Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tiles are a commonly used floor finish. Due to the small size of the tiles, usually 150mm, 225mm and 305mm, any damage can soon be repaired by replacing individual tiles (as long as some spares are kept).
The tiles are made of a composite of PVC and fibre, producing a thin and fairly hard tile.
PVC tiles are prone to some issues. The glues used on self adhesive tiles sometimes give way, causing edges to lift and get broken by foot traffic. The surface wears, in time causing difficulty in cleaning, then loss of the coloured pattern layer. Finally a very smooth floor is required to lay them on, otherwise they gradually become cut by the foot pressure above and the shallow edges below.
The main advantages of PVC tiles are low cost, ease of replacing individual tiles, and the fact that the tiles can be laid with only brief periods available. In fact assorted 10 minute slots in otherwise busy days are enough to get a floor laid gradually, avoiding professional fitting costs or need to take a day off.
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