What Is Vinyl Flooring? Sheet Vinyl, Cushioned Vinyl and LVT Explained for Peterborough Homes

Vinyl flooring is a PVC-based floor covering that comes in two main forms: sheet vinyl, sold on a roll and usually fitted in one piece, and luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), sold as separate planks or tiles. It is water-resistant, warm underfoot and easy to clean. In Peterborough, fitted sheet vinyl starts from £15/m² and LVT from £35/m².

That is the short answer. The longer one is that "vinyl" covers a whole family of floors, from soft cushioned vinyl in a rented kitchen to rigid-core LVT in an open-plan kitchen-diner. This guide explains each type, how sheet vinyl is fitted, and where each one makes sense in a Peterborough home.

What is vinyl flooring made of?

All vinyl floors are based on PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Most domestic vinyl is built in layers. At the bottom is a backing, which may be a foam cushion, a felt or a rigid core. Above that sits a printed design layer that gives the wood, stone or tile look. On top is a clear wear layer that protects the print from scuffs and spills.

The thickness of that wear layer, the type of backing, and whether the floor comes on a roll or in planks are what separate a budget vinyl from a premium one.

What types of vinyl flooring are there?

Here is the vinyl family as we fit it, with our supply-and-fit price bands.

Type	Format	Feel underfoot	Water	Seams	Best rooms	Price band (supply and fit)
Cushioned sheet vinyl	Roll, commonly 2m, 3m or 4m wide	Soft and warm, foam-backed	Water-resistant surface; few or no joins	Usually none in a small room	Kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, rentals	£15–£25/m²
Mid-range wood- and stone-effect sheet vinyl	Roll	Firmer, more realistic texture	Water-resistant surface	Usually none in a small room	Kitchens, bathrooms, hallways	£25–£35/m²
Premium designer sheet vinyl	Roll	Firm, detailed embossing	Water-resistant surface	Usually none in a small room	Feature kitchens and bathrooms	£35–£45+/m²
Safety vinyl (slip-resistant sheet)	Roll, seams often heat-welded	Firm, slightly textured	Designed for wet areas when fully sealed	Welded	Wet areas, care settings, commercial kitchens	£18–£35/m² installed
LVT glue-down	Planks or tiles bonded to a smoothed subfloor	Solid, quiet	Water-resistant surface; joins between planks	Tight joins	Kitchen-diners, hallways, bathrooms	£35–£70/m² (premium glue-down Karndean and Amtico £50–£70+)
LVT click-lock and rigid core	Planks or tiles that lock together, floating	Solid, slightly hollower than glue-down	Water-resistant surface; check the joins	Locked joins	Living rooms, kitchens, hallways	£35–£50/m²

For more on the LVT end of the family, see our guides to LVT, LVP and vinyl flooring and click-lock vs glue-down LVT.

What is the difference between heterogeneous and homogeneous vinyl?

These terms come up mostly in commercial and healthcare flooring, but it helps to know them.

• Heterogeneous vinyl is built in layers, with a printed design under a clear wear layer. Almost all domestic sheet vinyl and LVT is heterogeneous. It allows realistic wood and stone looks.
• Homogeneous vinyl is one uniform layer, with the colour and pattern running right through its thickness. Scuffs and wear do not reveal a different layer underneath. It is used in busy commercial areas, hospitals and schools, and is usually a plainer, flecked look.

Safety vinyl can be either type. What makes it a safety floor is its slip resistance, which comes from particles built into the surface. If you need a floor for a wet area, a care setting or a workplace, our safety flooring in Peterborough page explains the options from brands such as Altro, Polyflor and Tarkett.

What is cushioned vinyl?

Cushioned vinyl, often called cushion floor, is sheet vinyl with a foam layer in its backing. That foam makes it soft and warm to stand on, and a little quieter than a hard floor. It is the most affordable member of the family, at £15–£25/m² fitted.

It is a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms in Peterborough rentals and starter homes, and for anyone who stands at the sink or hob for long periods. The trade-off is that the foam can dent under sharp point loads, such as narrow chair legs or a heavy appliance dragged across it. Furniture cups and care when moving appliances help.

How is sheet vinyl fitted?

Sheet vinyl comes on a roll, commonly 2m, 3m or 4m wide. Because most kitchens and bathrooms are narrower than 4m, we can usually fit the whole room in one piece, with no seam for water to find.

1. Check the subfloor. Sheet vinyl is thin, so any bump, nail head or gap in the floor below will show through over time. The subfloor needs to be smooth, flat, clean and dry.
2. Prepare it. On concrete, that may mean a smoothing compound. On floorboards, it often means overboarding first. Subfloor levelling, where needed, is £5–£15/m². Plywood or overboarding is quoted at the free home visit.
3. Cut and fit. We cut the sheet roughly to size, then trim it precisely around the units, toilet pan, pipes and door frames.
4. Fix it down. Depending on the product and room, sheet vinyl is fully adhered, or loose-laid with adhesive at the edges and joins.
5. Finish the edges. Door bars or thresholds are added where it meets another floor. In bathrooms, edges around the bath and shower are sealed.

We cover the kitchen and bathroom detail in our guide to sheet vinyl for kitchens and bathrooms.

How much does vinyl flooring cost in Peterborough?

All our prices are supply and fit. Sheet vinyl starts from £15/m², with cushioned vinyl at £15–£25/m², mid-range wood- and stone-effect at £25–£35/m², and premium designer ranges at £35–£45+/m². A typical kitchen or bathroom of 6–12 m² comes to £150–£450 in sheet vinyl.

As a worked example, a 10 m² kitchen in cushioned vinyl at the entry rate: 10 m² × £15 = £150. The same kitchen in a mid-range wood-effect sheet at £25/m²: 10 m² × £25 = £250.

LVT starts from £35/m², and safety flooring is £18–£35/m² installed. Subfloor preparation and thresholds are shown as separate lines on the written quote. See every band on our flooring prices in Peterborough page.

Is vinyl flooring waterproof?

The surface of vinyl does not absorb water, so spills, splashes and wet feet are not a problem. Whether the whole floor keeps water out depends on the joins. A one-piece sheet vinyl with sealed edges is very good at this, which is why it suits bathrooms. Plank and tile LVT has many joins, so standing water can find its way down if it is left. Our guide is LVT waterproof? explains this in detail. A full wet room is a different job again and needs a tanked, fully sealed system.

What are the pros and cons of vinyl flooring?

Pros

• Water-resistant surface, ideal for kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms.
• Warmer and softer underfoot than ceramic tiles, especially cushioned vinyl.
• Easy to clean with a damp mop.
• Sheet vinyl usually fits a room in one piece, with no seams.
• Wide price range, from £15/m² sheet vinyl to premium LVT.
• Thin, so it rarely causes problems with door heights.

Cons

• Needs a smooth subfloor, so preparation can add to the job.
• Cushioned vinyl can dent under sharp or heavy point loads.
• Can scuff or tear if heavy appliances are dragged across it.
• Strong direct sunlight can fade some designs over time.
• Budget sheet vinyl looks less realistic close up than LVT or laminate.

Should I choose sheet vinyl, LVT or laminate?

Choose sheet vinyl for a small kitchen, bathroom or utility room where you want a seam-free, water-resistant floor at a modest price. Choose LVT where you want a more realistic plank or tile look, a longer-wearing surface, or one floor running through a kitchen-diner and hallway. Laminate suits dry living areas and hallways but is less forgiving of standing water. Our comparison of laminate vs vinyl flooring goes through it room by room, and you can browse the full range of vinyl flooring in Peterborough and LVT flooring in Peterborough.

See vinyl samples at home with a free visit

The easiest way to choose is to see the samples in your own light, next to your units and walls. We bring sheet vinyl, cushioned vinyl and LVT samples to homes in Peterborough and across the PE postcodes, check your subfloor, and send a written quote within 24 hours. Call 01733 924009, Monday to Friday 9am–5pm, to book your free home visit.