How to Install Vinyl Floors
When buying your floor, bring in a floor plan with accurate measurements of the room. This way, you can order the flooring with the pattern centered in the room and also get enough extra material for cutting and trimming.
Consider the adhesion type of your flooring when you buy it. Full adhesion flooring requires you to spread adhesive across the entire floor, while perimeter adhesion allows you to only spread adhesive along the edges of the flooring. The latter is easier and cheaper.
Preparation
You can install underlayment membrane on top of plywood, OSB, concrete, lightweight concrete, or gypsum.
- Your subfloor needs to be totally flat and smooth. You can use leveling compound to make your floor flat.
- Trim door frames and the like so that your flooring can slide underneath them. You can measure the height of the cut by using a piece of the flooring and then sawing right above it.
You will need:
- Vinyl flooring
- Good utility knife or linoleum knife
- Craft paper (or lots of sheets of paper taped end-to-end)
- Block of wood on which to cut
- Adhesive -- we recommend Roberts or Tec adhesives
- A trowel as suggested by the adhesive manufacturer
- A hand roller or a block of wood wrapped in cloth
Installation
Step 1: Modified Thinset
- Remove trim and moldings from along the floor. Lay out the vinyl flooring so that you can cut around obstacles and against walls. Leave plenty of excess along the walls. To handle inside corners, cut half-circles until the vinyl is flat on the floor.
Step 2: Seam Strips
- (Repeating for each wall) Roll the vinyl up a bit, then roll out craft paper along the floor so its edge is along the wall. Put double-sided tape on top of the craft paper. Then unroll the vinyl back out and press it down onto the tape.
Step 3: Press Underlayment
- Cut the vinyl along the outer edges of the craft paper. This is most easily done by folding the edge back and slicing it on top of a block of wood. Then remove the craft paper.
Step 4: Add More Underlayment
- For full adhesion flooring: Roll up the vinyl, then spread the adhesive across the entire floor as directed by the adhesive manufacturer. Then unroll the vinyl back into place. Use a hand roller or a block of wood wrapped in cloth to apply firm pressure across the entire floor. Allow it to dry for 24 hours before putting furniture on it or allowing heavy traffic.
- For perimeter adhesion flooring: Spread a 6" band of adhesive along each wall, then let the vinyl fall back into place. Use a hand roller or a block of wood wrapped in cloth to apply firm pressure to the vinyl where it meets the adhesive. Allow it to dry for 4 hours before putting furniture on it or allowing heavy traffic.
Step 5: Install Tile
- Put the trim and moldings back on the walls.
Step 1: Modified Thinset
Remove trim and moldings from along the floor. Lay out the vinyl flooring so that you can cut around obstacles and against walls. Leave plenty of excess along the walls. To handle inside corners, cut half-circles until the vinyl is flat on the floor.
Step 2: Seam Strips
(Repeating for each wall) Roll the vinyl up a bit, then roll out craft paper along the floor so its edge is along the wall. Put double-sided tape on top of the craft paper. Then unroll the vinyl back out and press it down onto the tape.
Step 3: Press Underlayment
Cut the vinyl along the outer edges of the craft paper. This is most easily done by folding the edge back and slicing it on top of a block of wood. Then remove the craft paper.
Step 4: Add More Underlayment
- For full adhesion flooring: Roll up the vinyl, then spread the adhesive across the entire floor as directed by the adhesive manufacturer. Then unroll the vinyl back into place. Use a hand roller or a block of wood wrapped in cloth to apply firm pressure across the entire floor. Allow it to dry for 24 hours before putting furniture on it or allowing heavy traffic.
- For perimeter adhesion flooring: Spread a 6" band of adhesive along each wall, then let the vinyl fall back into place. Use a hand roller or a block of wood wrapped in cloth to apply firm pressure to the vinyl where it meets the adhesive. Allow it to dry for 4 hours before putting furniture on it or allowing heavy traffic.
Step 5: Install Tile
Put the trim and moldings back on the walls.
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