Some tips, tricks, and answers to all of your vinyl flooring-related concerns.
If you’ve any doubts about the popularity of vinyl flooring in Singapore, check out the results of our recent Instagram poll with over 2,800 respondents:
Vinyl is definitely a flooring material that local homeowners (or at least 79% of them) would use in their new homes. And naturally, this brings up two questions: Where can homeowners purchase quality vinyl flooring locally and what should they take note of when choosing vinyl flooring?
To answer both queries, we’ve rounded up some of the best flooring stores in Singapore to shop for vinyl flooring as well as some key facts that’ll help you make an informed decision on whether to install vinyl flooring in your new home. So, read on!
1. The Floor Gallery
With a motto of “every step matters”, it comes as no surprise that The Floor Gallery is a local flooring retailer that takes their range of products seriously – which includes vinyl as well as other popular flooring materials, such as laminate and composite wood flooring.
Image credit: The Floor Gallery
For those in search of stylish, eco-friendly vinyl flooring, ask to view their Allura collection (made in Europe, available in wood, concrete, and stone designs) and Eco-Resilient Flooring range (sustainable, high-quality vinyl flooring). Or get samples sent to you for free, via Materially!
The Floor Gallery, #02-41, T-Space, 1 Tampines North Drive 1, Singapore 528559
2. Wallhub
We’d spoken to Wallhub in the past about reinventing homes with wallpaper and artificial brick/concrete panels, but this wallpaper specialist also now stocks budget-friendly vinyl flooring for homeowners who’re interested in refurbishing more than just their home’s walls!
Image credit: Wallhub
Engineered with an easy-to-install click system, Wallhub’s vinyl flooring (available in various colours/patterns, such as timber, cement slate, soho grey, and more) can be overlaid on existing surfaces without any hacking or gluing.
Wallhub, #01-38, Oxley Bizhub 2, 62 Ubi Road, Singapore 408734
3. Evorich
Evorich is very much well known in the local renovation industry for its indoor and outdoor flooring products, and for good reason.
Image credit: Evorich
With not one, but four vinyl flooring ranges – namely Evo High End Resilient Flooring (Evo HERF), HERF herringbone, HERF isocore, and HERF PhD – this award-winning flooring retailer is definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re interested in vinyl flooring with premium features, such as sound absorption or commercial-grade wear layers.
Evorich, 16 Tampines Street 92, Singapore 528873
4. Floor Xpert
Beginning life as a small family-owned business in 2010, Floor Xpert is now one of Singapore’s respected flooring retailers and it has stayed true to its roots as a reliable supplier of vinyl, laminate, wood, micro-cement flooring, and much more.
Image credit: Floor Xpert
Floor Xpert’s Luxurious Resilient Flooring (LURF) products are made in Belgium and are comprised of five layers: a high-performance top layer, a fine-printed PVC decor layer, an impact-resistant PVC core, a stabilising layer, and finally, an impact-resistant backing that prevents warping.
Floor Xpert, #02-02, City Industrial Building, 71 Tannery Lane, Singapore 347807
5. Floor Melody
Not unlike some of the other retailers on this list, Floor Melody offers a selection of vinyl flooring options from different sources, so don’t hesitate to ask more about them if you ever pay a visit to their Eunos showroom.
Image credit: Floor Melody
Two Floor Melody ranges stand out in particular: the Korean vinyl flooring collection, which captures the essence of natural wood, stone and metals in both plank and tile formats, as well as the USA vinyl flooring collection that has a four-layer design for extra durability and thickness.
Floor Melody, #02-08, Singapore Handicraft Building, 72 Eunos Avenue 7, Singapore 409570
6. XINGFLOORS
With comprehensive ranges of quality vinyl, carpets, WPC decking (and more) at affordable prices, XINGFLOORS also prides itself in being eco-friendly. Their products are manufactured with green electricity, and are 100% phthalate- and formaldehyde-free, making them safe for you and your loved ones.
Image credit: XINGFLOORS
And while any merchant can claim that they strongly believe in customer satisfaction, XINGFLOORS takes this a step further by assigning each customer a dedicated expert to guide you through the sales and installation process. It's really no wonder that (as at time of writing) they have a 4.9/5.0-star rating on Google!
XINGFLOORS, 1 Tampines North Drive, #08-11 T-Space, Singapore 528559
10 common questions about vinyl flooring answered by Singapore retailers!
1. How much does vinyl flooring cost per square foot?
Wallhub: For our vinyl flooring, it’s priced between $4.10 to about $4.30 psf. But speaking in terms of the wider market, it’s possible for prices to be $5 psf or more, depending on the vinyl flooring’s material composition and quality.
Do take note that although this difference in price of $0.20 to $0.70 might seem small, it could affect your final flooring costs. For example, a 4-room flat is about 90 sqm or about 968 sqft, which means you could be paying about $677 more if you were to choose the $5 psf option over the one that costs $4.30 psf.
View this project by Starry Homestead
The Floor Gallery: The psf cost of vinyl flooring can range from $3.80 for entry-level options to $9.50 for higher-end ones. So, depending on the type of vinyl used, the typical cost of supplying and installing vinyl flooring for a 4-room HDB flat – which is about 850 sqft in size, excluding bathrooms – is around $3,000 to $5,000.
2. If I want to have vinyl flooring, is opting in or out of the Optional Component Scheme (OCS) more cost-effective?
Wallhub: It’s hard to determine whether the OCS is worth opting in or not just based on vinyl flooring alone, and this is because the cost of porcelain tiles for the living and dining areas are factored into the prices of HDB’s OCS flooring packages. Only vinyl flooring is used in the bedrooms. So, homeowners will have to gauge for themselves whether it’s worth opting in.
View this project by Noble Interior Design
There are also other influencing factors, such as floor area as well as room shape/configuration, which can affect how worthwhile it is to install vinyl flooring because of possible wastage from trimming.
Click here for our price comparison guide between opting in for the OCS and installing flooring/fittings on your own.
3. Vinyl seems to have limited designs (largely wood-based). Is there a reason why?
The Floor Gallery: Most manufacturers produce vinyl flooring in wood designs because they’re meant to be a more durable alternative to laminate and timber (parquet) flooring. But that’s not to say that vinyl flooring is only available in wood patterns, it’s also possible to find stone-patterned options in stores and showrooms.
4. Will water seep into vinyl flooring? Is it scratch-proof for pets?
Wallhub: The surfaces of vinyl tiles are waterproof and they’re installed in a tight interlocking configuration, so it’s unlikely for moisture to seep in from regular mopping or cleaning. There’s also an additional wear layer on top of vinyl flooring so there’s protection against stains and scratches from pets.
5. How should I care for vinyl flooring so that it lasts longer?
The Floor Gallery: Vinyl flooring is generally one of the easiest materials to maintain. Regular mopping and vacuuming are recommended to get rid of any surface dirt. It’s also generally good practice to have furniture glides/protectors to prevent accidental scratches or indentations.
For areas facing the sun, the use of blinds or curtains can prevent discolouration from prolonged exposure. Also, only use household detergents for cleaning, unsuitable solutions or solvents can leave a cloudy residue on the surface of vinyl floors.
6. I heard there are different grades of vinyl. Which is the most durable?'
The Floor Gallery: Instead of focusing on different grades or different classes of use, homeowners should focus on characteristics, such as installation method and thickness, because they can have a greater bearing on long-term maintenance of vinyl flooring.
For a start, vinyl comes in multiple formats, there are vinyl planks, vinyl sheets, dryback vinyl which has to be glued down, loose lay vinyl that can be placed over a sub-floor, and others. Each of these formats has its own unique characteristics, so it’s important to take note of them.
Image credit: The Floor Gallery
And among different vinyl brands, there will be different unique selling points too. Some have anti-bacterial layers, others come with more wear layers or are anti-stain, the list goes on.
So, in short, there’s no one rule on what type of vinyl is the most durable. Mostly, it’s recommended for homeowners to share their needs/concerns with stores or designers before deciding what’s the right choice for them.
7. If vinyl flooring comes off, can we replace it easily on our own?
Wallhub: If it’s in an interlocking tile format, it’s possible for damaged vinyl flooring to be replaced. However, it’s still recommended to have professionals carry out the installation as there will be shifts in alignment when a plank is removed; the installation also has to be tight to prevent gaps as well.
8. Is it possible to install vinyl flooring in bathrooms, including the shower area?
Wallhub: It’s not advisable to install vinyl flooring in bathrooms or shower areas because of exposure to chemicals, such as soaps and cleaning solutions.
The high humidity and excess moisture in bathrooms are also likely to cause damage; even though some vinyl tiles and sheets are marketed as waterproof surfaces, there are seams in between floors that can result in water pooling underneath.
9. If we have opted for tiles from the OCS can we still overlay the flooring with vinyl?
The Floor Gallery: Yes, it’s possible to overlay vinyl over an existing hard surface floor. However, it’s important for the sub-floor to be dry, level and flat.
For tiled floors with grouts, it’s recommended to fill the grout lines first prior to installation, especially if you’re installing dryback vinyl or vinyl that’s less than 5mm thick; this is to prevent telegraphing (formation of visible marks) of the grout lines onto the surface of the vinyl flooring.
10. What are some the vinyl flooring brands that we can consider?
The Floor Gallery: Rather than focusing on a particular brand or brands, it’s more important for homeowners to shortlist options that they’re generally comfortable with.
The selection of vinyl flooring should be based on personal lifestyle and habits as well as aesthetic preferences. Look for designs that you like and then find companies/brands that are a good fit.
