The Simplicity of Laying a New Self-Adhesive Vinyl Tile Floor

When we laid new vinyl tile in our two bathrooms a few years ago, the do-it-yourself material on the internet was overwhelmingly complex. We opted to just go straight to the hardware store and find out what we could there. It was fortunately a good day to find someone in the department who was not too busy to help and who knew the answers to our questions. With his help, this project became immensely simple, and the results were very satisfying.

The items you will need are:

1. New tiles (of course). Measure the area of the floor you will be re-flooring, and purchase boxes of tile accordingly. We used a little more than one box in our very small bathroom, a little more than 2 boxes in our larger master bathroom. (These are square foot tiles, 20 to a box.) Make sure you have a few extra for the inevitable mistake.

2. A floor scraper. These come in a long-handled variety, but we were fortunate enough to find a shorter handled version which worked well for us. It is much like a large putty knife, with a replaceable blade, and it is invaluable in this process.

3. A vacuum. You MUST clear the debris and dust from the floor for the best results.

4. Vinyl primer. This is also an imperative part of the process. Without it, the tiles may not adhere well to your floor. It also creates a slight water barrier to wood floors (we installed over concrete, so did not have this consideration with which to contend).

5. Paint roller on a long handle and paint tray (for the latex primer).

6. Adjustable shaping template for odd-shaped edges (like around door frames).

7. Sturdy shears for cutting the tiles.

8. Caulking

Before you do anything, think about the type of floor you desire. Keep in mind the size and color and lighting of the room, and how this pattern will enhance (or detract from!) the decor. It's all too easy to fall in love with a really intricate design, only to find that it is a little overbearing for the room in which you're laying it. Also make sure that you get the best quality vinyl floor tiles you can. In the case of flooring, it's really important to remember that many times you get what you pay for; you may end up with less than desirable results if you cheap out on the materials.

First of all, you must remove the old floor. I have actually heard of people flooring over the old floor, but I do not recommend this. You will achieve better results, and you will have less difficulty, if you just remove the old floor. If your floor is a single piece of dilapidated linoleum that's hardly even attached to the floor anymore (like ours was), this part will be the simplest. Just pull it up, cut it into pieces, and throw it away! If it is old adhesive tiles, it may take a little more elbow grease than that. At any rate, whether you pull up loose floor or carpet, scrape off old tiles, or break up and remove old ceramic tiles, make sure you get everything off the floor itself. While you are doing this, also remove all trim from around the room, including baseboards and the thin trim from around the base of cabinets. Take care while you do this, if you do not want to have to go and replace the trim! It is completely re-usable if you don't need a change of color scheme, and it's expensive stuff!

No matter what type of floor you previously had, there was probably some sort of adhesive holding it in place, even if it was as badly done as ours originally was by the builders of our house. The main key to laying a beautiful vinyl tile floor is to have a completely smooth surface with which to begin. Get out that scraper, and enlist help if you need it. Scrape away all the old adhesive. This could take a couple of days if there is a lot of adhesive on the floor and if you are doing it alone. Take your time. The floor is OK in this condition.

If you have a wood floor, an alternative to scraping is sanding. This is most likely ideal, since it doesn't take a chance on damaging (chipping or gouging) the wood under flooring. As I mentioned, we were working with concrete, and the scraper was the perfect tool for that scenario. When using a sander, be sure to properly ventilate and use a face mask to reduce the breathing-in of particles.

Once you have scraped (or sanded) all the adhesive from the floor, vacuum really well so that there is no dust or debris left on the floor. This part is very important, because anything left behind for the next step will become "one" with your floor preparation. Everything on the floor will stick in the latex primer, and will undermine your floor's smoothness, diminishing the possibility of positive end results.

Now that your floor is completely smooth and clean, it's time to begin actual preparation for tile placement. You may choose at this point to check the layout of your tile. It is also appropriate to move on to the next step (latex vinyl application) and then to check your layout. Layout is important - especially if you have tile with a pattern on it. Depending on how you lay the tiles, different patterns may emerge. Or worse yet, you may not end up with any pattern at all if you don't take the time to see how they fit together! So begin to lay the tiles on your floor (keeping ON the protective backing to the tile adhesive! This is not for the finished project, just to look at it and see the patterns!) and see how they fit together so you know how you want them laid on your floor. Keep in mind that not all rooms are constructed completely square and justified, so you may have to adjust tiles at the edges in order to keep a cohesive pattern and pleasant presentation to the floor. The nice thing about quality vinyl tiles is that this process is fairly easy. Just trim-to-fit!

For best results, start in the middle of your floor when laying out your tile to observe the patterns. You want the best presentation of the pattern in the center of the room - not off in some obscured corner somewhere. If your room is large enough to achieve this without so much fuss, then you can start anywhere. But if it is a small room, you want to get the most benefit from the placement of the tiles, thus starting in the middle is a good procedure. This is also a good time to get out your adjustable shaping template (a tool with many metal "fingers" that adjust to a variety of odd shapes and can then be used to mark the tile in order to cut the tile to fit). You may prefer, however, to hold off on the odd-shaped tiles until near the end of your project.

Once you have decided how you want the tiles laid, remove them in the order you placed them, starting at the corner you plan to finish with in the end and ending with the first tile you will lay.

Now you can move on to actual floor preparation. The latex primer is considered optional, but I think it is another key component to laying a vinyl tile floor with excellent results. It not only protects the floor itself from possible future water seepage, but it fills in any imperfections left behind in the previous steps, leaving a smooth surface with which to work. It also creates an excellent "tacky" sort of surface for the adhesive on the backs of the vinyl tiles. The directions on the bottle tell you to apply "one generous coating". I suggest maybe three or four, with ample drying time in between applications. We applied the latex primer using a long-handled paint roller and a paint tray. This way, you can apply the latex primer easily from a standing position with a lot less fuss and muss. It only took perhaps an hour for each coat to dry, so this process can be completed in a day or so. Make sure to let the latex primer dry completely overnight before beginning to lay your vinyl tile.

When you are finally ready to start laying your tile, begin at the farthest corner and make sure that you are checking them as you go along for alignment and connectivity. Line them up consistently and keep looking at the edges to make sure that you are still laying them straight, and make sure that they are laid with no space between them. If you need to trim the tiles at the wall edges to assure correct alignment, do so. Use your shaping template as needed around fixtures (like the toilet) and door frames and the like. There are more odd edges in some rooms than you might imagine!

Once you have laid all the tiles, you can now press them firmly to the floor by walking on all areas, pressing them with your weight. Make a few rounds of the room, to make sure you don't miss any areas. Then apply caulking to the edges, if you so desire, to further protect from water seepage. There are also splash guard trims made of plastic that can be installed along shower and tub areas for added protection and decorative value. Reattach your trim, and you are done!

A new floor can bring vitality and beauty back to a room that has suffered the ravages of time. And it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg and cause you a lot of distress. Believe me, if we could handle this project with the wonderful results we obtained, so can you! Our floors have been in place for several years now, and they remain beautiful and fully functional. A few days' worth of effort leads to years of enjoyment and easy care.