I don't know much about vinyl, but I find at least PVC or laminate much more susceptible; all it takes is a knife falling tip-first, which happens much more often at our place than a pan falling, and in almost 30 years of "cooking time" that has never happened to me. And if it does, even individual tiles can be replaced easily, you just need to have spares. I just wonder how 10 tiles can break from one pan falling??? If they fall on a "cross," a maximum of 4 break, right, or is the pan at your friends' place used for other purposes during arguments?