Installing vinyl tiles is an inexpensive way to improve a worn floor
To figure out how many tiles you will need to complete your flooring
project, measure the length and width of the room and then multiply them
to find the
area of the room. If necessary, divide irregularly shaped rooms into
smaller sections. Calculate the area for each section, and then add them
together
for the total square footage.
Consider purchasing self-adhesive vinyl tiles-they're easy to work
with. Once the preparation and layout work is done, installing these
tiles is simply
a matter of peeling and sticking.
Preparation
The old tile floor was cracked and dented in several places . The new
floor feels better underfoot and gives the room a fresh and updated feel
Vinyl tile expands and contracts with changes in temperature and
humidity. Let the tiles acclimatize in the room in which they will be
installed for 24
hours before beginning your project.
The new installation will only be as good as the underlying floor.
The surface to be tiled must be smooth and free from grease, wax and
dirt. Any bumps
or dips will eventually show through into the new floor.
Existing vinyl tile can be covered with new vinyl tile if the old
floor is in good shape. If the old tiles have dents or deep cracks,
smooth them with
a coat of embossing leveler with a putty knife. This will create a flat
surface and will prevent the new tile from eventually taking on the
texture of
the old floor. To help the new tile grip the old tile, sand the old
flooring with 80-grit paper, then sweep and vacuum the floor thoroughly.
If the old floor is too damaged to use an embossing leveler, cover
it with a new layer of plywood underlay.
Getting it Right
Be sure to take the extra thickness of your finished floor into
consideration. If the new tiles are going to be too high to fit under
surrounding trim,
cut the bottom edges of mouldings or doors that protrude into the room.
And if you plan to tile over an old layer and it looks like the floor
will be too
high to clear mouldings and doors, remove the old layer to reduce the
finished height.
Use an appropriate wood or metal reducer strip to smooth any
changes in floor heights between connecting rooms. And before laying the
new floor, remove
all furniture and put rollers under heavy appliances so you don't damage
the new tiles when putting them back into place.
1. If applying new tiles over old, sand the old tiles using 80-grit
sandpaper to rough up the surface and give
the new tiles something to stick to. Vacuum the area thoroughly
afterward
2. Use an embossing leveler and a putty knife to fill dents or cracks in
the old floor. If they're not repaired, any depressions in the old floor
will eventually
show through to the new tiles
3. Use a tape measure to determine the width and length of the room. Use
these measurements to calculate the room area, as well as to locate the
centre
of the floor to determine a starting point
4. Snap two intersecting chalklines through the middle of the floor, one
across the room's width and one across the length. Use a carpenter's
square to
make sure the lines are square
5. Using the chalkline as a guide, lay the tiles loosely across the
length and width of the floor. Adjust to allow as many full tiles as
possible. Make
sure you keep the border less than 5" wide
6. If necessary, adjust the tiles slightly to ensure the seams of the
new tiles won't overlap the old ones. Laying them directly on top of old
seams will
eventually create deep depressions
7. To cut tiles to length, place a tile directly on top of the last full
tile near the wall, then place another tile against the wall,
overlapping it. Mark
the cut using the overlapping tile as a guide
8. Use a metal carpenter's square as a guide. Then cut tiles to size
using a sharp utility knife. Place a backer board under the tile to
prevent cutting
through and damaging the new tiles below
9. Depending on the height of adjoining floors, reducers or metal tack
strips can be used to align the differing floor heights. For this
project we lifted,
then re-nailed the tack strip (inset)
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