Top 10 Vinyl Applications We’re Sure You’ve Heard About

Everywhere you look, you see vinyl. A bus whizzes by you on the street, you walk into a fast food restaurant or walk into a suite in a corporate office building, it is all around you.

Wiring and Cables

Look around the room and you are bound to see lots of cables. A lot of cables are coated in vinyl because they are able to withstand tough conditions such as moisture and temperature. PVC is an excellent insulator on electrical wires. Manufacturers love it because it is affordable and very heat resistant. It is also chemical and oil resistant, impact resistant, elastic, and due to its “biocides” it prevents the growth of disease causing pathogens.

Water Pipes

Did you know the “V” in PVC basically stands for vinyl? There is a reason basically the entire world switched from metal pipes to PVC pipes: they resist corrosion and stress from the environment. Breakage is also extremely unlikely. Older pipes would rust, and some of them would even contaminate the water with lead causing lead poisoning.

Pharma Packaging

Where do we start? Flexible PVC helps packaging keep the contents safe including medicine and other sensitive materials. Clean vinyl has been used for tamper resistant packaging and a more rigid vinyl is used in blister packs.

Household Products

Shower curtains, sneakers, tape…everywhere you look there is vinyl. Window manufacturers love using vinyl because it is inexpensive and waterproof.

Bottles

…and not just water bottles. Baby bottles, shampoo, salad dressing, cosmetics, and everything in between.

Flooring

Vinyl flooring is an inexpensive way to bring a new look to your home. Homeowners particularly like it in kitchens and bathrooms, because it can be “rollled out” on top of some types of existing flooring, and if properly sealed offers an impenetrable membrane on the surface to prevent leaks and flooding.

Records

We threw this example in the mix just because it is probably the first word most (30 somethings or more, anyway) think of when you hear the word “vinyl.”

Shrink Wrap / Deli Wrap

The same material that is used to wrap up your leftovers is identical to the material used to wrap up tons of pallets of materials every day. This material is super flexible, and when combined in layers is extremely strong.

Automotive Applications

Auto manufacturers and accessory manufacturers love PVC for the same reason other manufacturers do. Auto applications include seat covers, mud flaps, floor coverings, side molding and dozens of other applications.

Sports

PVC is used everywhere in the sporting arena. In seats, roofs, and especially flooring. It is easy to clean and is waterproof. Some large arenas even use PVC in their rooftop membranes to cover the fans.