Flooring materials: commercial “vinyl flooring” is typically laid using sheets of which polymer?

Introduction:
“Vinyl flooring” is a ubiquitous term in construction and interior finishes. The question verifies the association of the name with the correct polymer used for resilient sheet and tile flooring products.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Vinyl flooring must be durable, water-resistant, and easily cleaned.
• Installation uses sheets or tiles with plasticizers and fillers.

Concept / Approach:
The “vinyl” in vinyl flooring refers to PVC, frequently plasticized for flexibility and processed with stabilizers, pigments, and mineral fillers. Other listed thermoplastics are not the standard base for such flooring sheets.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the industry term: “vinyl” → PVC.Recall formulation: PVC + plasticizers + fillers → resilient sheets/tiles.Choose PVC as the correct polymer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Building product specifications and codes consistently denote PVC as the base for vinyl flooring products.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• PP, LDPE, PVAc, PS: not the standard materials for sheet “vinyl” flooring; performance and processing do not match typical flooring requirements.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming “vinyl” could mean any polymer with a vinyl group; in industry jargon it specifically denotes PVC.

Final Answer:
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)