Vinyl Composition Tile, or VCT, is a common surface found in schools, hospitals, healthcare facilities, government buildings and other public places. It’s available in sheets or tiles, and a host of colors, sizes and patterns. Facility managers, designers and architects often choose this surface for their facility because it is resilient and holds up in high-traffic areas.  

 While VCT is durable and made with wear layers (varying in thickness and quality), it is by no means maintenance free.

Recycle VCT

Once the wear layer has weakened, or wears off entirely, the porous nature of VCT is exposed which can result in staining and discoloration, leading to costly repairs or replacement.  Replacement means the VCT is removed from the floor and recycled or, in many cases, disposed of in the landfill. Manufactures like Armstrong Flooring, Tarkett and Mannington Commercial have created VCT recycling programs to help provide a sustainable solution to keep VCT out of the landfill.

While recycling programs are a wonderful environmentally-friendly solution, let’s add preventative care to the sustainability mix to do our best to keep VCT on the floor as long as possible. When flooring stays on the floor and out of the landfill, your budget and the earth will thank you.

Here are the dos and don’ts of VCT care:

DOs:

–        Work with a surface care expert who can create a customized VCT maintenance plan for your facility’s needs. 

–        Explore care options like deep cleaning, restoration, applying wax and other specialized sacrificial wear layers as well as high-performance coatings.

–        Proactively schedule routine maintenance.

–        Work with a floor care provider that provides service inspections and real-time reporting so you are up-to-date on your facility’s surface conditions.  

–        If it is time to replace your VCT, check if your flooring qualifies for a recycling program before sending it to the landfill.

 

DON’T:

–        Wait until your floor looks dirty or worn to call a floor care provider.

–        Skip scheduled maintenance and care of your VCT.

–        Think replacement is the only option if your VCT looks like it is in disrepair. A surface care expert may have a solution to prevent replacement.

–        Dispose of your VCT in an environmentally-unfriendly way.

 

About SOLID

SOLID Surface Care, Inc. is a unified team of surface care experts who deliver the highest level of care for all hard and soft surfaces while providing a world-class client experience. With SOLID, your surfaces are protected, your spaces are kept clean and healthy, and your expectations are exceeded. From carpet to stone to metal and wood, we care for the most precious surfaces in the world – Yours.

Contact SOLID for a complimentary site assessment: Call 844.227.6543 ext. 3 or visit https://www.solidcare.com/contact/.