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How Hard Is It to Install Vinyl Flooring?

how hard is it to install vinyl flooring

Vinyl flooring is one of the flooring types in vogue now.

From homeowners to business owners, vinyl flooring is the option they all settle for in their residential and commercial buildings, simply because this flooring is one of the most durable and affordable on the market.

This kind of flooring is mostly seen in areas with heavy foot traffic and high amount of moisture.

We will be taking a look at almost everything concerning vinyl flooring and its installation.

What Is Vinyl Flooring?

Vinyl flooring is a kind of flooring made from multiple layers.

This durable flooring is made out of synthetic materials such PVC vinyl, fiberglass and plasticizer.

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Because it consists of multiple layers, vinyl flooring has thick core that feels sturdy and strong under your feet, thereby giving you confidence and making you comfortable as you walk.

This popular flooring is luxurious and plush. Despite its durability and plushness, it is very much affordable; reasons why building owners run for it.

Vinyl flooring is also stain resistant, so it is mostly used in areas like passageways, bathrooms and kitchens.

Asides these features, vinyl flooring is also beautiful in appearance and it shares similarity with flooring materials like tiles, wood, stone and ceramic.

One look at this floor and you would think it is either of these materials mentioned.

This floor comes in wide variety of textures and shades; you cannot possibly lack ideas of design.

Vinyl flooring is very thick. On the average, vinyl floors can be up to 5mm thick.

This makes them very resistant to moisture.

If you have kids or pets, you should consider a floor as this because it is safe for kids to run and play on.

Classifications of Vinyl Flooring

types of vinyl floors installation

Vinyl flooring are basically classified into two, which are:

The homogeneous vinyl flooring

This vinyl flooring has a single layer and shows depth and vibrancy of the main color.

Heterogeneous vinyl flooring

This flooring is made of multiple layers. It shows varying thickness and has wide variety of patterns and design possibilities due to its multiple layers.

Types of Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring does not only come in different colors and design, it also comes in different materials. When talking about the types of vinyl flooring, there are three types which are:

Vinyl sheet

This is a kind of vinyl flooring that comes in a single large continuous sheet which is laid and cut as desired. Vinyl sheet flooring is more resistant to moisture, totally water-proof.

Vinyl plank

This comes in a long and narrow strips. The material has beautiful graphics and embossed surface which makes it look like a plank. It is usually 48 inches long and either 6 inches or 7¾ inches wide.

Vinyl tiles

A vinyl tile floor replicates the look of a ceramic tile floor.

Hence, most owners prefer vinyl tile floors because they would have something similar to ceramic floors but at a more affordable cost.

It is best used in areas where there are bound to be high amount of moisture.

Vinyl tiles are strong and can also withstand impact.

You can opt for inlay vinyl tile that has multiple layers of the same colored vinyl fused together so that your floor will still have the same color if a layer or two peels off.

Is vinyl floor really hard to install?

Without beating around the bush, vinyl flooring is not hard to install.

In fact, one of the reasons homeowners go for vinyl floor is because of how easy it is to install. 

Compared with other types of floor, this kind of flooring is superbly easy.

You do not even need the service of a professional floor installer to successfully install a vinyl floor.

To know how easy it is, let us take a look at how vinyl flooring is being installed?

Installing vinyl floors

installing vinyl floors in your home step by step

The steps, if followed carefully are easy to carry out.

You might be needing a tape measure, utility knife, masking tape, plywood, craft paper, patching compound, hand trowel, adhesive and blocks of wood.

1. Choose the color, texture and pattern of vinyl that you like.

2. Accurately measure your room’s dimensions to know the amount of vinyl that will be needed.

3. Make subfloor smooth and flat. Remove carpeting, linoleum, cork and old flooring. New vinyl floors should not be placed on old ones. Patch up holes and visible lines on the floor using a patching compound if it is a concrete floor.

The reason why a smooth subfloor is needed is because vinyl floors are quite sensitive. Any flaws or imperfections will show through as bumps by the time you finish installation. A rough subfloor will affect the uniformity and smoothness of the vinyl floor.

4. Lay out vinyl flooring in the room, then with the help of a paper tape, mark out the places with excess that need to be cut out.

5. Lay vinyl flooring in its final position and cut out excesses around the corners of the wall.

6. Roll back the vinyl flooring close to the wall, get a craft paper and lay on the exposed subfloor close to the wall. Use small pieces of masking tape to hold the craft paper to the subfloor.

7. Apply a double-stick tape to the craft paper, every 2 feet and remove the backing on the top of the tapes.

8. Roll back vinyl into position and press firmly to the craft paper until they stick. Gently raise the vinyl again, with the craft paper now stuck to its back.

9. Spread adhesive about 6 inches wide along the wall and lay the vinyl back into position.

10. Finally, use a hand roller or blocks of wood wrapped in a cloth to press down the vinyl to the adhesive, so it can lay perfectly.

11. Clean the vinyl floor and use plywood or similar material to slide your furniture back into position.

Conclusion

Vinyl flooring is not so hard to install and if ease of installation is one thing you are looking for in a type of flooring, you should go with it.

We have discussed what vinyl flooring is, the types of vinyl flooring, and also, the classifications of vinyl flooring.

Even though, you may not be able to install it by yourself, we have also talked about vinyl flooring installation.