How to Install Vinyl Flooring in Your Kitchen
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Time to read 4 min
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Time to read 4 min
Vinyl kitchen flooring adds a charming touch to a kitchen, but it can be confusing to install if you don’t know how. You don’t need to hire a professional to help you, as the installation process for vinyl is simple enough when you have the correct materials and understand the proper steps. Vinyl is an inexpensive material to use for kitchens compared to tile and is more straightforward to manage.
Unlike tile, a vinyl floor may be directly applied to a subfloor that’s plywood with no need for a concrete backer. Before installing vinyl kitchen flooring, make sure the heads of screws and nails are below the subfloor surface, take off any adhesive that’s old, and address other imperfections. Otherwise, you’ll be able to feel and see these areas below your Vinyl Flooring and they could damage the vinyl.
Vinyl flooring comes in 6-foot and 12-foot widths. You can save at least half the cost, if not more, when you install vinyl on your own. Flooring that’s more expensive has patterns that are richer and a wear layer that’s thicker, but even moderately priced flooring will still last for at least 10 years.
Look at the flexibility different floors have by going into a flooring showroom and bending one of the corners of a sample. If you find the vinyl is stiff or the backing easily breaks, you won’t be able to install the floor without being at risk of damaging it. You can also order samples of flooring to take home and see how various options look in your kitchen.
It doesn’t hurt to have a sketch of the room with you along with dimensions so that a flooring representative can help you figure out how much flooring you need. Determine the installation requirements and make sure you buy a trowel, seam sealer if your flooring installation requires a seam, floor filler, matching caulk, and the proper adhesive.
Place a piece of thick cardboard or a portion of plywood below the flooring. Use a sharp utility knife to pierce the flooring that coordinates with the cut line. Continue to move your plywood as you cut to preserve the floor underneath. Take your cut piece of flooring, roll it up, and bring it into your kitchen. Without using any adhesive yet, roll out the flooring to determine how it fits. Now is the time to make any necessary adjustments so that you’ll have a snug fit. Use a utility knife to make any precision cuts as necessary.
Place any quarter-round trim or baseboards back where they belong along the bottom of the walls. If your kitchen doesn’t have any baseboards or other trim, you can put a thin bead of tile and tub caulk around the room’s perimeter between the walls and floor for a more finished look.
You’ll love the look of your vinyl kitchen flooring, and you’ll be proud that you installed it yourself. The first step is to write down everything you need and purchase your supplies. Once you have all your supplies, you can begin the process of installing your vinyl. Once your kitchen is properly prepared, you’ll be able to start laying the flooring and see the results of the beautiful new floor you installed.