Vinyl deforming under strong sunlight exposure?

The "designer floors" have some pleasant properties; they come in attractive designs at very affordable prices. Regarding health aspects, you can find numerous certificates and approvals certifying harmlessness. One can hold the view that one can rely on that. One can also trust their own senses and simple considerations. How does the stuff smell? What exactly evaporates when the floor hardens? It is undisputed that many plasticizers are unhealthy. Which one is in there? Can a "good" one be in there at that price? Maybe my assessment is wrong - but I don't buy anything with a bad feeling. The type of flooring is just one alternative among many, neither the only option nor unique - why stick to it if even the professional warns?

Vinyl - short for polyvinyl chloride - itself is not elastic at all.

Otherwise, vinyl records wouldn't have been possible...

I am a scientist and therefore interested in facts.

The fact is: vinyl is plastic. There is no scientific evidence - but there is a feeling of well-being for everyone regarding a material property - and one has to look for oneself where one's threshold lies.

I am a scientist and therefore interested in facts.

That is good. As long as you have no information about the composition of the material, especially the types of plasticizers used, you also have no facts. To make a decision, you then have to rely on other criteria.

I am, for example, interested in how/where the evidence was provided that emissions from vinyl are harmful

This evidence is smoke and mirrors, since it is unclear which plasticizer variant is exactly used in the flooring of your choice. The fact is that plasticizers cannot be generally declared safe. Therefore, it depends on the individual case. You will practically be able to convey little exact information on this.

or how to recognize the necessity of replacing a vinyl.

That is a very good question – and scientifically, first of all, a question of the criteria to be applied and the meaning of "necessary." Scientists consider very carefully what they want to investigate and keep costs and benefits in mind. Fact-based investigation for the purchase of vinyl flooring – given the effort to penetrate the lack of transparency – is not worthwhile.

Why is laminate not being considered? It’s not just available as a €5/m² rental apartment style, but also in high quality. I have installed it on two floors and am very satisfied with it. Even more so than with the parquet in the living room.

Have you ever heard of bio flooring? For example, from Wineo. It's basically like vinyl but made from plant-based materials (plant oil) and according to the manufacturer, it is free of pollutants without chlorine, plasticizers, and solvents. We have had it in the bedrooms for a year and are very satisfied with it. It is very pleasant to walk on. We have floor-to-ceiling south and west-facing windows through which the sun sometimes shines directly on the floor and so far no problems. In summer, when it's hot, we of course close the blinds during the day so that the bedroom does not get too warm. Therefore, the sun does not shine on the floor all day in summer anyway.

Why is laminate not considered more closely?

Because I don't find its water sensitivity between the joints, its hardness, the patterns, the impact sound insulation, and low foot warmth very good. What I do find nice is that this material, which I consider to be of lesser quality, can already be perceived as fully adequate.

@all I have not found any evidence of health hazards from plasticizers since 2018 for high-quality vinyl. If that should still come up, I will inform those who have to make a decision in a similar situation here.