DIY Vinyl Floor Installation

Vinyl flooring is a covering generally applied to high-traffic areas such as a kitchen, bathroom or entryway. The choices for the vinyl flooring are vast as it comes in a variety of colors, styles, textures and patterns. Choosing which design you want to cover your floor will be the biggest problem. Installing vinyl flooring is a job that the average homeowner can do by himself, without hiring a professional.

Prepare Before Buying

Before you rush out and purchase a length of vinyl flooring, you need to do a few things. Determine how much vinyl you need to buy. Then make the necessary repairs on the floor you are renovating with the new floor covering. By doing the ground work first, you will be on your way to having a new, professional looking floor that you can proudly show off to your friends.

Sketch the Room and Measure

Draw a rough diagram of the room where you’re installing the new floor covering. Include any areas that you will need to cut around, like built-in cupboards or cabinets.

Measure the length and width of the room. Write down the measurements on the diagram you drew. Do not deduct the areas that you plan to go around. You want the total area of the room measuring from wall to wall. If you have cabinets that take up most of the wall space, measure up to those, unless you plan on taking them out and install flooring underneath. This helps eliminate the chore of patching in areas. On your diagram, you’ll want to have the exact measurements for each section. Always double check your findings to eliminate mistakes. Add another 3 inches to the final numbers.

Calculate Square Feet

Round off numbers to the next inch. Calculate the area in square feet by multiplying the length times the width. If you are unsure about how much to buy, take your measurements into the store and give them to a professional working there. They will ensure you have the right amount to do the job right.

Clear Out the Room

When you have the vinyl bought, it is time to get to work. That means, clearing out the room. Remove the baseboards with a pry bar and hammer. Try to do this carefully so you don’t break the boards, unless you plan on changing the baseboards all together. Move out furniture and all other movable items from the room.

Once you have that done, it is time to prepare the floor. Sweep, clean and vacuum the floor before you even think of laying the new linoleum over the top. You need to remove sand particles dirt and debris, because over time, they will work their way to the surface. It starts as a tiny bulge, but over time, it becomes bigger and eventually breaks through. This is not good.

Also, inspect the original floor covering below. If your old flooring has a rough texture, apply a coat of embossing leveler. This is put on with a trowel and it will make the area smooth.

Cutting the Vinyl Flooring

Roll the vinyl flooring out upside down on a clean, level driveway or basement floor. Choose an area that has a larger floor area than the piece of vinyl. This not only helps it to lay flat, it will also help you to cut the right measurements.

Transfer the measurements onto the back side of the vinyl flooring, but add another three inches to the width and height, to allow for mistakes. When marking, use a marking pencil to make the lines. Don’t cut the corners or things you need to cut around just yet. That is better done when you have the vinyl on the floor. It helps prevent mistakes of cutting in the wrong area.

Double Check Measurements

When you have checked the measurements at least twice, lay a long piece of scrap board underneath the vinyl flooring. position the board so the cut lines are on top and in the middle of the board. This way, as you cut the vinyl, your knife goes into the board below, and not the floor. Cut along the lines with a linoleum knife or a break-away knife.

Once you have the vinyl cut, carefully turn it over so it is facing the right way. Roll the vinyl flooring up with the factory edge last.

Position the Vinyl on the Floor

Unroll and lay the vinyl on the floor. Place the factory edge against the largest area of the wall to ensure that the lines are straight. The extra three inches you cut will run up the wall.

Now comes the trimming part. Take a deep breath and go slowly. Double check everything before you cut to eliminate making a mistake. Place a 2 x 4 to push the vinyl up tight against the wall where the floor meets the wall. Position the linoleum knife between the board and the wall and carefully score the vinyl. Go back and finish cutting all the way through, trimming the vinyl to fit.

Cut the Corners

If you have inside corners to go around, cut the vinyl in a V-shape cuts where it overlaps. You may have to make several V-shape cuts until the vinyl rests level on the floor. Work slowly when cutting so you don’t make a mistake.

Once you have the entire floor cut and covered, it is time to glue it in place.

Gluing the Vinyl In Place

Roll up 1/4 to 1/2 of the floor covering. Choose the shortest wall in your room to start. The amount to roll up depends on how big your floor is and how fast you can apply the adhesive. Now it is very important that you do not press on the rolled portion of the vinyl floor. This could cause the vinyl to bulge, break, crack and that is not what you want for your new floor. Before you begin, read the back of the adhesive can to find out how long you have before the glue sets up. Most adhesives leave you with a 15-minute window, but yours might say differently.

Apply adhesive to the floor with a trowel, starting in one corner and working to the other corner. Carefully unroll the vinyl flooring over the adhesive, pressing down with a rolling pin as you go so the back side of the vinyl has contact with the glue. If any adhesive seeps out, wipe it away with a damp cloth.

Repeat gluing the floor in place as you continue across the rest of the floor. Work in sections, starting at one side of the room and going to the other side.

Allow the floor to cure according to manufacturer’s directions, before reinstalling the baseboards and furniture.

Tips

Vinyl flooring works best when the temperatures in the room are 75 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Acclimatize the vinyl flooring and adhesive for 72 hours at this temperature before installing.


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