Laying sheet vinyl or floor tiles is a quick way of providing and attractive and hardwearing floor covering, and there is an extremely wide range of styles, colours and materials to choose from. Imaginative use of a floor covering other than carpet can make a striking difference to the look of a room. Whether you decide to lay vinyl, cork or carpet tiles is partly a matter of taste. But there are particular considerations too, so it is worth looking at the advantages and drawbacks of the various types.

Sheet vinyl (above) can be laid very quickly and is produced in a very wide range of styles. There are two main varieties. Solid vinyl have the colour running through the whole thickness of the material and they usually have a plain, veined or mottled appearance. Painted vinyls have the pattern painted on to a vinyl backing layer and are protected by a thin, transparent vinyl wear layer. All types of vinyl are easy to wipe clean, so they make a perfect floor covering in a hall or kitchen. They have a life of 10 to 15 years. They are sold in 2m, 3m, or 4m widths. This means you can usually cover any room without seams, but you may find the wider sheets difficult to lay without assistance. Sheet vinyl comes in several different thicknesses ranging from about 1 ½ to 3mm. The thicker cushioning vinyls have a layer of foam backing which gives a soft, warm floor covering. The kitchen carpet (at the bottom, brown square patterned) is laid in exactly the same way as vinyl. It has a short pile made of artificial fibres which is designed to resist stains and is therefore easy to vacuum and to keep clean.

Laying floor tiles is only slightly more difficult than laying sheet coverings. Many vinyl tiles now have a self adhesive backing making them very easy to lay. Like sheet vinyl they have a long life and are easy to wipe clean.

Carpet tiles score over traditional carpet laid in rolls because they can be lifted and rearranged so wear is distributed over the whole floor. Before you buy, check that the tiles have a thick rubber backing, this makes the floor more comfortable to walk on and also helps insulate the floor area.

Cork tiles need to be laid on a bed of adhesive and the surface needs to be sealed with wax polish or polyurethane varnish, although some tiles are now made ready sealed with a layer of vinyl.

If you want to find out what tiles are available, visit your nearest carpet or flooring speciality stores to see what they have in stock. Bear in mind that with vinyl or carpet tiles you do not have to stick to one overall colour, by mixing tiles of more than one shade or pattern you can make up a whole variety of designs.

Some stores sell tiles loose, but usually they come in packs containing enough to cover about one square meter (or multiples of one square meter). Size of individual tiles vary greatly, but generally cork and vinyl are 300mm square and carpet tiles 400mm square.

Vinyl tiles come in many designs and colours, with either a smooth or embossed surface. They often imitate other floor coverings such as ceramic tiles, parquet flooring, timber, bricks or mosaic tiles. The tiles are usually sold in packs of 6 or 9 tiles to cover about a square meter. Many have a self adhesive backing, making them particularly easy to lay, often a tile can be repositioned two or three times without spoiling the adhesive.

Cork tiles have good insulating properties and feel warm underfoot, so they are ideal for a bathroom. They are made in several grades, medium and heavy duty for floors and several types of wall tiles.

Some of the floor tiles are ready sealed with a thin layer of transparent vinyl, and there is usually an option of light or dark brown colours.

Carpet tiles are popular in kitchens, halls and other areas where you expect uneven wear or heavy soiling. Tiles are very easy to wash and they can be lifted and swapped over to even out wear. The most commonly available types have a close loop pile of artificial fibres and a heavy rubber base to stop the tiles lifting once laid.

Others have a rough shaggy pile, while those for kitchens have a very short almost velvety pile. The more luxurious, deep pile carpet tiles are generally used in offices and commercial buildings but some are available for domestic use.