Vinyl flooring has become increasingly popular in homes and commercial spaces due to its durability, affordability, and variety of design options. If you’re considering installing vinyl flooring in your space, you’re making a smart choice. However, the success of your project largely depends on proper vinyl floor fitting. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about fitting vinyl flooring, fitting vinyl flooring over tile, and a step by step guide to help you out!
Why Choose Vinyl Flooring?
Before we dive too deep into depths of vinyl floors, it’s important to understand why vinyl has become such a popular choice. Vinyl flooring offers a perfect blend of style, functionality and ease of upkeep.
Durability – Vinyl flooring is highly resistant to scratches, stains, and wear, making it ideal for high foot-traffic areas.
Water Resistance – It’s an excellent option for areas prone to getting a little bit wet, such as kitchens and bathrooms!
Design Variety – Vinyl flooring can mimic the look of wood, stone and tile at a fraction of the cost.
Comfort – Compared to the more pricey alternatives of tile or hardwood flooring, vinyl flooring provides a softer and warmer feel underfoot.
So there’s clearly plenty of reasons to choose vinyl flooring, but how do you go about fitting it?
How to Lay Vinyl Flooring, Step by Step
Preparation is Key
Measure Your Space! Accurate measurements are crucial. Start by measuring the length and width of your room to determine how much vinyl flooring you’ll need. It’s advisable to purchase extra material to account for any mistakes or future repairs
Clearing the area by removing all furniture, rugs, and existing flooring materials such as carpets and tiles, is essential. If you’re installing vinyl flooring over tile, you’ll need to ensure the surface is clean, level, and free of any debris.
Check the subfloor and acclimate the vinyl. The subfloor should be smooth, dry and free of any imperfections. Uneven surfaces can lead to poor vinyl adhesion and visible lumps and bumps! If you’re dealing with a subfloor that’s uneven, it could be worth using a levelling compound to make the fitting run smoothly! Allowing the vinyl to acclimate to the rooms temperature and humidity is an important step that is easily overlooked. This should happen at least 24 hours before installation and helps prevent expansion or contraction after installation.
Laying Your Vinyl Flooring
Laying vinyl flooring can be a pretty straightforward process (or you can just get us to do it for you!).
Gather your tools – essentials like a utility knife to cut the flooring, a tape measure, straight edge, adhesive (if you’re not using peel-and-stick vinyl), roller and chalk are a must to make the job as easy as possible.
Measure twice, cut once – Unroll the vinyl flooring and use a tape measure and utility knife to cut it to the size of your room. Leave a slight overhang (about 2 inches) around the edges to allow for trimming later.
If necessary, apply your adhesive – If you’re using a glue-down vinyl, lift half of the flooring and apply adhesive to the subfloor using a trowel or something similar. Carefully lay the vinyl back down, smoothing out any air bubbles with a roller. Repeat this process for the other half of the room.
Trim the edges and seal – Once in place, use a utility knife and a straightedge to trim the excess material along the walls, leaving a small gap (around 3mm) for expansion. For a professional looking finish, apply caulk or a suitable sealant along the edges of the vinyl flooring. This is especially important in moisture prone areas like bathrooms and kitchens!
Installing Vinyl Flooring Over Tile: What You Need to Know
One of the most common questions we get at The Flooring Outlet is whether it’s possible to install vinyl flooring over tile. And while the short answer is ‘yes’, there’s a few considerations to keep in mind.
Before you start it’s important to assess the condition of the tile flooring. It should be in good condition with no cracks of loose tiles. Any damage to the tiles can cause issues with the vinyl installation.
The existing surface must be level. If the tile has deep grout lines or is uneven, you’ll need to level the surface. A self levelling compound can be applied to fill grout lines and create a smooth surface for the vinyl.
If you’re laying vinyl flooring on tile, it’s important to check the adhesive that you’re using (if you’re using glue down vinyl). Make sure the adhesive is compatible with both vinyl and tile surfaces to ensure a strong bond that lasts.
A Few Flooring Outlet Tips to Maintain Your Vinyl Floor
Proper maintenance is key to ensuring your vinyl flooring looks great for my years to come. Regular cleaning may seem obvious, but it’s important to sweep or vacuum your vinyl floor regularly to remove the usual build up of dirt and debris. Avoid abrasive cleaners like harsh chemicals or the use of abrasive scrubbers as they can damage the vinyl surface. Always best to stick to gentle, non-abrasive cleaners.
Protecting high foot traffic areas by using rugs or mats is a good idea to reduce wear and tear on your vinyl flooring. Also, while vinyl flooring is water resistant, it’s still a good plan to clean up spills and dirt as soon as possible to avoid any unwanted damage or stains.
Final Thoughts: We’re the Professionals for a Reason!
While the DIY method is entirely possible, hiring a professional can save you a lot of time, and it guarantees you a professional finish. We have the experience and the tools necessary to handle any challenges and issues that may occur, such as uneven subfloors or complex room layouts.
The team at The Flooring Outlet not only provide the highest quality vinyl flooring, but are experts when it comes to installation services too! So whether you’re looking to floor a single room or your plans are to upgrade your entire home, our team is here to help in whatever capacity you may need. Get in touch now or book your free measure and estimate!