PVC floors

Hello everyone,

What experiences have you had with PVC floors? I want to install a design floor in the bathroom. From what I have read so far, an online provider offers the desired floor with a 0.3mm wear layer. How important is a thick wear layer?

Thank you very much for the inputs.

Frank

Hello,

Considering that a PVC covering is only 1-3mm thick, 0.3mm "wear layer" would not be insignificant. However, "wear layer" would be the wrong term. PVC coverings consist of several layers due to manufacturing, the top layer is simply a transparent top coat.

The term "wear layers" is used, for example, with laminated wood or cork coverings, where the wear layer consists of the respective material after which it is named. A prefinished wood parquet with a 1mm wear layer would simply be inferior to a prefinished parquet with a 4mm wear layer (the latter would be more resistant to abrasion, could be sanded, etc.) - with PVC coverings, however, the term "wear layer" is rather insignificant.

Hello,

In my opinion, even the manufacturers themselves use the term Nutzschicht. For example, Forbo floor coverings show the Nutzschicht as 0.35 mm. This specification is also used by the B2C providers.

Hello kurmannr,

Manufacturers specifically refer to the wear layer when talking about CV (cushioned vinyl) coverings. These are multilayered and have a so-called wear layer above the patterned middle layer.
Single-layer PVC coverings only have the sealing of the design; however, this is also commonly referred to as the wear layer.

The durability of a PVC covering depends not only on the upper, patterned wear layer but also on the backing layer. The backing layer, usually foamed PVC, is almost more important for the durability of a multilayer PVC covering.

Please simply pay attention to the information in the technical data sheets of the manufacturers! All manufacturers of PVC design coverings refer to the wear layer. This must also be mandatorily declared according to EN 429. The more the product is subjected to stress, the stronger this wear layer should be. A better reference for the area of application can be found under the topic classification according to EN 685. In it, the coverings are assigned to the respective areas of use. A 0.3 mm wear layer is, by the way, completely sufficient for the bathroom. However, care must be taken to avoid standing water so that it does not seep through the many seams under the covering and cause damage there. A decent professional can, however, advise you adequately in a consultation.

It is very important to look at the datasheets from the manufacturers before purchasing. I shop in an online store and find them there. Good explanation from Bodenmann about the PVC flooring in the bathroom. Especially when water is standing in the bathroom, when the children are splashing, it damages the flooring.