Vinyl Floor Installation - Step #1

Preparing The Floor Surface

• There are basically two ways to install sheet vinyl flooring. The first is to apply adhesive to the entire floor area. The second is to use staples and adhesives around the outside edges and at seams. The first method is usually used for flooring with a lesser quality material. It can also be used if you are sure you will not need to take the flooring material up in the future.
• The edge or perimeter method is used with better quality floor coverings. It is the recommended method if you want to change your flooring when you remodel in the future.
• The first step in laying any type of roll goods floor covering is preparing the base floor. It must be smooth and even before the roll covering is applied. All high or low spots must be removed.

• You can check for high and low points in a floor by using a straightedge and a flashlight (Fig. 1). Hold the straightedge flat against the floor, as illustrated. Play the beam of light along the straightedge from the rear. Light filtering under the straightedge indicates high or low points in the floor.
• If you're installing the floor covering over a wood floor, plane down all high spots. On a masonry floor, you may need to patch or seal certain sections before laying the floor covering.
• Regardless of the type, the floor base should be clean. Vacuuming and thoroughly scrubbing the floor will help the adhesive to hold (Fig. 2). It will also reduce the chances of ruining your new floor.
• Always allow the floor to dry completely before laying any roll goods floor covering.
• Check all the moldings in the room where you will be putting down flooring. Wherever possible, your new flooring should slide under these moldings. If not, you can either trim them or remove and replace the moldings. If neither of these are possible, you will need to trim your flooring to fit around them.
• To trim the bottom of moldings, such as door trim, lay a piece of cardboard on the floor next to the trim. Place a fine-toothed saw on top of the cardboard. Carefully cut the bottom of the molding (Fig. 3).
• To remove trim, such as quarter-round, use a small pry bar or screwdriver and a putty knife (Fig. 4). Quarter-round is usually nailed to the baseboard and not to the floor. Carefully slide your putty knife between the trim and the baseboard. Next, place your pry bar or screwdriver between the trim and the putty knife blade and pry the trim loose. The putty knife blade protects the baseboard.
• Carefully remove any nails that were left in the baseboard. Remove any nails that were left in the trim with a pair of pliers or vice-grips. Do not drive them back through the trim. Instead, pull the nail the rest of the way through the trim (Fig. 5). The painted or stained surface of your trim will not be damaged as much.
• You may need to install a new base as an overlay to provide a good base for the floor covering (Fig. 6). Sheets of plywood or hardboard make good overlays.
• Always allow about 1/16" space between sheets used as an underflooring to allow for expansion and contraction.
• Secure this underlayer sheeting to the floor with cement or use nails spaced about 6" apart over the entire floor surface.
• Sand off all edges where the sheets join to eliminate any rough spots.

# 1 You can check for high and low spots in the floor with a straightedge and a flashlight.	# 2 Clean the floor before applying any roll covering.	# 3 Trim moldings to allow for a better fit on your flooring.
# 4 Remove any trim around the floor.	# 5 Use locking pliers to pull nails through the trim.	# 6 In some cases you may need to add a new base before installing your floor covering.

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