Vinyl flooring is a durable, soft, flexible, and easy-to-maintain floor covering that is relatively simple to install for do-it-yourselfers. Sometimes confused with linoleum, vinyl flooring is generally cheaper, and comes in a greater variety of colors and patterns. Linoleum flooring is purported to be non-allergenic. It also is biodegradable, harder than vinyl, and heat resistant. Proper preparation, patience, and attention to detail are the three key components of successful vinyl flooring installations. Vinyl can also be installed on wood or concrete substrate. There are two basic methods of installing vinyl flooring. One is to glue down the entire sheet of new vinyl. This is most appropriate in small rooms, with lesser quality vinyl, and if you want the installation to be permanent. The other is to apply adhesive at seams and along the walls and then staple the new product in place along the walls. This is most appropriate for higher quality vinyl, larger rooms, and if you suspect that you might want to remove the vinyl again at some point. We will address gluing the entire sheet down.

Preparation

Installing vinyl flooring is easy for the average do-it-yourselfer

1. The floor surface has to be clean, dry, and flat.
2. Inspect the floor for high and low spots with a straight edge and  a flashlight.
3. Sand down any high spots.
4. Fill in any low spots with a good grade of floor leveling compound.
5. Sand smooth any filled spots.
6. Sweep and vacuum the floor thoroughly.
7. Remove any moldings necessary.
8. Place a shim on the floor next to door moldings and trim them off with a fine tooth saw.

Make a template

1. Use kraft paper, or cardboard to make a template of your floor.
2. Cut out small areas in the template and place tape across them to hold the template in place both on the floor and on the vinyl.
3. Fit the template around obstacles like door trim, appliances, fixtures, and molding.
4. If you are installing vinyl in a bathroom, remove the toilet and fit the vinyl around the closet flange for a more professional installation.

Transfer the template

1. Roll out the sheet vinyl in a large area like a garage floor.
2. Lay the template on the sheet vinyl and orient it according to the way you want the pattern to run.
3. Cut any seams that are necessary first. Try to cut seams on a natural line in the pattern and out of high traffic areas.
4. Carefully cut out around the template with scissors or a sharp utility knife.

Install the vinyl

1. Roll up the vinyl and take it into the room where it will be installed. It makes a difference which way you roll up the vinyl. Roll it such that you start unrolling it on the longest wall or the wall with the most obstructions.
2. Apply some adhesive with the proper size and grade of trowel along the first wall.
3. Lay the vinyl down on the first edge and unroll it a little at a time.
4. Apply more adhesive as you go and unroll the vinyl into the adhesive.
5. Work any air pockets out with a vinyl roller. Roll the vinyl in several different directions beginning from the center of the room and rolling toward the edges.
6. Fit the vinyl carefully under the door moldings and trim and cabinet toe spaces.
7. Replace any moldings you had to remove.
8. Let the vinyl rest for at least 24 hours before walking on it or moving furniture on it, if possible, to let the adhesive dry properly.

Vinyl base molding or vinyl cove molding serves two basic purposes. It protects the wall from damage by vacuum cleaners, toys, moving furniture, etc; it also provides an esthetic quality. Base molding is a straight piece of vinyl usually 4″ in height and it usually comes in a roll. It is typically used for carpeted floors. Cove molding usually comes in 4′ sections. Vinyl molding is functional and comes in a variety of colors to contrast with or complement your flooring and wall treatments. It is easy to install because it is very flexible, durable, and resilient.

Preparation

1. Make certain that your walls and floor are clean and free of damage.
2. If necessary, touch up the paint on the walls before proceeding.
3. Measure the perimeter of the walls and buy enough excess material to allow for mistakes.

Installation

Vinyl cove molding is beautiful and easy to install

1. If you purchased the rolls of vinyl molding, unroll it and lay it flat. Let it rest in the room where it will be installed at room temperature for a few hours to let the vinyl relax.
2. Begin at one inside corner or at a door molding or other termination point.
3. Apply mastic to the back side of the molding with a notched trowel unless it comes with self-stick adhesive all ready on the back. Do not apply too much, especially toward the top or bottom edge.
4. Butt one end of the vinyl against the door molding or into the corner.
5. Press the vinyl against the wall and flush on the floor as you work down the wall.
6. It may help to scribe a light line on the wall that you can line up the top edge of the molding with as you go to ensure a straight application.
7. For inside corners, butt one end of the molding straight into the corner.
8. Scribe the profile of the molding onto the end of the second piece and trim it with a sharp knife. Butt the second piece into the first dry and keep trimming until you get a tight fit. It is better to trim little bits at a time rather than try to make one cut do. Once the fit is right, then apply adhesive and install the molding.
9. For outside corners, mark the molding where it will bend around the corner. Bend the molding at the mark so the good sides meet. Trim the backside of the molding lightly with a sharp knife. This will allow the molding to form around the corner easily.

Tips

Make sure you have the recommended solvent available for the adhesive you use  to clean up squeeze-out or spills.

Use new, very sharp razor knife blades to cut the vinyl.

It’s always best to install the molding to a guide mark or line to make sure it is straight.

Cut little bits at a time when fitting up corners, to trim, or around obstacles.

Always dry fit first until you get the fit right, then apply adhesive and install the trim.

Laminate flooring comes in many different materials. Some wood flooring is just hardwood lumber like oak, cherry, or maple milled to the proper dimensions. People also use softwoods like pine for flooring. There are laminates that are built up with an HDF center and waxed edges to resist moisture. HDF means high density fiberboard.

Regardless of what material your laminate flooring is made from, you still will want to protect that shiny finish from scratches, scuff marks, dents, and other damage made by furniture legs.

There are a number of different ways to protect your laminate flooring finish.

Cane tips

• Cane tips are rubber cups that usually are applied to the ends of canes. They come in several sizes that you can find in most hardware stores and home centers. Just buy the size that fits your chairs’ legs and push them into place.

Hard plastic laminate floor protectors work well for heavier furniture

• They have an adhesive on one side that sticks them to the bottom of furniture pieces. They work best on pieces that do not bear much weight. They do compress and they will wear out so they will need to be changed periodically.

Plastic discs

• Different shaped plastic discs come with a pad on one side. Some discs have adhesive on the pad so it will stick to the furniture feet. Other discs simply sit under the furniture foot and a small rim holds the pad in place. The hard plastic bottom will allow the furniture to slide around on the floor without damaging it.
• These work best under heavy pieces of furniture like sofas, couches, pianos, overstuffed chairs and recliners.

Carpet pieces

• Small pieces of carpet work well to protect laminate flooring surfaces but they can be difficult to match to the floor finish and the edges tend to fray over time.
• They are best used where they are hidden under the furniture.


Rubber cane tips work well for chair legs

Clear soft rubber pads

• Clear soft rubber pads like carpet runners are a good choice when you want to see the floor surface. They do not slide around and are silent while you are sitting on the furniture.

Tips

Be careful when choosing the type of flooring protectors you want to use. Take issues like tripping or moving the furniture into consideration as well as design criteria like shape and color.

Use your imagination and try out different materials like thin pieces of high quality plywood, or heavy upholstery fabrics. The choices are almost endless. For those who like to reorganize, moving furniture around the house, or tackling that spring-cleaning project, furniture protectors are the perfect choice to help maintain that like new finish on your laminate floors. Choose the type of protector that best suits your taste, your needs, and your furniture and enjoy that long-lasting laminate floor shine.