Installing a linoleum or vinyl floor

Sheet vinyl is quite popular for certain rooms of your house. Generally offered in 12 ft. and 6 ft-wide rolls, sheet vinyl flooring is available in a wide range of qualities, patterns, colours and styles. Elegant stippled, etched or crackled patterned linoleum also hides seams or irregularities in the floor.

Linoleum is particularly well suited for the kitchen or entrance hall. Because of the width of the rolls, seams are often unnecessary.
Difficulty level :
Tools list
Material list
Project guide service
Related Projects
Related Tips
Page 1/1
Tips
1. Make a paper template
2. Figure out how to cover surface
3. Cut the flooring
4. Position the flooring
5. Seal the seam, if necessary
6. Apply the adhesive
7. Press the sheet vinyl into place
8. Edging

Tips

One very important precaution to keep in mind: always use flooring materials with the compatible adhesive.

1. Make a paper template

Make a paper template of the floor to assure accurate error-free installation. Start by placing the sheets of paper against the walls, leaving a clearance of 1/8 in. (3 mm). Follow the perimeter of the room and tape overlapping paper edges together. To keep the pattern from shifting while you work, cut little triangles in various areas of the paper. You can then tape it to the floor with masking tape pressed over the cutouts. Remove the finished template from the room.

2. Figure out how to cover surface

Unroll the new flooring face up on a clean, smooth surface. When working on a floor large enough to require two pieces of flooring, fit the seam to match the pattern. Tape the two sheets together.

Tip: Make sure the subfloor is clean, flat and level. You can purchase leveling compounds at your local home renovation centre.

3. Cut the flooring

Tape the template over the sheet vinyl. With a felt pen, trace a line around the template on the sheet vinyl. Remove the template and cut the flooring with a sharp utility knife.

4. Position the flooring

Roll up the cut vinyl flooring and carry it into the room in which it will be installed. Be careful not to bend the linoleum so as not to leave any creases on it. Carefully unroll and position it over the clean, dry floor, matching it with your floor dimensions.

5. Seal the seam, if necessary

If you have two pieces of vinyl flooring, 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 line or other pattern feature using a metal ruler to make a straight cut. Discard the two unnecessary pieces of vinyl. The patterns in the sheets of flooring should now be perfectly aligned. Apply a band of adhesive approximately 3 in. (76 mm) wide to the underlying floor surface along the seam line. Lay one piece into the adhesive, and then the other, making sure the edges are tight against each other. Go over the seam with a J-shaped seam roller. For added protection, apply a special seam sealer to prevent moisture from getting under the floor along this seam.

6. Apply the adhesive

Gently fold back one section of the vinyl flooring and apply the adhesive over the entire underlying floor surface using correct sized notched trowel. Allow at least fifteen minutes for the adhesive to set (check the instructions). Make sure there are no bubbles in the adhesive before you lay the flooring down over it. Repeat for the other half of the vinyl flooring.

7. Press the sheet vinyl into place

Once the sheet vinyl is in place over the floor, press it into place with a floor roller. Start rolling in the centre and work out towards the walls.

8. Edging

For the edges that will be covered by the quarter round trim, you may apply staples with a staple gun every 3 in. (76 mm).
You'll see, durability and easy maintenance are two essential qualities behind vinyl flooring.
Page 1/1