Vinyl strength and type

twopenny

So I've got someone to put in a bathroom after 4yrs but I have to buy the flooring quickly.

I've seen some vinyl with a soft felt under that seems very thin on top to me and I'm concerned that outdoor shoes (mostly walking boots or mine with small heels) might damage it. I bought it for £50 and if not suitable for the main bathroom I can use it elsewhere.

But, Bank Holiday, I can rush to another shop where they have more solid stuff without the fleece underneath and order something stronger.

Wondering if anyone has experience of the soft stuff?

In theory great for bathroom as warmer on concrete floor but I can see a shoe or dropped bottle marking it.

Small area, light colour, would be hard to replace. Can find no reviews.

ThisIsWeird

The actual 'wear' thickness of pretty much all vinyls is surprisingly thin, with 0.5mm being good and 0.7mm being awesome. However, the 'cushioned' types are, or used to be, more vulnerable to damage from grit and sharp objects simply due to the way the objects sink fractionally in, and therefore 'bite' more. 
If this is going to be a rugged bathroom that folk walk in to with their boots on, then I'd pay more attention to the official wear/durability figures.
These should be listed for all decent flooring. There's a letter that refers to this - can't recall at the mo'. Or, look for suitability for 'commercial' use, life expectancy - that sort of stuff.

ThisIsWeird

It's 'AC', with 4 and above being suitable for commercial use, apparently.

twopenny

Thank you.

A lot of shops are closed this Saturday or understaffed but need to go back on Tuesday.

I think that if I can get the tougher stuff that would be good. It's going to be where friends back from walking or me , dashing in from the garden or in in small cuban heals.

I'd like to think I'd remember to put a bathmat from door to loo but it's unlikely every time

I was thinking that it would only need a small stone in the sole or some such to damage it.

Though I tried running a finger nail over and not mark. However the weight of a foot on stone is different.

Onwards and upwards.

ka7e

If it's a proper bathroom and not just a cloakroom, a major factor is slip resistance when wet. "Ramp test" values of 10 - 12 are suitable for bathrooms and wetrooms. I had "soft" vinyl in my kitchen (Rhinofloor) and it was very hardwearing, didn't scuff with dogs running around or suffer any damage from my daughter's high heels. It's only failing was coping with sharps dropped on it, knives and other kitchen implements sometimes left a little nick in the surface.

twopenny

Forgotten about non slip. 
I've got a pelvic/leg problem which can give we randomly.
But thanks for the encouragement about the soft stuff.

I've got one more flooring shop to check out. Fingers crossed.