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Tips for laying vinyl flooring

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM

Vinyl flooring is an increasingly popular choice for homeowners due to its resistance to daily wear and tear. You will also find that it is available in a range of colours and styles, so finding the perfect flooring to match your decor should not be difficult. However, it is crucial that the flooring is laid correctly to look its best.

Laying vinyl flooring is relatively simple, provided you follow the instructions stipulated by the manufacturer. Techniques differ depending on the types of vinyl flooring you have, such as vinyl flooring tiles or sheet vinyl flooring. However, there are a few basic principles to stick to no matter what type of vinyl flooring you intend to use in your home.

Firstly, you should ensure you carefully measure the floor of the relevant room before purchasing your material. Ideally, you should try to buy 15 to 20 per cent more flooring than the area of the room - this will mean you are not left short of material and therefore with a partially-finished floor!

You should also remove the old flooring and ensure that underneath there is a smooth, flat surface. This is crucial to the successful laying of your new vinyl flooring.

Before commencing work, you should check what kind of adhesive - if any - your flooring needs or comes with. Some vinyl flooring is coated with adhesive on one side, whereas others require you to purchase it separately. You can also buy flooring tiles that simply lock together without any glue.

To lay sheet vinyl flooring, the material should be draped across the intending room and cut to size - make sure you leave three inches of spare fabric around each edge. These can then be cut away with a knife.

You should note that the flooring will expand slightly once laid, so when making the final cuts you should leave an eighth of an inch gap between flooring and wall.

Adhesive should be applied to the floor - should it not be directly on one side of the fabric already - with an adhesive trowel. The vinyl should then be applied as quickly as possible and pressed hard into place.

When complete, be sure not to step on or place any furniture on the vinyl for at least 24 hours.

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