Installing vinyl flooring

Putting down vinyl tile flooring is a project that can be done relatively quickly even though it might well cover a large surface area in your home. If you know a few simple "rules of the road," you can do a kitchen in a weekend if you decide to replace the entire floor or in an afternoon, if you tile over it.

We think that spending the entire weekend and removing the old floor first is the better way. There are several reasons why covering the old floor can be a problem:

First, if there is a heavy texture in the existing flooring it will more than likely telescope through to the surface of the newly laid flooring.

Second, adding a thin smoothing layer of 3/8" underlayment over the old floor covering and under the new one may raise the floor just enough to make it difficult to remove built-in appliances from lower cabinets for repair or replacement.

It also might raise the floor just enough to keep doors from swinging freely. And last but not least, the best time to check for wood rot and other fungus damage at a wood subfloor is when the floor covering is being changed.

Having made this decision, the next thing you'll have to do is decide between self-sticking tiles or the type used with adhesive. We think the type that requires adhesive will stick better and last much longer.

Except for the application of the adhesive, the process is the same with both types of vinyl tiles. In either case the substrate that will receive the tile must be absolutely clean and free of any debris, grease, oil or wax.

NOTE: When an adhesive is used it should:

1) Be applied SPARINGLY with a grooved trowel.

2) It should be allowed to get tacky before tile is applied (20 to 30 minutes in most cases).

In our example we will use a square room, but the same procedure applies to all shapes. This procedure is the same whether you are covering over new underlayment or the old floor covering.

First, make a mark on the floor at the center of each of the four perimeter walls. String a chalk line from each opposing wall to the other and snap a heavy bright line. The point where the chalk lines cross is the center of the room and also is the place where you will want to begin laying tiles.

It is important that the edges of the floor end up being balanced and symmetrical. To ensure this result, lay one course of loose tiles along each of the two reference lines you snapped onto the floor. Center each course of loose tiles so that they end up an equal distance from opposing walls. Another line might have to be snapped parallel to one of the two existing lines. If a second line is required wash away the first one.

Next, start installing the tiles from either of the two reference lines, working from the center out. If adhesive is being used, don't apply more than you can cover in about 20 minutes.

The last part of the job is "cutting in" the edges. We have a trick we think you'll like. You should lay the tile you want to cut flush with the wall-side edge of the installed tile nearest the wall. Next, lay a full tile over the one to be marked, and against the wall. Use the top tile that is against the wall to pencil mark the tile below for cutting. Then, cut with a razor knife and place it.

And that's all there is to it. For more home improvement tips and information, visit our web site at www.onthehouse.com, or call our listener hot line 24/7 at 1-800-737-2474 (ext 59).