Sheet vinyl flooring is one of the most durable and water-resistant resilient flooring materials you can install in your home. An ideal floor covering for kitchens and bathrooms, sheet vinyl flooring is nearly 100 percent waterproof, a claim that few other floorings can make.
What Is Sheet Vinyl Flooring?
Sheet vinyl flooring is made in large sheets and comes in 6- or 12-foot rolls versus individual vinyl tile or luxury vinyl planks. Sheet vinyl is thinner than luxury vinyl flooring but extremely durable. Like other vinyl flooring, sheet vinyl is made from layers of synthetic composite materials that can mimic the look of stone, tile, or hardwood flooring.
There are a few tricks to properly installing sheet vinyl but DIYers can lay the floor. Read on to learn how to install vinyl sheet flooring.
Before You Begin
Estimate how much vinyl flooring you need by calculating the square footage of the floor you're covering and divide that number by 9 to figure out how many square yards you need. Buy 5 to 10 percent extra sheet flooring to account for unexpected needs and waste from cuts.
Remove items in the room, such as the furniture, appliances, cabinet, or toilet. Take doors off their hinges, remove floor trim molding, trim nails, heating vents, and portable shelves. Removing these items is extra work, but it makes the installation easier and helps to hold down the flooring when reinstalled.
Prepare the floor. If laying sheet vinyl over concrete, ensure it's clean, dry, and level. If the bed has concrete bulges or lumps, grind or chisel them so they're level. Similarly, sweep or vacuum subflooring, removing dirt or dust, and use a primer and floor screed over the subflooring surface. You can install it over other vinyl or linoleum flooring if it's level and in good condition.
Tip
Place the vinyl flooring in or near the installation area for 24 hours to acclimate to the space. Maintain a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit so the flooring will be easier to unroll and flatten when you begin installation.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
Loose Lay Installation
- Pry bar
- Manual screwdriver
- Trowel
- Putty knife
- Oscillating multi-tool
- Cordless drill and driver bits
- Utility knife
- Tape measure
Glue Down Installation
- Trowel
- Roller (optional)
- Seam sealer (optional)
Materials
Loose Lay Installation
- Sheet vinyl flooring
- Pre-mixed floor patch and level compound
- Double-sided flooring tape
- Rags
Glue Down Installation
- Sheet vinyl flooring
- Adhesive (optional and per manufacturer's suggestion)
- Caulk (optional)
- Underlayment
Instructions
How to Loose-Lay Sheet Vinyl Flooring
Loose-lay is a sheet vinyl flooring installation method that mostly avoids using adhesives to stick the floor to the subfloor. Loose-lay installation works best in areas that are 100 square feet or smaller.
Bathrooms and small kitchens are good rooms to install loose-lay sheet vinyl flooring. Sheet vinyl's weight and the friction against the subfloor help to hold it down. Perimeter baseboards and quarter-round molding secure the edges. Double-sided adhesive tape is added to key traffic areas to prevent movement.
Remove Obstructions
- Remove all baseboards and quarter-round moldings with a pry bar. If any floor transition strips are in place, remove them with a manual screwdriver or cordless drill.
- If laying flooring in the bathroom, remove the toilet and bathroom cabinet.
- Plug the toilet closet flange with a cloth rag to prevent tools from getting lost down the sewer pipe and to prevent methane gas from seeping out from the toilet flange.
Tip
Install the toilet on top of the new bathroom flooring. The weight of the toilet will secure the sheet vinyl. Removing the bathtub or shower is unnecessary if they are already in place.
Prepare the Subfloor
- Use the pre-mixed floor patch and level compound combination to fill low spots up to a maximum thickness of 1 inch. The subfloor must be perfectly level and free of gaps, seams, or gouges that could transfer to the surface of the soft vinyl.
- For deeper dips, repair the subfloor using the trowel and spread the compound over gaps and seams until the floor is flat and level.
Cut Under the Door Trim
- Use the multi-tool fitted with a wood blade to cut under the door trim by 1/8 inch.
- Alternatively, you can remove the door trim and re-install it after laying the floor.
Cut the Sheet Flooring
- Turn off any floor radiant heating.
- Cut the sheet vinyl flooring so that it is the size of the room, plus an extra 4 inches on all sides.
- Lay the vinyl flooring in the room, with the excess running up the walls. Let the flooring rest for about two hours to conform to the room's size.
Tip
Keeping the room warm will help make the flooring more pliable.
Make Relief Cuts
Make stress or relief cuts in the corners of the flooring. This prevents bunching and stiff sides that make cutting difficult. Start the utility knife in the corner at the lowest part and then make a single cut upward until the flooring falls into place.
Cut Around the Sides
- Cut the flooring where the wall and subfloor meet. Cut as close to that corner as possible so the baseboards or quarter-round will hide all the gaps in the flooring.
- Feel for the toilet closet flange and cut around it.
Add Adhesive Tape
- Remove the sheet vinyl flooring and set it aside. Make sure that it stays flat.
- Add strips of double-sided adhesive tape in front of a few key traffic areas, including doors, the bathtub or shower, and cabinets.
- Another option is to leave the flooring in place and gently pull one side toward the center. Place the tape or adhesive along the edge and roll the flooring back in place.
- Repeat the procedure for the other side. Vinyl can sometimes tear easily, especially inside corner cuts, so be careful when moving it.
Lay the Vinyl Flooring
Lay the flooring sheet back in the installation space. Ensure the flooring does not fold or bunch up between the adhesive strips.
Replace the Baseboards and Other Items
- Install the toilet, cabinet, and heating vent.
- Install the baseboards, quarter-round, and transition strip.
How to Glue Down Sheet Vinyl Flooring
If gluing down the sheet vinyl flooring, get the correct adhesive for your floor's backing system, whether it's felt-backed (commonly glued all over) or vinyl-backed (usually glued at the edges). Refer to the manufacturer's recommendations for the exact adhesive to use for your product.
Adhesives used for vinyl flooring include cyanoacrylate (super glue), polyurethane, epoxy, or silicone. Apply the adhesive to the entire surface area if you get a full-bond floor. Add adhesive around the room's edges if you have a perimeter-bond floor.
Follow Step 1 from the above method before you follow the steps below.
Cut and Nail Down Underlayment
Cut and fasten the flooring underlayment and stagger the seams of the plywood panels, leaving a 1/32-inch gap between panels to allow for expansion. Leave a 1/8-inch gap along the walls.
Apply the Adhesive
- Lay out the vinyl flooring over the space where it will be set.
- Pull back the sheet about halfway.
- Using anotched trowel, apply the adhesive to the underlayment or subfloor.
Cure the Adhesive and Lay Floor
- Read the instructions for the glue you use. Adhesives have different waiting times before attempting to use it for adhesion.
- When it's ready, lay the vinyl sheet in place and press it down firmly,
- Use a roller to flatten out the sheet evenly.
- Bond seams with a seam sealer, following the manufacturer's directions.
Tip
Seaming is not required for bathrooms and other small spaces less than 12 feet wide since sheet vinyl rolls are usually 12 feet wide or more.
Apply Caulk
Fill the gap or edges against the toilet, bathtub, or molding with an acrylic, silicone, or foam caulk. High-quality silicone caulk can create a water-resistant barrier.
FAQ
Where can you install sheet vinyl flooring?
Sheet vinyl flooring can be installed anywhere there's a flat, even surface. Because it is nearly waterproof, it excels as flooring for a kitchen, bath, and even a basement.
Can you use sheet vinyl flooring over radiant heating?
You can lay most sheet vinyl flooring over radiant heating. However, always check with the floor covering manufacturer to confirm the maximum floor temperature the material can withstand.
What type of adhesive should you use to install sheet vinyl flooring?
Always follow the sheet vinyl flooring manufacturer's recommendations for the right adhesive to use with the specific flooring product you are using. There are different sheet vinyl backings and different types of adhesives that manufacturers will recommend for their products.
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