Vinyl Tile Squares

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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:

Finding the Best Prices For Vinyl Flooring Online

Filed Under: Buying

If you are worried about cost, vinyl flooring is without a doubt one of the most durable and affordable flooring materials for your home renovation project. Vinyl flooring price varies depending on the type of vinyl you are buying, the quality and thickness of the vinyl tile squares or sheets and the guarantees offered by the manufacturers. It is also important to keep in mind that finding the best prices for vinyl flooring can be achieved easily by using the Internet to do your research instead of just buying at your local home improvement store.

Prices for vinyl flooring vary a lot: You can pay as little as $1 per square meter for basic vinyl flooring tiles, or splurge over $5 per square meter on luxury vinyl tile that could pass for natural stone. Depending on the surface you want to cover and the level of quality desired, you may need to look around to find a distributor that offers the style and format you want within your budget. Keep in mind that higher quality vinyl flooring will last longer and will suffer less wear and tear damage. You need also to take into account installation costs if you don’t know how to install vinyl floors yourself, or prefer to leave it to a professional. However, you can achieve significant savings by choosing a type of vinyl flooring that you can install yourself, such as no glue vinyl sheets or peel and stick vinyl tiles.

Lower Vinyl Flooring Costs Buying Online

Once you have decided on a budget and a decorative style, you can do two things: Go to your local home improvement store and see what they have available, or open your favourite browser and check out the Internet. You can buy vinyl flooring materials from all types of websites: from independent manufacturers to trading giants such as Amazon. If you are after a real bargain, EBay often has some really good deals from retailers that want to get rid of excess stock, or home remodelling companies going out of business or getting rid of excess from a past project. It is always a good idea to shop around for the exact design and style you want, and make sure to read the specifications. The thickness of the vinyl tiles will affect how long they’ll last, and each package should specify how much area the entire pack will cover.

Other Things You’ll Need To Buy

Depending on the type of vinyl flooring you are choosing you may also need to buy some extra materials in order to install it yourself. Unless you are using self-adhesive vinyl tiles or no glue vinyl sheets, you will need to purchase vinyl floor adhesive separately. Vinyl can be cut with an utility knife, but you may need specialist materials to level the surface on which it will be installed. For example, if you are installing vinyl flooring over concrete you will most likely need to repair cracks and use a self-levelling compound to make sure the floor is perfectly flat. Other things that may come useful but you may already have at home are a broom to be able to clean the entire floor area before installing, chalk to paint the outlines of existing countertops or toilets, and a tile roller (or a rolling pin from your kitchen). You can often buy everything from the same store you bought your tiles from.

Vinyl flooring price is also affected by the end use it is designed for. Commercial vinyl floor materials are designed to endure heavier use and so are usually more expensive, while vinyl designed for decorative usage on domestic environments is often much cheaper. High end vinyl manufacturers often include a guarantee with their flooring, sometimes subjected to the floor being installed by a professional and restricted to domestic use. Check this out if you are opting for high quality vinyl flooring and want to protect your investment from accidental damage. Vinyl is highly durable, and can last for decades with the correct care provided it was installed correctly.