How to Replace Vinyl Floors
The ease of removing your old sheet vinyl floors will greatly depend on the method used to adhere them. In general, the best method for removal is to score the flooring into foot wide strips with a utility knife. Then you should carefully pull up each strip. A floor scraper can help remove stubborn bits of old sheet vinyl and a mixture of dish washing liquid and water can help dissolve the backing adhesive if needed.
With the flooring removed, it’s time to take a look at what is underneath. Make sure that your sub floor is in good condition: with no hills, valleys, or creaks that will impact the quality of your new sheet vinyl floor. Keep in mind that even minor issues can make a large difference in the finished floor: sheet vinyl is very thin and won’t cover up any underlying problems. Fix any issues you might find before continuing. You should also remove any baseboards you have so that the floor to wall seams will be covered when you install your new flooring.
The best way to make sure that your vinyl floor looks like it was installed by a professional is to create a paper template to aid you in cutting out the pieces. Tape pieces of heavy paper together, cutting out holes to navigate around pipes and other obstacles in the floors. Keep in mind that a hole for a pipe in sheet vinyl flooring should have a slit made towards the closest end to allow the piece to easily fit over the pipe.
To cut the sheet vinyl flooring all you should need is a utility knife with a new, sharp blade. Create seams by overlapping the pieces by 2 inches, taking care to match the patterns. Then using a metal straight edge to guide you, cut the pieces so they align. Keep attaching pieces until you have one large piece of flooring that is large enough to accommodate your template. Then place your template on top of the flooring, taping it down to prevent slips and trace around it using a non permanent pen.
Remove the template and make the necessary cuts on your flooring sheet as indicated by the template’s outline. You are now ready to install the sheet vinyl. To begin, spread out the entire flooring sheet as it would be in the room. Then pull up half of the flooring, exposing the sub floor below. Coat the sub floor with a thin layer of flooring adhesive applied with a notched trowel and then put the flooring back into place. Using a floor roller to prevent bubbles, start rolling, starting from the middle and working your way out. Repeat this process with the other side of the flooring.
Wipe up any adhesive that has oozed from underneath the flooring with a damp cloth. Inspect the floor carefully for any bumps and go over the entire floor once more with the floor roller. If you are convinced that the flooring is secure, replace the baseboards.
Installing sheet vinyl may be easy, but you’ll only get professional results if you take the time to properly prepare your sub floor and take care of any air bubbles. If you feel that you don’t have the time to properly complete this project, call a professional who will be able to install your sheet vinyl flooring for you.
