Stonhard FE Resin Systems vs. Vinyl Sheet Goods: A Performance Comparison
In commercial design, flooring has a significant impact on occupant comfort. When choosing resilient flooring, the decision often comes down to traditional vinyl sheet goods or fully bonded seamless resin floors like Stonhard's FE resin technology.
Vinyl may meet acoustic standards at installation but with deterioration it breaks down over time. Stonhard FE resin technology offers a fully bonded, durable, and stable system that will maintain its properties for the life of the floor.
Let’s break down how Stonhard FE resin systems outperform vinyl, focusing on Maintaining Acoustic Stability, Elasticity & Plasticizer Loss, how the materials age, repairs, durability, hygiene, and Design Flexibility.
Before diving into the differences between the two flooring types, it’s important to understand key acoustic benchmarks: ASTM E492 (IIC 35) and ASTM E90 (STC 50 dB)
- ASTM E492 – Impact Insulation Class (IIC 35): Measures how well flooring reduces impact noise, such as footsteps or dropped items.
- ASTM E90 – Sound Transmission Class (STC 50 dB): Measures how well it blocks airborne noise, like voices or equipment sounds.
The challenge isn’t just achieving these ratings at installation—it’s keeping them over time.
Comparing How Well Acoustic Stability is Maintained
Stonhard FE Resin Systems
Seamless Bonding = Acoustic Stability Over TimeFE resin is chemically cross-linked and fully bonded to the substrate, creating a seamless, monolithic structure. Without seams or adhesive layers to degrade, it delivers consistent IIC 35 and STC 50 dB performance throughout its lifespan.
Vinyl Sheet Goods
Vinyl relies on adhesives that weaken over time and heat-welded seams prone to failure. As seams loosen or adhesives break down, acoustic performance declines.
The Bottom Line
Seamless FE systems maintain stable acoustics, while vinyl loses performance as it ages.
Elasticity and Plasticizer Loss: Vinyl’s Weakness
Vinyl relies on plasticizers to remain soft and flexible, but these chemicals evaporate or migrate over time. This leads to:
- Brittleness and cracking
- Shrinkage at seams
- Reduced ability to absorb impact noise
FE Resin Technology
FE systems don’t use plasticizers. Their resilience comes from engineered polymers that retain flexibility and acoustic performance for decades.
Material Aging: Vinyl Changes – FE Does Not
Vinyl is a thermoplastic, meaning it softens with heat and hardens with age. It’s prone to curling, shrinkage, discoloration, and seam gaps, all of which undermine the performance.
FE Resin Systems
FE floors are thermoset polymers, permanently crosslinked for dimensional stability. They stay seamless and maintain full contact with the substrate, ensuring long-term integrity.
Repairs
Vinyl: A Weak Spot
Damaged vinyl requires heat-welded patches, which often mismatch in color, fail at seams, and disrupt acoustic performance.
Monolithic FE Repairs
FE resin repairs bond seamlessly into the existing floor with no visible patchwork or acoustic disruption. The monolithic integrity is fully restored.
Durability, Hygiene, and Design Flexibility
FE Resin Floors
- Resist gouging, tearing, and wear
- Withstand rolling loads without crushing the acoustic layer
- Provide a seamless, sanitary surface ideal for healthcare and education
- Enable custom colours and designs without seams or joints
Vinyl Sheet Goods
- Prone to wear, tearing, and indentation
- Seams are weak points that fail over time
- Require frequent maintenance for appearance
- Custom designs add more risk of failure
Performance That Lasts
Vinyl may meet acoustic standards at installation but with the deterioration it breaks down overtime. Stonhard FE resin technology offers a fully bonded, durable, and stable system that can maintain this for the life of the floor.When durability, acoustics, and long-term value matter, FE resin floors outperform vinyl every time.
About Stonhard
Stonhard is the unprecedented world leader in manufacturing and installing high-performance polymer floor, wall and lining systems. Stonhard maintains 300 territory managers and 200 application teams worldwide who will work with you on design specification, project management, final walk-through and service after the sale. Stonhard's single-source warranty covers both products and installation.
Contact us to learn more about our precision installation methods and specialized products.