Whether you’re building a new home or remodeling an existing one, it’s important to choose flooring materials carefully. Not every type of flooring can be used outside—for example, carpet won’t hold up under the rain and direct sunlight, while tile might crack if it freezes in the winter. Vinyl flooring, on the other hand, has several great benefits that make it perfect for use outside on patios, decks, and sunrooms; here are some of them.

What Is Vinyl?

Vinyl flooring comes in a variety of styles, textures, thicknesses and sizes. Commonly used in kitchens, bathrooms and even sun rooms, vinyl is not just a cheap alternative to more expensive hardwood or tile options; it’s often better! vinylgolv klick can be installed over virtually any type of existing floor in just one day. It’s an ideal choice for balcony floors because they are low maintenance (especially if you opt for textured tiles), moisture resistant and heat-proof. Thanks to its waterproof design, your balcony will remain dry even during heavy rainfall. Plus, vinyl can be cleaned with just about anything –even mild soap!

How Does It Work?

In essence, vinyl is a building material. It’s made to fit together in tiles or sheets just like ceramic tile, hardwood flooring, or drywall. The real difference with vinyl floor is that it’s waterproof—or at least resistant to liquids—and can withstand both extremely high and low temperatures. That makes it ideal for sun rooms, enclosed porches, covered patios...really any outside room that you can control temperature (and thus weather) in.

Why Use it Outside?

It’s 100% waterproof, which makes it perfect for patios, porches, sun rooms, or any other environment where you want to use a building material that won’t warp or rot over time. As long as you have control over heat and cold in your  byggvaror — a ventilated porch is a good example — then vinyl flooring is an excellent choice. This also means that vinyl flooring can be used in a doghouse, kennel, garage/barn (basement), etc., as long as there are no drastic temperature changes. If you need to make sure that your space has proper drainage capability, take heed—vinyl cannot handle standing water for extended periods of time.

What Should I Know Before Installing it Outside?

Before you can lay your vinyl floor, you have to have an underlayment. This is basically a layer of plywood or another heavy object that will create a solid foundation for your floor. Because vinyl is waterproof, there’s no need to seal it first—it’ll be protected from moisture just fine without any further treatment. That said, if you do choose to use some kind of sealer anyway (as many DIYers do), make sure it is 100% waterproof; otherwise your floor could start to warp over time. Once you have an underlayment down, you can get started with laying out your vinyl flooring strips.

Installation Considerations

A balcony can be a floor, so you’re going to have to make sure that installing your outdoor vinyl floor won’t damage it. If you can place wood underneath your flooring, then you should have no problem installing it on top of your balcony. However, if your balcony is made out of concrete or another non-compressible material, then use caution.