How to Install a Sheet Vinyl Floor

Sheet vinyl flooring is a practical, durable and often attractive choice for high-traffic areas such as kitchens and baths. It's also not a big deal to install yourself, if you've got the time and the patience. Before you get started, follow the instructions in the related eHow, "Prepare to Install a Sheet Vinyl Floor."

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Cutting the Vinyl

1. Roll out the sheet vinyl, face up, in a wide, open area.
2. Orient the vinyl in the same direction as the space it's going to cover.
3. Using a tape measure and ruler, mark the floor's dimensions on the sheet vinyl with a nonpermanent felt-tip marker. It's a good idea to leave an inch or two extra on your measurements and then trim to fit exactly once the vinyl is in place.
4. Double-check your measurements.
5. Cut the sheet vinyl to the shape of the floor using a straightedge and a flooring knife. Take your time on this phase. Small mistakes along the edges can be covered with trim, but a major blunder can be costly.
6. Wipe off the felt pen markings with a wet sponge.
7. Re-roll the vinyl, making sure the back side is clean as you roll.
8. Carry the vinyl to the place you're going to lay the new floor.

Gluing Down the Sheet Vinyl

9. Sweep or vacuum the floor, clearing it of any dirt and small debris.
10. Unroll the sheet vinyl and dry fit it to the floor.
11. Do any trimming (carefully!) that needs to be done to get a perfect fit. Once the vinyl lies smooth and flat, you're ready to glue.
12. Roll one side of the vinyl up from the outside edge to the center point. Leave the other side flat on the floor. (Dealing with a really odd-shaped room may require a more complex strategy. It will take a little more time and careful fitting and trimming, but the process remains the same.)
13. Pry open a 1-gallon can of floor epoxy with a screwdriver.
14. Use a notched trowel to spread a line of epoxy about a foot wide all along the floor next to the rolled flooring.
15. Work from the center toward the outside edge of the room.
16. Unroll the vinyl slowly, pressing it into the adhesive. (You can use a kitchen rolling pin to help seat it well and to get all the air bubbles out, or you can rent a roller.)
17. Spread another foot-wide strip of epoxy on the floor.
18. Unroll the vinyl farther and press into the epoxy.
19. Continue applying epoxy and unrolling vinyl until this half of the floor is covered.
20. Wash epoxy off exposed surfaces with hot water before it dries.
21. Repeat the process on the other side of the room.

Finishing the Floor

22. Walk the floor in a pair of socks once it's all glued down. This is an easy way to feel for any air bubbles trapped underneath. Roll them out toward the closest edge.
23. Nail or glue any trim around the base of the wall.
24. Screw down thresholds.
25. Check one more time for any exposed adhesive before it dries.
26. Allow adhesive to dry according to manufacturer's specifications before allowing traffic on the floor.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a few large scraps for any future repairs.
• Flooring knives are very sharp. Avoid cutting toward yourself, and watch your fingers.
• Make sure you work all air bubbles out from under the flooring. The easiest way to avoid them is not to glue down too large an area at once.
• Try to avoid seams (places where you've had to fit two pieces of sheet vinyl together), but if you can't avoid it, plan for a seam to be in an area that gets light traffic so it won't be noticed much.
• Open the windows when working with epoxy. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation.
• Take your time on trimming to avoid mistakes.
• Care for your floor according to the manufacturer's directions.

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