Polyflor XL PU Flooring

Polyflor XL PU stands as a testament to durable and practical commercial flooring solutions. As a homogeneous vinyl floor covering, its colour and pattern run consistently through the entire thickness of the material. This construction means that even under intense use and heavy footfall, the appearance remains remarkably consistent, as scratches or wear do not reveal a different backing layer. It’s engineered specifically for longevity in the most challenging commercial settings.

A key feature of the XL PU range is its polyurethane reinforcement (PUR). This factory-applied surface treatment provides significant advantages. Firstly, it creates a robust barrier against scuffs, stains, and scratches, protecting the floor’s aesthetic integrity in busy environments. Secondly, the PUR coating greatly simplifies maintenance routines. It eliminates the need for an initial application of polish after installation and significantly reduces the requirement for ongoing polishing throughout the floor’s life, leading to substantial savings in cleaning time and costs. Standard cleaning methods are usually sufficient to maintain its appearance.

With a Use Area Classification of 34/43, Polyflor XL PU is rated for Very Heavy Commercial and Heavy Industrial use, underscoring its suitability for areas like hospital corridors, school classrooms, busy retail floors, office spaces, and leisure facilities. It offers reliable slip resistance, typically achieving an R10 rating, contributing to safer environments. Furthermore, its smooth, impervious surface makes it a hygienic flooring choice, particularly important in healthcare and educational settings where cleanliness is critical.

Available in a 2mm gauge and typically supplied in 2-metre wide sheets, XL PU allows for efficient installation, especially over large areas. Professional installation, often involving heat-welded seams, ensures a continuous, watertight surface that prevents dirt and moisture ingress. This is particularly beneficial in environments requiring stringent hygiene protocols. Grosvenor Flooring are experienced suppliers and installers of Polyflor sheet vinyl across Manchester, Cheshire, and the North West, ensuring your project benefits from expert fitting.

Beyond its performance characteristics, Polyflor XL PU offers considerable design flexibility. The range includes a wide spectrum of colours, featuring both non-directional and marbleised patterns. This allows designers and specifiers to create functional, guiding, or vibrant interior schemes tailored to the specific needs of the space. Polyflor also demonstrates a commitment to sustainability; the XL PU range boasts a BRE Global A+ rating for major use areas like healthcare and education, contains recycled content, and is 100% recyclable through the Recofloor vinyl take-back scheme.

Is Polyflor XL PU Right For You? A Buying Guide

Choosing the right commercial flooring involves balancing performance, aesthetics, and budget. This guide helps you determine if Polyflor XL PU is the ideal solution for your project.

• Room usage / Location: Polyflor XL PU excels in high-traffic commercial and public areas. Its primary applications include healthcare settings (hospitals, clinics, care homes), educational institutions (schools, universities), retail environments (shops, supermarkets), offices, and leisure facilities. Its robustness makes it suitable for corridors, circulation areas, classrooms, wards, and shop floors. While primarily commercial, it could be considered for extremely high-wear domestic areas like utility or craft rooms.
• Lifestyle: This flooring is designed for environments that experience constant, heavy use and require frequent cleaning. If your space demands resilience against footfall, wheeled traffic (trolleys, chairs), potential spills, and needs to maintain a clean, professional appearance with minimal fuss, XL PU is an excellent fit.
• Budget: Polyflor XL PU represents a cost-effective solution within the commercial sheet vinyl market. While the initial material and professional installation costs need consideration, its exceptional durability and low maintenance requirements (thanks to the PUR coating reducing the need for polish) result in lower life-cycle costs compared to less durable options. Grosvenor Flooring provides detailed supply and fit quotations.
• Durability & Maintenance: Durability is a core strength. The homogeneous construction ensures wear resistance, and the PUR layer adds significant protection against scuffs and scratches. Maintenance is straightforward; regular sweeping and damp mopping with neutral cleaners are typically all that’s needed. The PUR surface means no initial polish is required, and ongoing polishing regimes are drastically reduced or eliminated.
• Material Type Pros & Cons:
  • Pros: Extremely durable and hard-wearing, excellent resistance to abrasion and impacts, low lifecycle costs, easy to clean and maintain (PUR coating), hygienic and impervious surface (when correctly installed), good slip resistance (R10), wide range of colours, environmentally conscious (BRE A+, recyclable).
  • Cons: Primarily commercial aesthetic may not suit all design schemes, requires professional installation for best results (especially seam welding), subfloor preparation is critical for a perfect finish.
• Aesthetics & Style: Offers a broad palette of colours, from functional neutrals to bright, stimulating hues. The decoration is typically marbleised or non-directional, which helps to mask minor soiling and wear between cleanings. It allows for the creation of functional, durable, and visually appealing commercial spaces.
• Comfort & Sound: As a resilient sheet vinyl, it offers moderate underfoot comfort compared to hard tiles. Its acoustic properties are standard for sheet vinyl; if enhanced sound insulation is required, specialised acoustic underlays or alternative Polyflor ranges may be considered.
• Underfloor Heating: Polyflor XL PU is suitable for use with underfloor heating systems, provided the surface temperature does not exceed the manufacturer’s recommendation (typically 27°C).
• Installation: Professional installation is highly recommended. This ensures correct subfloor preparation, proper adhesion, and perfectly executed seams (usually heat-welded for commercial applications) to guarantee performance, longevity, and hygiene. Grosvenor Flooring’s expert fitters specialise in commercial vinyl installation.
• Sustainability: Polyflor XL PU holds a BRE Global A+ rating in key sectors like healthcare and education. It contains recycled material and is 100% recyclable via the Recofloor scheme, contributing to a circular economy. It is also certified for low VOC emissions.

Frequently Asked Questions