Installing A Vinyl Flooring Over A Concrete Sub Floor

Vinyl flooring has a host of advantages associated with it like it is affordable, water resistant, stain and spill proof, durable, versatile etc. While these advantages help in the selection of vinyl as a first-time flooring option,

the fact that it can be easily installed over a pre-existing floor makes it ideal for renovations and remodelling. In fact for a change of flooring, the vinyl is the ideal choice since it offers great variety of style and looks and affordable since it is easy to install.

In fact installing a vinyl floor over concrete is quite easy and can also be done by the home owner himself by following the below given steps:

• Step 1: Precise measurements of the room need to be taken so that the same can be effectively transferred onto a paper template. The template needs to fit in after leaving about 1/8th inch on the outer edges.
• Step 2: The floor has to be devoid of all objects and attachments. Hence they need to be removed before the installation for a seamless look and can be reinstalled after the vinyl floor has been effectively put in.
• Step 3: The baseboard molding placed under the fastener locations needs to be detached so that it does not break during the installation. The trim also needs to be checked to see if it is in good condition, in which case it too needs to be carefully pried out.
• Step 4: The concrete needs to be checked to see if it is old or new since vinyl installation should only be done over a smooth and clean surface.
• Step 5: In case the concrete is old, carpet tack tracks too need to be carefully pried. Hols or pits, if any, need to be filled, dried, sanded and filed to facilitate a smooth surface. The floor then needs to be thoroughly cleaned before the application of the vinyl.
• Step 6: In case of new concrete, the surface needs to be cleaned properly after giving it a thorough sanding or filing. The surface needs to be free of any debris which might hamper the proper installation of the vinyl floor.
• Step 7: The paper template needs to be placed on the floor and the outlines chalked out throughout the floor. The vinyl tiles should be placed from the centre going outwards. Tiles placed next to the walls or other objects need to be appropriately cut and fitted. The downside of each vinyl tile needs to be cleaned off any dirt or dust debris.
• Step 8: The placement of the vinyl should enable the edges to curl up against the wall. The outside corners need to be trimmed inwards from the outer edge and the inner corners cut at the corners to facilitate a proper fit.
• Step 9: The vinyl needs to be rolled or removed till halfway so as to enable the application of the adhesive smoothly in sweeping arcs.
• Step 10: The vinyl needs to be placed onto the floor very carefully and the process of adhesive laying repeated for the other side. Excess glue needs to be wiped off using a wet rug and the floor needs to be smoothened using a floor roller.

To complete the installation, new floor molding needs to be installed over the vinyl floor and foot traffic needs to be restricted for quite some time to let the adhesive harden and set.