How to Install Vinyl Tiles

Peel-and-stick tiles are as easy to work with as they sound. You’ll need to make cuts for border tiles, but even that’s a breeze if you change the knife blade often. Here’s how to apply them:

Materials and Tools:

vinyl floor tiles
knee pads
profile gauge
straightedge
pencil
utility knife and extra blades

Steps:

1. Check the integrity of the original flooring to make sure all the existing tiles are secure.

2. Begin in the middle of the room and work in all directions toward the walls. If the previous floor was put down in the same manner, use the center of one of the middle old tiles as a starting point. This will stagger the seams, making the floor more secure.

3. Once the first four tiles are in place, tile up to the cabinets and walls, adhering only full squares and leaving the cuts for the end.

4. For a straight cut, place a tile in its final position (such as up to the wall). Mark along the two edges where the tile should be cut. Use a straightedge and a utility knife to cut the tile and press it into place. If there’s a corner, use the same method, setting the tile to be installed up against the cabinet side. Mark the horizontal cut and put it against the cabinet front to mark the vertical cut. Make the necessary cuts and install it.

5. Use a profile gauge for more intricate cuts. Press it in place until it conforms to the design and trace around it onto the tile. Cut the tile accordingly and press it into place.