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If you are choosing flooring for schools, hospitals, offices, or your home, you will most likely hear about PVC plastic flooring. This flooring material, which became popular in Europe and the United States in the 1950s, has been in China for nearly 50 years. With its characteristics of "no formaldehyde, radiation protection, wear resistance, and environmental friendliness," it has gradually replaced linoleum flooring and traditional solid wood flooring, becoming the first choice for many places. However, choosing the right flooring is only the first step; to maximize its value, construction technology and post - use maintenance are equally crucial. Today, let's talk about the core advantages of PVC plastic flooring, the details to pay attention to during construction, and its application highlights in different engineering scenarios.

I. First, Let's Talk About the "Outstanding Advantages" of PVC Plastic Flooring

Why are more and more places willing to use PVC plastic flooring? You will understand after looking at these advantages:

1. Ultra - light and Ultra - thin, Helping Buildings "Reduce Burden" and Save Space

Ordinary floor tiles are heavy and thick. After laying, they will increase the building's load - bearing capacity and take up space. But PVC plastic flooring is different. The maximum thickness of its surface layer is only 8mm (some thin ones are even only 1.5mm), and the weight per square meter is only 2 - 5kg, which is less than 10% of that of floor tiles. For buildings that need to control the load - bearing of the building (such as old house renovation and high - rise public spaces), or places that want to maximize the use of floor height, its advantage is particularly obvious.

2. High Elasticity and Impact Resistance, Safe and Durable

PVC plastic flooring is soft in texture and has excellent elasticity. It can buffer when heavy objects fall, and also reduce the risk of injury when people accidentally fall. This is why hospitals and kindergartens like to use it: when medical staff push hospital beds and the elderly and children walk around, even if there is an accidental collision, the elasticity of the flooring can play a protective role, which is much safer than hard floor tiles or solid wood flooring.

3. Waterproof and Anti - slip, No Fear of Humid Environments

Its surface layer has a special wear - resistant coating, which is not only waterproof but also more anti - slip when wet. Many people are worried that "the floor will be slippery when it is wet," but PVC plastic flooring is just the opposite: the foot feel will become astringent when there is water on the surface, making it less likely to slip. It is very suitable for places that are prone to water, such as the entrance of the bathroom and hospital corridors.

4. Sound Absorption and Noise Reduction, Creating a Quiet Space

Ordinary flooring is prone to noise when people walk or move furniture, while PVC plastic flooring can absorb sound, with a maximum sound absorption effect of up to 20 decibels. In places that need to be quiet, such as school classrooms, hospital wards, and offices, after laying it, the sound of footsteps and the movement of tables and chairs will be significantly reduced, and you will no longer be disturbed by noise.

5. Antibacterial and Anti - corrosion, Hygienic and Easy to Clean

Its surface has undergone high - temperature antibacterial treatment, which can kill most harmful bacteria and is not afraid of acid - base corrosion. Daily spills such as juice, oil stains, and even a small amount of medicinal liquid in hospitals can be cleaned with a neutral detergent by wiping, which is especially suitable for places with high hygiene requirements such as schools and hospitals.

6. Fire and Flame Retardant, Safe and Secure

PVC plastic flooring itself is a non - flammable material. It will not help combustion when exposed to fire and can prevent the spread of fire. Even if it is ignited under extreme circumstances, it will not release toxic gases. Qualified PVC plastic flooring can reach the highest fire rating for building floors, so it is safe to use in public spaces.

7. Small or Seamless Joints, More Beautiful

After laying, the joints of block PVC plastic flooring are very thin and almost invisible from a distance; the roll flooring can be made completely seamless after being treated with seamless welding technology. Unlike floor tiles, which have obvious gaps that are easy to accumulate dust, it also has more beautiful joints than solid wood flooring and is more convenient to clean.

II. PVC Plastic Flooring Construction: These Details Determine the Final Effect

Choosing the right flooring is in vain if there are problems in the construction process. The construction of PVC plastic flooring has a set of strict procedures, and every step must not be taken lightly:

1. First, Confirm Whether the Construction Environment Meets the Standards

Before construction, the base floor (that is, the foundation floor on which the flooring is to be laid) must be inspected:

The base material should use fine aggregate concrete of C20 or above, or a 1:1 cement mortar leveling layer. The surface should be troweled, without pockmarks, cracks (except natural cracks), or hollowing. Before laying, it is better to use a flat vibrator to compact the base to avoid the flooring from bulging later.

The moisture content of the base must be less than 8%. If it is too humid, the flooring is prone to mildew and edge warping.

The temperature during construction should be around 15℃, and the humidity should not exceed 75%. If the temperature is too low, the glue will not stick firmly; if the humidity is too high, the flooring is prone to deformation.

If there is oil or paint on the floor, it must be thoroughly cleaned with a neutral detergent; for uneven areas, small pits should be filled with mortar, and large pits should be leveled with a grinder.

2. Ground Pretreatment: Lay a Solid Foundation

After the base is confirmed to be okay, a professional grinder with a suitable blade should be used to remove the residual glue, protrusions, and loose parts on the ground. Hollow areas should be completely chipped off. After treatment, a high - power water absorber should be used to suck up the dust to ensure that the ground is dry and flat. This step is like laying the foundation for a house; the flatter the foundation, the more stable the flooring will be laid later.

3. Preparation Before Construction: Ensure Materials and Tools Are in Place

The flooring should be moved to the construction site 24 hours in advance and spread out to adapt to the temperature and humidity of the site, eliminating the thermal stress in the material. Otherwise, if it is laid directly, it is prone to warping due to temperature changes later.

Flooring of different batches and colors should be stacked separately with labels facing up to avoid mixing. When laying, flooring of the same color should be laid in the order of roll numbers to prevent color differences.

Check the tools: Hand tools such as floor cutting knives, grooving blades, glue scrapers, and glue pressing rollers should be in good condition, and the surface of the glue pressing rollers should be clean and smooth; the welding knives and nozzles of the automatic welding machine should also be debugged in advance to ensure normal operation.

4. Flooring Laying: Pay Attention to the Sequence and Details

There is a proper method for laying flooring; otherwise, problems are easy to occur:

The flooring roll should be rolled into a square and placed horizontally and vertically. When laying, first fold half of the roll back and spread it evenly on the base. It should not be placed in the reverse direction or at an angle, otherwise, local stress will be generated, leading to blistering of the flooring.

Before applying glue, the surfaces of the base and the roll should be swept clean. The glue should be applied evenly without missing any parts.

When laying the first and second sheets, the edges should be aligned. If the edges are not neat, the two materials can be overlapped by about 5cm and then cut.

It is best to start laying from the side of the room far from the door to avoid large seams at the door. If the wall is not flat, a long line marker should be used to fit the wall to ensure that the gap between the flooring and the wall is even.

The flooring at the corners and walls should reserve a width of 5cm to facilitate the installation of baseboards later. When cutting, it should follow the curve of the wall to ensure a good fit.

5. Welding Treatment: Achieve Seamlessness for Better Durability

24 hours after the flooring is laid, when the glue is completely cured, welding (that is, handling the flooring joints) can begin:

First, use a special grooving machine to groove along the joints. The depth should be controlled at 2/3 of the thickness of the flooring and should not penetrate the bottom. If it penetrates the bottom, the welding will not be firm; if it is too shallow, it is easy to crack.

The thermoplastic welding process is used for welding, and the welding wire matching the flooring should be selected. First, clean the dust in the joints, then use a manual or automatic welding machine with a 5mm welding knife and nozzle for welding.

When the welding rod is half - cooled, use a circular corrector or a half - moon - shaped cutting knife to cut off the part of the welding rod that is higher or lower than the surface of the flooring. After the welding rod is completely cooled, use a tool to trim the remaining part to be flat, so that the joint is integrated with the flooring.

6. Post - construction Cleaning and Maintenance: Extend the Service Life

After the construction is completed, the ground should be thoroughly cleaned first to wash away the construction residue such as mud and dust, and then a high - quality acidic wax - proof water should be used for all - round waterproof treatment to prevent subsequent stain penetration.

Daily maintenance is also simple:

For places with low foot traffic, regular sweeping and vacuuming are sufficient.

For places with high foot traffic (such as hospital corridors and school halls), in addition to daily cleaning, waterproof wax should be applied once a month to avoid damage to the flooring due to the wear of the wax layer.

If paint or medicinal liquid is accidentally spilled, clean it with a diluent immediately and do not let the chemicals stay on the flooring for a long time.

III. Engineering Applications of PVC Plastic Flooring: These Places Are Suitable for It

Due to its many advantages and flexible construction, PVC plastic flooring can play a role in many engineering scenarios:

1. Schools and Kindergartens

School classrooms need to be quiet (sound absorption and noise reduction), safe (anti - slip and impact resistance), and hygienic (antibacterial and easy to clean). Kindergartens also need to consider the protection of children when they fall. PVC plastic flooring just meets these needs. Moreover, it has a variety of colors and can match different decoration styles, which is deeply favored by schools.

2. Hospitals

Hospital wards, operating rooms, and corridors have extremely high requirements for hygiene and safety. PVC plastic flooring is antibacterial and anti - corrosion, which can reduce the growth of bacteria; it is waterproof and anti - slip, avoiding medical staff or patients from slipping; it has good elasticity, can buffer when pushing hospital beds, and can also absorb noise, creating a quiet resting environment for patients. It is the first choice for hospital flooring.

3. Offices

Offices have a large flow of people and need wear - resistant and durable flooring. They also hope that the environment is quiet without noise. PVC plastic flooring has a high wear - resistance coefficient and can be used for more than ten years; it has a good sound absorption effect, which can reduce the sound of colleagues walking and moving office chairs, making the working environment more comfortable.

4. Homes

Using PVC plastic flooring at home, you don't have to worry about formaldehyde (it has no formaldehyde itself). Moreover, it is lightweight and does not take up space, which is suitable for small apartments; it is waterproof and anti - slip, so it is safe to lay at the entrance of the bathroom and kitchen; the later maintenance is simple, and families with children or pets can also take care of it easily.

5. Public Projects

Large spaces such as railway station waiting halls, stadiums, and shopping malls need flooring that is wear - resistant, easy to clean, and fire - safe. PVC plastic flooring can not only meet these requirements but also be laid in a large - area integral way through seamless welding, which has a high appearance and is easy to maintain. More and more public projects will choose it.

IV. Conclusion: The Market Potential of PVC Plastic Flooring Is Worth Looking Forward To

In terms of advantages, PVC plastic flooring is green, environmentally friendly, safe, and durable, and can meet the needs of different places; in terms of construction, as long as the construction is carried out in accordance with the specifications, the laying quality can be guaranteed; in terms of application, it can be used in schools, hospitals, offices, homes, and public projects. In recent years, ultra - wear - resistant and reinforced composite PVC plastic flooring has been continuously upgraded, with better wear resistance and antibacterial properties, and has been increasingly recognized by designers, constructors, and owners.

If you are planning to decorate or choose flooring materials for engineering, you may wish to consider PVC plastic flooring. Choose the right product, do a good job in construction, and carry out good maintenance. It can bring you long - term use value and make the space safer and more comfortable.