There are many different types of vinyl tile flooring on the market. Vinyl can be classified into sheets or tiles.
Vinyl Sheets. Vinyl tile flooring sheets come in basically two types: the inlaid and the printed vinyl. Inlaid vinyl sheets are more expensive and heavier than regular printed vinyl. The reason for this is that vinyl is used throughout the thickness of the flooring. If the pattern is chipped or scratched, the damage is barely noticeable since the pattern extends through the thickness of the sheet. Because of the weight, solid vinyl sheets are not recommended to be installed by the do-it-yourselfer. Printed vinyl sheets are made by running a backing material through a printing machine where the pattern is applied. This pattern layer is then coated with several layers of clear vinyl or urethane, which is called the “wear layer”.
Vinyl Tile. You can purchase vinyl tile in either composition or solid. Vinyl composition tile consists of several different materials and fillers that are mixed in a large vat. Color is added to the vat when it is needed to create the particular pattern. Additional texture, colors, and a wear layer may be added to the top surface after the tiles are set. A vinyl composition tile does not have the same pattern on both sides. This is the best way to tell the difference between vinyl composition and solid vinyl.
The solid vinyl tile flooring will have the same color pattern on both sides of the tile. This is because the color pattern goes through the whole tile to the back. Solid vinyls are just what the term implies, vinyl without any fillers.