Expert: Stephen Hayes - 10/2/2006

Question
We are considering a peel and stick vinyl floor tile with aluminum oxide finish.  My question is: my mom is in a wheelchair and the wheels are so course rubber.  Will the rubber react with the vinyl tile and turn it yellow.  She currently has a vinly floor now and it has yellowed.  Can you suggest a flooring that is inexpensive.  She lives on a slab foundation and would like something inexpensive, and of course beautiful!! She likes the look of tile, stone, ceramic,etc.. Thank you for your time, Marian Robertson

Answer
Please do NOT put down any peel & stick tile.  Contact a commercial vinyl floor manufacturer, such as Congoleum or Tarkett.  Go to their websites and contact them.  Ask them for which one of their products that are rated for the use you need, such as what they put into hospitals.  Spend some extra time doing proper research, ask them for the nearest dealer to you, and get some pricing.  In a residence there really is not a lot of sq. ft., and the difference in money between inexpensive peel & stick tiles and commercial tiles or commercial sheet goods rated for the use you require, will probably not be a lot of difference in cost.  Plus, peel & stick tiles are not rated for wheelchair use.  Not only in their topical construction, but the adhesive used to bond the tiles to the concrete, is not stable enough to take that type of usage.