouldn’t show pet scratches or scuffs from clomping kids’ shoes. Its stain-resistance and easy-maintenance properties will also benefit moms and dads of human kids and fur kids alike. When you’ve got your hands full with little ones, these benefits are real pluses.
Available in Various Styles
When you choose waterproof vinyl flooring, you're not locked in to any one look or style. You might be impressed by how stylish modern waterproof flooring solutions are. BuildDirect carries a wide variety of waterproof vinyl to suit all tastes and budgets.
Waterproof Vinyl Options: WPC vs. SPC
WPC vinyl flooring, is a type of vinyl made from a mix of wood and plastic. It's most often used in outdoor spaces, including decks and patios. However, its hard-wearing credentials make it an increasingly popular choice for high-traffic areas indoors. It's not quite as durable as laminate, but it's much more water-resistant. Some sellers even place WPC pieces inside fish tanks to prove how effectively they repel water. Do that with laminate and you'd just end up with a soggy tile.
For many years, WPC vinyl flooring was considered the gold standard for waterproof floors. However, today SPC rigid core vinyl is seen as the most effective waterproof flooring solution. Since it's made from a mix of stone and plastic, the core of SPC rigid core vinyl is much tougher than WPC vinyl. This toughness means SPC rigid core vinyl won't warp or lose its shape, even if it's laid down over an uneven subfloor. SPC rigid core vinyl planks also have head-turning looks resembling the best wood and stone tiles.
SPC rigid core vinyl floors aren't as forgiving underfoot as WPC vinyl ones though. Many people choose WPC vinyl because it's more comfortable to walk on. It can also be safer in areas where slip-and-fall accidents often occur, such as bathrooms.
Other Waterproof Options
“Water resistant” laminate is a traditional choice. It has a water-resistant foundation beneath a fiberboard core. These layers are then coated with resin to help the flooring resist moisture and wear and tear. Water-resistant laminate is typically fashioned to look like wood or stone tiles.
When you're laying down flooring, think outside the box. New waterproof flooring products such as WPC and SPC rigid core vinyl, along with more traditional choices such as water-resistant laminate, have some great benefits that make them superb choices for any home.
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