History of Vinyl Floors www.vinylfloors.co.

za by Vinyl Floors South Africa Vinyl flooring is currently one of the most popular floor coverings in South Afr ica and the rest of the world. Vinyl floor tiles were introduced to the public i n 1933 at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. Due to World War II the y did not come into popular use until the late 1940s. History of Vinyl Floors from 1800-1919 European researchers used an earlier discovered gas called vinyl chloride in a m ixture, creating what they considered to be a useless rigid material which they could not find a commercial use for it. History of Vinyl Floors from 1920-1929 In 1926, Dr. Waldo Semon, a researcher at The BFGoodrich Company in Akron, Ohio, began experimenting with the discarded material by combining it with other chem icals and exposing it to heat. The result was plasticized polyvinyl chloride - w hich we now call PVC or vinyl - a flexible "gel" that had striking similarities to natural rubber. History of Vinyl Floors from 1930 Vinyl (PVC or polyvinyl chloride) started being used as shock absorber seals res ulting in vinyl being used to develop the first American synthetic tires, which we have on our cars today. These early successes led to further experimentation with vinyl formulations. Vinyl plastisol, a solution of vinyl resin in plasticiz er, was first used as a coating to make waterproof fabric for a number of produc ts. Today, vinyl-coated fabrics are used to make everything from durable, lightw eight inflatable rafts to easy-to-clean, attractive wallcovering. History of Vinyl Floors from 1940 Vinyl played a significant role for the armed forces during World War II, addres sing severe shortages of natural rubber. As a result of its superior safety and performance as a nonflammable electrical wire coating, vinyl has remained the st andard material for wire insulation. History of Vinyl Floors from 1950Vinyl's capabilities continued to diversify, as new formulations further expande d the material's physical properties and opened new markets. The most important innovation came when irrigation pipe made from rigid vinyl was introduced to the United States. Now the largest market for vinyl production, PVC pipe is recogni zed as a less expensive, non-corrosive and more easily installed alternative to metal pipe. Vinyl Floors today Of the more than 30 billion pounds of vinyl produced worldwide today, about 60 p ercent is used in the construction industry. Industry projections indicate that this growth will continue well into the future, especially to meet the infrastru cture needs of a growing global population. Until the mid 1980s, almost all vinyl tiles contained asbestos. These asbestos containin g tiles were available in 9x9 and 12x12 sizes with widths of 1/8" or thinner. If your pre existing vinyl floors date back to the 1980s or before and you plan to rem ove them before installing new ones, it's important to contact a professional to do so. Vinyl flooring's popularity has remained consistent up to the modern day. Ongoin g advances in vinyl flooring technology like slip resistant surfaces and static conductivity have kept vinyl flooring relevant to the modern flooring consumer. With its easy installation and maintenance, wide selection of color and pattern choices, and long lasting durability, vinyl flooring is expected to remain at the fo refront of the resilient flooring industry for years to come. What better floor to install on your premises, If you require a vinyl floor cal l us on 012 753 3349/079 722 2357 or email us on info@vinylfloors.co.za

Vinyl Floors South Africa www.vinylfloors.co.za