Vinyl

How to Install Sheet Vinyl

Design

Typically, you replace a floor because it is damaged or worn. You do not usually completely redecorate a room at the same time you replace the flooring. In such a situation, the decor aspects you are retaining will give you clues as to which color and pattern selections are best for your floor.

The color you choose will be determined by the predominant color of the room. Neutral tones and single-color dominant rooms will make your decision easy. For an obviously multicolored space, you will need to determine which color you prefer to emphasize.

For pattern selection, keep in mind that patterns can be combined but are most effectively done by using one large pattern, one medium pattern and one small pattern distributed among walls, fabrics and flooring. These, of course, should be color-coordinated.

If your floor offers a wide expanse of uninterrupted space, a larger pattern may be used. However, if it is broken up spatially, has alcoves, or is interrupted by counters or appliances, a more pleasing effect may be accomplished with a smaller pattern.

You can utilize the pattern to create a visual span from one space to another by repeating similar shapes in three-by-three sections both vertically and horizontally.

Common Mistakes

The single most common mistake in any vinyl flooring project is applying the flooring over an improperly cleaned or prepared floor such as a basement floor that has a moisture problem. Other frequently made mistakes are listed before each step in the installation instructions.

Floor Preparation

When laying a new floor, you will need to remove all furniture and appliances from the room. Do not attempt to merely move furniture from one side to the other, because you will need space in which to maneuver. Also, the floor will need some time to set once it is installed. So, move out anything that isn’t attached.

Remove the shoe moldings, trim pieces, door thresholds, and floor grates carefully, using a pry bar and a scrap of wood for a leverage wedge so as not to mar the baseboard. This will enable you to fit the flooring right up to the baseboard. Any minor imperfections along the cut edge of the new flooring will be hidden underneath the molding when you replace it. A scrap of cardboard will support your handsaw so you can undercut the bottoms of the doorway moldings to allow for the flooring to slip underneath. Keep the saw blade flat against the cardboard when doing this.

Also, the underlying floors need to be smooth and free of grease, dirt, and any irregularities. Clean the floor well. If your floor is level, dry, and structurally sound with an even finish, you will need no other prep work than to sweep and vacuum thoroughly, then mop the floor with a mild cleaner. If the flooring will have a seam, the 6” strip of floor directly under the seam should be very dean and free from any wax or finish so the adhesive will have something to hold on to. Use a heavy-duty detergent or wax remover to clean this strip.

If the floor is badly sloped or dipped, fill those areas in with leveling compound. Install an underlayment of 1/4”plywood. Plan the seam so they do not match those of the flooring underneath. Over an open joist system, first apply a layer of 3/4” tongue-and-groove plywood as a sub-floor. Check local code for specific recommendations. Nail the underlayment with 6 penny ring shank nails every 4” to 6” around the edge and every 4” in the middle. Check local code on this requirement as well. Leave 1/4” gap at the baseboard and 1/16” between sheets to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood.

Creating Templates

A template or pattern is essential for accurately cutting your vinyl floor. Craft paper, butcher’s paper, or the paper that comes in the do-it-yourself installation kits works wonderfully. The template will enable you to transfer accurate measurements to the vinyl flooring without making unnecessary or awkward cuts during installation. A trick to keep the pattern from shifting while you work is to cut little triangles in various areas of the paper. You can then tape it to the floor with masking tape pressed over the cutouts.

Tape overlapping paper edges together, keeping the pattern smooth and flat as you progress. When working with a floor large enough (over 12’) to require two pieces of flooring, there are special seam-fitting, pattern-matching, and seam-sealing steps. Usually flooring comes in 12’ widths. It is best to lay out the flooring so that the seam will fall in a low-traffic area if at all possible.

Many floors have irregular, odd-shaped, or just plain hard-to-fit objects like molding, pipes, a commode, or fancy baseboard joints. Use smaller pieces of paper when trying to pattern an irregular section of the floor, adding them on to the main template with tape. If at all possible, when flooring a bathroom, remove the toilet. This makes it easier to conceal the cut under the fixture, making the job look more professional. First shut off the water supply valve, then remove the drain tank and supply line. Unbolt the toilet and lift it from the drain pipe. (After you install the new floor, you will need to remove the old wax seal under the toilet, install a new wax seal, and reseat the toilet.)

Marking around pipes and fixtures takes a bit more care. Mark the center of the objects by butting your paper template up to the object and marking the center edge. With scissors, cut a slit in your template from the center edge to the wall. Now crease the paper template along both sides and cut out the opening. Always check and make any necessary corrections to be certain the opening is an exact fit. If you are unable to remove a doorway molding, slip the template under and cut it to fit the jamb.

If the wall molding cannot be removed for some reason, you will need to match the edge line made by the molding very precisely. Do this by pressing pieces of paper into the crease where the molding meets the floor. Cut these out with scissors at the crease and tape them to the overall pattern.

If you are using an installation kit (some manufacturers provide these for their sheet vinyl products), the accompanying roller disk will aid you in marking your pattern. When using this roller, leave about a 1/2” gap between your template paper and the wall. The roller disk is designed to transfer the wall line to the pattern paper, leaving an exact 1” space between the pencil line and the wall. This means this line on the template is actually one full inch shy of the wall everywhere you use that roller disk. When you transfer your template to the vinyl with this method, you must be sure to use a 1” wide straightedge placed along your outline mark. It will put that inch back onto the flooring when you mark it. If you don’t have a kit, you can use a 1” wide ruler or a paint stirrer with a ball point pen cartridge taped to its edge.

Whether you use an installation kit with a disk roller, a makeshift marker, or just press the paper up to the wall (creased for your outline) it is best to work a short distance at a time. Do not try to mark a wall in one continuous line. Make a note on the pattern identifying the position of any object you had to fit around, so that you can check its fit and its relative location one last time before you complete the installation. When you have finished your template, you should have a paper floor with all of the landmarks clearly indicated. Now you should be ready to get an accurate transfer of your paper pattern onto the vinyl material.

Cutting the Vinyl

Unroll the new flooring face up on a clean, smooth surface. (Otherwise, small stones or dirt can become imbedded in the back, eventually wearing through or tearing the new floor.) The basement, garage, attic, or driveway is usually the best place for this. However, if working outside, don’t expose the vinyl to direct sunlight.

Overlap the vinyl pieces where the seams will fall. Check the two sections for pattern match all along the overlap and at each corner of the pattern. If you are working with a strongly pronounced design that calls for a perfect match, keep both pieces running in the direction they came off the roll.

Tape the two vinyl sections firmly together after they are matched so they won’t move when you cut them. You will double-cut straight through overlapped edges of the two pieces so they fit together perfectly. Getting a good-looking seam is not difficult if you make your cut in a simulated grout line or other pattern feature that can serve as camouflage. Be sure to keep a sharp blade in the utility knife. (You may want to practice before trying the cut on the flooring.) After you have made your cut, double check the pattern match before continuing. Then, tape the seam together.

Compensate on both sides for any out-of-line walls by shifting the template in a direction that will split the difference of the error. Lay out your paper pattern or template over the flooring material so that the seam now falls in a low-traffic or low-visibility part of the room. Be sure that you are not positioning the template upside down and that you are cutting the flooring as you want it. If possible, avoid positioning a line in the vinyl pattern too close to the out-of-line wall.

Once you have the template situated where you want it, tape it to the vinyl through the triangular slits just like you taped it to the old floor.

Note: Remember to transfer the 1” back onto the floor where a roller or 1” marking guide was used. Use great care where an exact transfer connects to the inch-wide marking guide points. The ball point pen lines are easily removed with a soft cloth and mild detergent. Use a notched blade knife or a utility knife to trim the vinyl. Many kits include a notched blade knife. In any case, always make sure the blade is as sharp as possible. Cut very carefully and true along your line for a precise fit. Once the floor has been cut out, roll the floor up with the pattern showing on the outside and the narrow protruding areas on the outside end of the roll.

Tip: Use the 3-4-5 triangle technique to check that your lines are perfectly square.

Installing Full Spread Sheet Vinyl Flooring

Carry your roll of cut vinyl flooring into the room in which it will be installed. Carefully unroll and position it over the clean, dry floor, matching up the landmarks you indicated on your template. Carefully assess your cutting job. If any additional trimming needs to be done this is the time to do it, before any adhesives are applied.

One of the most important things about working with adhesives is that you use the correct type of applicator or trowel and adhesive. This information will be included in the manufacturer’s instructions. The adhesive should be applied to as much of the floor as will allow you to properly place the sheet vinyl and give you some working and adjusting room. If you are applying a seamed floor, lay the smaller section first. Follow the instructions for seams as described below.

Installing Seams

The first part of the new floor to be secured is the seam. Secure the seam by applying adhesive along the floor between the two sections of flooring. First, gently fold back one section and temporarily tape it back out of the way. Draw a pencil line along the edge of the other section to mark the seam line. Gently fold back the second section and tape it out of the way.

Apply a band of adhesive to the underlying floor surface along the seam line, using the recommended notched-tooth metal trowel. Remember that the old floor needs to be clean and free of wax. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations at this point. Some require only a 3” band (1 1/2” on either side of the pencil line); others may require as much as 6” of adhesive, 3” on either side of the seam.

Lay one piece into the adhesive, and then the other. Make sure the edges of the vinyl are tight against each other. If you don’t, you’ll get a condition called ledging, in which one side rides up higher than the other. Dirt can build up here and draw attention to the seam.

Next, go over the seam with a rolling pin or seam roller, to press the vinyl into the adhesive and eliminate ledging.

To prevent moisture from getting under the floor along this seam, use a special seam sealer kit. Read and follow the instructions carefully. When applying solvent, hold the bottle at the proper angle and don’t wipe up any of the excess solvent. It will dissolve, and you won’t see it after a short time. Give the seam a few hours to set up before walking on it.

If you have done a careful job of outlining the odd and irregular shapes of the floor, and of transferring the template to the right side of the flooring, getting the sheet floor to fit should present no problems. If possible, remove the toilet and run the flooring underneath. Once the flooring is in place, I recommend you go over it with a rolling pin or a 100-lb. roller. This assures the floor’s getting a good bond with the adhesive. Roll from the center of the floor out toward the edges, to get rid of all the air bubbles and waves. Note: These days, vinyl floors are made to be “no-wax.” Once the floor has contracted into its final position, all you have to do is damp mop. As always, follow the manufacturer’s suggestions for cleaning and care.

Installing Perimeter Bond Sheet Flooring

Carry your roll of cut vinyl flooring into the room in which it will be installed. Carefully unroll and position it over the clean, dry floor. Match up the landmarks you indicated on your template, and carefully assess your cutting job. If any additional trimming needs to be done, this is the time to do it before any adhesives have been applied.

The first part of the new floor to be secured is the seam. This is done by applying the adhesive along the floor between the two sections of flooring. First, gently fold back one section and temporarily tape it back out of the way. Draw a pencil line along the edge of the other section to mark the seam line. Gently fold back the second section and tape it out of the way.

Apply a band of adhesive to the floor surface along the seam line, using the recommended notched-tooth metal trowel. Remember that the old floor needs to be dean and free of wax.

Check the manufacturer’s recommendations at this point. Some require only a 3” band (1 ½” on either side of the pencil line); others may require as much as 6” of adhesive total (3” on either side of the seam).

Apply the adhesive all along the pencil line to about 1/2’ away from any cabinets. You want to stop the adhesive here so that, once the seam is pressed together and rolled, you will be able to fold back the flooring under the cabinets to apply adhesive there. You have to glue the areas under cabinets. You cannot get a staple gun under the cabinet overhang. Lay one piece into the adhesive, and then the other. Make sure the edges of the vinyl are tight against each other. If you don’t, you’ll get a condition called ledging, in which one side rides up higher than the other. Dirt can build up here and draw attention to the seam.

Next, go over the seam with a rolling pin or seam roller to press the vinyl into the adhesive and eliminate ledging. To prevent moisture from getting under the floor along this seam, use a special seam sealer kit. Read and follow the instructions carefully. When applying solvent, hold the bottle at the proper angle and don’t wipe up any of the excess solvent. It will dissolve, and you won’t see it after a short time. Give the seam a few hours to set up before walking on it.

Use the adhesive, as instructed, on the perimeter areas that are visible without molding or in areas where you are unable to use your staple gun. Roll the edge back, apply the proper amount of adhesive with a notched trowel or manufacturer-suggested applicator, and then press it into place with the roller.

For the edges that will be covered by the quarter round trim, I find that staples applied with a staple gun work best. They are fast and provide great holding power. In addition, there will be fewer problems with temperature and humidity than there would be with adhesives. Staple close to the wall so the molding will cover the staples.

This type of vinyl floor, being perimeter bonded, will now contract slightly and tighten like a drumhead over the next 24 to 48 hours. Because of this, wait until the floor has contracted to its final tension before moving the furniture and appliances back onto it.

Finishing up requires only the simple matter of replacing trim and thresholds you removed at the start of the project.