The largest selling resilient flooring product in terms of square footage is Vinyl Composition Tile or VCT. It's inexpensive to buy and easy to install but like any other flooring product there are ways to do it well and ways to cut corners so the installation will not be as good as it could be. I see a lot of VCT installations in my travels, from schools to supermarkets to big department stores. I am amazed how sometimes I see a job that looks great - with nice tight seams and a smooth surface, and other times I see floors with gaps, cracks and bumps and I know that the installer was probably under the gun and had to get the job done quickly without proper preparation or testing. Here are some hints for a successful VCT installation, and some feedback from two of the most knowledgeable "tile guys" in North America.
First of all, let's clarify some terminology. You probably are hearing the terms Vinyl Tile, Premium VCT, Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), Solid Vinyl Tile (SVT), and Vinyl Enhanced Tile (VET). What's the difference between these products and how do they compare to Standard VCT? The answer is in the ASTM standards, and there are two for vinyl tile; ASTM F 1066 for Vinyl Composition Floor Tile (VCT) and ASTM F 1700 for Solid Vinyl Floor Tile (SVT). Premium VCT is almost the same or exactly the same as standard VCT but may have more authentic patterns such as granite looks or may be available in solid colors. These products cost more to make so they are at a "premium" price point. As far as VET and other "higher vinyl content" VCT products, all of these are classified as VCT. The higher vinyl content often allows for larger sizes, improved visuals, easier maintenance and better indentation resistance, and may mean different adhesives and installation time than VCT.