DIY Installation

How to Remove Vinyl Floor Tile Adhesive

If you have turned to the Internet to learn how to remove vinyl floor tile adhesive, chances are you have all but given up and are ready to call a contractor to do the work for you. Sore knees, blistered hands and hours scrubbing the floor and trying to get rid of those vinyl tires, and they still don’t go away.

The right way to remove vinyl tile glue depends on the kind of glue used to install the tiles, and its age. Vinyl tile adhesive that is really old and dry will require the use of harsher chemical solvents, whereas removing the tiles you installed last winter will be much easier. There are many different ways to remove vinyl tile adhesive, once you have removed the vinyl tiles using a knife and pulling them off the floor, and you may need to use some of them combined.

Scrapping

The first thing you should do when removing vinyl floor tile adhesive is using a scrapper to manually remove as much glue as possible by purely physical means. This is hard work in an uncomfortable position, so don’t try to get it all done in an evening and make sure you rest your back and even wear a supportive waistband to prevent damage. This should get rid of the bulk of the vinyl glue and the flooring itself.

Solvents

No matter how much you scrap, there will be some resistant vinyl adhesive that refuses to go. In order to soften old glue for vinyl flooring you may need to use solvents. Vinyl solvents come in a variety of types and strengths, from easy to use citrus or soy based ones to highly toxic harsh chemicals, so choose the milder one that still does the job. Chemical solvents can be dangerous, and it’s extremely important to follow all the safety measures provided by the manufacturer. At the bare minimum, make sure you wear protective clothing and work on a well-ventilated area, and take frequent breaks. The solvent will soften the adhesive, and you can then scrap it off easily.

Using a Heat Gun

You can use a heat gun to remove vinyl floor tile adhesive effectively, but this method is not without risks. To start with, you could start a fire or get burn, or even suffer from poisoning from inhaling the noxious fumes that will result. So using a heat gun should be your last resort choice, used only when all else has failed.

Dry Ice Method

A nice industry trick to remove vinyl floor adhesive is to use dry ice. Using protective gloves, place a block of dry ice on a tile for 5 minutes. The tile will become brittle and pop out, and you can remove it easily. Place another dry ice block on the remaining adhesive to make it shatter, and another block on the next tile so it starts freezing. This way you can remove vinyl flooring glue with the least possible back pain.

Health Warning: Vinyl Tiles and Asbestos

If your tiles are old, there is a chance that they contain asbestos. Vinyl tiles containing asbestos were used until the mid-80s, and if your house is older or has vintage tiles it could be a health hazard to try and remove those tiles yourself, as a shattered tile will release asbestos in the air. If you suspect your flooring contains asbestos, contact a specialised removal company that will seal the room and vacuum away any asbestos dust released when removing the tiles.

Installing Vinyl Tiles With Grout

Filed Under: DIY Installation

If you are after a flexible self-adhesive tile that is sealed like a ceramic tile floor, installing vinyl tiles with grout gives you the perfect alternative to more costly natural stone or ceramic flooring. However, grouting vinyl tile is totally different from grouting ceramic or natural stone tiles for several reasons. To start with, groutable vinyl tile flooring uses an acrylic based grout instead of traditional cement-based products. Groutable vinyl floor tiles are also thinner, so the joints will be shallower. Installed properly, grout vinyl tile flooring can offer you years of service and look great with minimal expense.

Lay Down the Vinyl Tiles

To lay down vinyl tiles with grout the first step is placing them on the area where they will be installed, paying careful attention to the joints. Groutable vinyl floor tiles come in different styles, but the majority will have either rounded edges or bevelled edged. If your grout vinyl tile flooring has rounded edges, you will need to space them as you would ceramic tiles. Otherwise, they need to touch each other and the grout will be placed right above the joint. You may need to cut some tiles to fit the edges of the floor. If you already know how to install vinyl floors, the procedure is exactly the same at this point.

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Attach the Tiles To The Subfloor

If you are using peel and stick vinyl tile squares you will need to remove the backing and glue them to the floor. For non adhesive vinyl tiles you will need to use vinyl floor tile adhesive to make sure they are perfectly glued to the floor. The floor needs to be perfectly clean and flat in order for the vinyl to stick. If the floor isn’t dry or clean enough, or the surface is not even, the tiles will lift up and you will need to glue them again. Use a vinyl tile roller to make sure there are no bubbles and the tiles stick to the floor. You will need to leave the vinyl tile adhesive to dry for a few hours, usually overnight, but check out your manufacturer’s instructions.

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Installing Vinyl Tiles With Grout

So far, installing vinyl tiles with grout is not very different from installing normal vinyl tiles. So the next step after the tile adhesive is dry is actually grouting your new vinyl floor. You will need to mix the grout following the manufacturer’s instructions, and scoop a bit of it with a grout float. Place the grout on the joints of your groutable vinyl floor tiles and drag it carefully, making sure to cover the joint while remaining level with the tiles. Start with a small amount of grout to avoid making a mess and remember you will need much less grout than if you were installing ceramic tiles.

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Once your new groutable vinyl tile flooring is done, you will need to use a damp grout sponge to wipe the tiles and shape the grout lines. However, you will need to be extra careful because the grout joints at this point are very shallow and you could just wash out the entire thing and would need to start again. Once you are done, you will need to wait between 24 to 48 hours before walking on the floor to give time for the vinyl tile grout to dry, and then it’s time to enjoy your new grouting vinyl tile flooring.

Installing Vinyl Over Vinyl Sheets

Filed Under: DIY Installation

Vinyl tiles are an easy and affordable way of giving a room a totally new look. They are easier to install than vinyl sheets, and if you are not very experienced at DIY they are definitely the best option. But if you already have a vinyl floor, a common concern is whether installing vinyl over vinyl sheets is possible. In most cases, installing over sheet vinyl is possible, but you will need to prepare the floor correctly.

Is The Old Floor Lifting Up?

First of all you will need to check out the conservation status of your existing vinyl flooring. The most important thing to look at is whether it’s perfectly bonded to the subfloor. Old vinyl flooring in need of maintenance often shows signs of lifting from the subfloor, and will need some vinyl flooring repair in order to install vinyl tiles on top. Use vinyl flooring glue and wait a few days to see if the old vinyl flooring lifts again. If it does, removing vinyl floor with a knife may be easier than installing over vinyl flooring that is in such bad shape.

Are There Marks Or Deep Scratches?

If the existing vinyl flooring has cuts, holes or deep scratches, those imperfections will make installing vinyl over vinyl difficult and will need to be fixed before continuing. If there is a lot of damage you may be better off removing the old floor and preparing the subfloor for laying vinyl floor directly on top of it. If the imperfections are minor, you can fix them using a self-levelling embossing solution to fill the holes, and make sure the entire floor is perfectly flat.

Installing Vinyl Tile Over Existing Vinyl Floor

In order to install your new vinyl luxury tile you will need the floor to be perfectly clean and flat. Start with using a good floor cleaning liquid, but avoid those that have wax or give a glossy finish. Use a clean mop, and change the water as soon as it gets dirty. You need a really spotless surface for the self adhesive vinyl tiles to stick properly. Dry the floor using towels, and make sure there is no soap residue at all. Leave the floor to dry (and make sure you don’t step on it with dirty feet) and apply a coat of vinyl primer on the vinyl sheeting to improve the adhesive effects. Once the primer is dry it’s time to lay your new vinyl flooring on top of the old one.

If you are using vinyl tile squares it’s better to start in the middle of the room and move outwards towards the walls, so if you need to cut any tile it’s only one that is close to the wall. Be careful when cutting vinyl flooring over existing vinyl, as you could make a hole that would need to be fixed before you can install the tiles. Depending on the size of the room, this work can take less than a day. Just make sure you are very careful and align each tile perfectly with the ones next to it so the effect is of a professional vinyl tile installation over your old vinyl sheet flooring.

How Do You Remove Vinyl Flooring

Filed Under: DIY Installation

All the good things come to an end, and vinyl flooring is not an exception. Whether you are tired of your existing vinyl design, want to install a new one or opt for a totally different flooring material, learning about removing vinyl floor is almost as important as learning how to install vinyl flooring tiles. Thankfully, it is a very simple procedure that can be done by anybody, and all you will need is a utility knife and lots of patience.

Removing Vinyl Floor With a Knife

The first thing you’ll need to do if you are removing vinyl tiles or sheets with a knife is to cut them into strips using the knife. In order for the strips to be easy to handle it is best to make them about 10 to 12cm wide. Insert the knife into the incision and slowly cut the adhesive below so the vinyl sheet separates from the floor. Peel the strip as you do so, and repeat until all the vinyl is out of the way. This is a messy and quite slow process, so a little trade secret that may help is removing vinyl flooring using dry ice.

How do I Remove Vinyl Flooring Using Dry Ice?

First of all, remember to always wear gloves if you are handling dry ice, as otherwise your hands will easily get frostbitten. Dry ice is a very cold substance, the solid form of carbon dioxide, so you will also need to be on a well-ventilated area and be careful not to inhale too much fumes, though it is generally not very toxic.

To remove vinyl flooring using dry ice, just cut the ice into cubes about 30cm big and place them on top of the vinyl. The dry ice will evaporate and cool off the vinyl, making it brittle and easy to break after a few minutes. The broken pieces of vinyl can be swept away easily. If you are working on a large surface, such as vinyl commercial flooring, this method is much more cost effective in terms of time.

Preparing The Floor After Removing Vinyl Floor

It doesn’t matter which method you used to remove vinyl flooring, there will be traces of vinyl and adhesive for vinyl tile on the floor which needs to be removed. This is a process that requires first the use of a scrapper and can be quite a bit of hard work but it is necessary if you plan on installing any other type of flooring as the surfaces need to be flat and clean. To make scrapping easier, you may want to use boiling water to soften the adhesive up but use towels to contain it and don’t try this if you are trying to remove vinyl adhesive from porous substances such as wood.

Some stubborn spots may be resistant to manual scrapping, in which case you will need to use a chemical stripper to soften the adhesive up. However, make sure to follow the instructions from the manufacturer, wear protective equipment to avoid breathing in the fumes and keep the area well ventilated.

How To Install Vinyl Floors

Filed Under: DIY Installation

Vinyl flooring comes in many different formats, suitable for installation by people with different levels of DIY expertise. Peel and stick vinyl tile squares are probably the easiest and most affordable way of laying vinyl floor. You can buy them in almost any colour or pattern at almost any home improvement store or over the Internet, and the prices for vinyl flooring start at less than $2 per square foot. To install vinyl floor tiles you will only need some easy to obtain tools and patience.

Things You Will Need

Self Adhesive Vinyl Tiles

Utility Knife

A Yardstick or other straight edge

A kitchen rolling pin or a tile roller

Measuring tape

Chalk line

It is recommended that you buy about 20% more tiles than you calculate you will need, to cover for any error or miscalculation. Spare tiles can also be used later on in case a tile is damaged and requires a replacement, as some styles may go out of stock or be discontinued.

Preparing the Surface Before Laying Vinyl Floor

You can install vinyl flooring tiles on almost any surface, except for carpet, but said surface needs to be totally dry, clean and flat. If you are installing on concrete you will need to repair all cracks or uneven areas, using a self-leveling compound. If you are replacing old vinyl tiles you will need to remove them and then use a scrapper to remove any stubborn vinyl floor adhesive. A wood sander can be used to make wood surfaces suitable for the installation of vinyl tiles.

If you are installing vinyl tile on a bathroom, make sure to remove the toilet first and set it aside so you can reinstall it after you are done. Clean the floor thoroughly before you start installing, vacuuming out any dust or debris to ensure your new vinyl tiles stick perfectly to the substrate.

How To Install Vinyl Flooring Tiles

Once the floor is perfectly clean, dry and even it’s time to start installing your new flooring. While most people wondering “How do I lay vinyl flooring” may be tempted to start from a wall, it is far better to start from the centre of the room.

Make two straight lines using the chalk across the centre of the room. The point where they cross is the middle of the room, and the place where you will start laying the vinyl floor. Your first vinyl tile should be when those two lines meet.

Peel off the backing of the tile, align it exactly where you want it and press firmly. Continue laying down tiles, making sure you line them up very carefully with either the chalk line or the previous tiles so the edges are straight. Use the rolling pin or tile roller to make sure the tiles are perfectly glued to the floor.

Once you reach a wall, you will probably need to cut a tile so it fits snuggly. You can use the utility knife to do so, just make sure you cut the tile against a wood surface so you don’t accidentally etch your newly installed floor.

To cut vinyl tiles straight you can use the yardstick and the utility knife to score deeply on the paper side, then fold forward on the non-sticky side for a perfect and clean cut.

Installing Non Adhesive Vinyl Square Tiles

If you have chosen vinyl tiles that aren’t self-adhesive, you will need to use vinyl floor adhesive suitable for the surface you are installing the tiles over, but otherwise the process is very similar if a bit more messy. Check out this video for a demo: