How to Install Vinyl Flooring

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Updated: August 8, 2019

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Vinyl flooring is a great way to change the appearance of a room without spending too
much money. The application is fairly simple and easy for beginners too, making it a
great option for someone without a lot of home-improvement experience. If you're trying
to learn how to install your own vinyl flooring, read on in Step One for help.
Part 1
Preparing the Old Flooring
1.

1
Measure and order your vinyl. Use a measuring tape to carefully determine the size of
your room. It is imperative that you get accurate measurements, or else you may end up
with too little vinyl to finish the job. In general, order a small amount of extra vinyl above
your measurements, so you don’t run out.[1]

2.

2
Remove anything that will be in the way. Vinyl flooring can be placed in a variety of
rooms, so the things you have to remove will vary depending on where you are placing
 your vinyl. Take out any free-standing furniture, and then move on to appliances. In a
kitchen, you’ll need to remove the fridge and stove/oven (if they are not built in types),
and in a bathroom you need to take out the toilet. Then, remove the baseboards/trim
along the bottom edge of the wall.[2]
 You don’t need to remove any cabinets or vanities, as these are typically in permanent
locations and the flooring can be installed around them.

3.

3
Take out the old flooring. This step is primarily necessary if you have carpet that you
are replacing with vinyl; vinyl flooring can cover nearly any floor surface, so long as it is
rigid, flat, smooth, and dry. Pull up the old floor, and remove the threshold strips that
trim out the doorways. The next step, although tedious, is very important: work along
the subfloor, pulling out (or hammering in) any and staples and nails that you encounter
that are not driven below the floor surface.
 You can pull a metal trowel across the floor and listen for the ‘tink!’ sound that happens
when you hit a nail or staple, making it easier to find them.
 Old flooring and floor adhesives may contain asbestos, so call your county for an
asbestos test before pulling it or disturbing it. If your county building or environmental
office doesn't offer this service, consult a private testing laboratory to find out how to
gather samples and have them test them.
 If you choose not to remove the old flooring (if, for example, you’re putting vinyl over
concrete or wood), just know that the floor will be a bit higher, and you might have to
trim the bottom of your doors to accommodate the height.

4.
 4
Make a paper template of the floor. Making a template of the floor will allow you to get
precise measurements, and may make cutting your plywood/vinyl much easier than
going without. Cut heavy construction paper into large strips, and lay it across your
floor. Cut out any corners or built-in obstacles, and add measurements. Do this with
multiple pieces of paper, until you've covered your entire floor. Then, tape all the pieces
of paper together to form a full sized copy of the floor.[3]
 You may need to do this in sections if you’re working with a large room or floor space.
 You can measure hard-to-reach areas of flooring and draw/cut it onto the paper, if it is
easier.

5.

5
Prepare your underlayer (underlayment). For subfloors that require a lot of work to
smooth, flatten, or level, installing an underlayment is the easiest way to make this
correction. The underlayer is a ¼-inch thick layer of plywood that smooths out the floor
and provides a sturdy base for the vinyl. Tape your paper template of the floor to your
underlayer plywood. Use this as a guide, and cut the plywood to fit the flooring in your
room. Carefully cut your plywood in sections that match up, checking for fit with each
completed piece.[4]
 Only use vinyl-floor grade underlayer plywood, or else it won’t hold up.
 Rough-cut the underlayer first, and then make more detailed cuts after fitting each
piece.

6.
 6
Place your underlayer. Put your underlayer plywood sheets in the room, and leave
them for 2 or 3 days. This will allow them to acclimate to your home’s normal humidity
levels, and prevent the vinyl from coming up or tearing later on in the process. Place the
underlayer in it’s final location, so that the wood fits the space.

7.

7
Install the underlayer. To install the underlayer, you will need to use a special
underlayer stapler with ⅞-inch staples; you will use approximately 16 staples per square
foot of underlayer. You should never use nails or screws in the underlayer, as these will
cause bumps in the vinyl flooring. Work your way across the room, stapling the
underlayer to the floor. Remove and replace any staples that don’t go all the way
through the plywood.

8.

8
Finish smoothing the underlayer. Work your way across the floor with a sander,
smoothing down any edges that are not flush where they meet, or bumps in the
underlayer. Then, use a leveling compound to fill in these spaces and any cracks in the
underlayer. This will help to provide a smooth underlayer, which is vital to having a
smooth final application of your vinyl.
 Follow the package directions for applying the floor leveling compound and make sure it
is compatible with both the underlayer and the vinyl adhesive you will be using.
Part 2
Applying Your Vinyl
1.

1
Decide on the pattern for your vinyl. Vinyl typically comes in 12 inch square tiles, but
it may come in sheets. If you have vinyl sheets, all you have to do is cut it out to fit the
room, allowing for seams if the room is wider than the sheet. Vinyl tiles, on the other
hand, must be applied in a pattern. It’s typically easiest to apply vinyl in rows, but you
may want to change the direction of the rows (for example, have them go diagonally
across the room). #Determine how you will lay the floor. You may strike a chalk line as a
guide to the first row of vinyl (if you are using tiles. Keep in mind that you will always
start your pattern in the center of the room and work your way out, in order to keep it
symmetrical.

2.

2
Determine the application process for your vinyl. There are two types of vinyl: self-
stick, and glue down. Self-stick vinyl is very straight forward, as it comes with an
adhesive backing that you use to stick it to the floor. Glue down vinyl takes a bit more
work, as it requires you to put a layer of vinyl flooring glue on the underlayer prior to
 placing your vinyl. If you have self-stick vinyl, simply follow the directions for application
and you are set. If you have unglued vinyl, continue on for instructions on applying it. [5]

3.

3
Mark your pattern on your paper template. To make applying your vinyl easier, you
can lay it out and cut it to fit using your paper template. Simply lay the vinyl out on the
template, and use it as a pattern for cutting your vinyl to size. If you prefer, you can skip
this step and measure/cut your vinyl directly in the room, on the underlayer.

4.

4
Begin gluing the vinyl flooring. Get your vinyl flooring adhesive out, and get a
notched trowel. Generally a 1/16 inch trowel is used for spreading the adhesive, some
adhesives may also be applied with a short-napped paint roller. Start in a corner of the
room (following your pattern), and scoop out some of the glue onto the trowel. Spread
this across the underlayer in one section of the room, and then wait a few minutes for
the ‘open’ time to set; laying the vinyl right away will cause air bubbles to form as the
solvents evaporate from the adhesive.
 Always have a damp rag at the ready for spills or smears on the vinyl.
 Make sure that the notch-size of your trowel is compatible with the adhesive you’re
using; check the application directions to verify.
5.
 5
Lay the vinyl. For solid vinyl tiles (VCT, or vinyl composition tiles), place each one flat,
perfectly aligned with the row, and snugly abutting the previous tile. Do not slide the tiles
when laying them, as this will "drag" the adhesive.

6.

6
Press the vinyl down to stick it to the adhesive. If you’re using small vinyl tiles, you
can use a rolling pin (yes, like the one in your kitchen); otherwise, rent a floor roller from
a local home and garden center. Apply pressure as you roll over the tile in order to stick
 it to the adhesive and the underlayer. Do this for each section of vinyl that you lay, and
then again when you’ve completed all of the vinyl.[6]

7.

7
Continue applying the vinyl. Work your way across the floor, applying the vinyl
according your your pattern. Lay out some of the glue, allow it to dry until tacky, stick
the vinyl, roll over it with your roller, and repeat the process at the next section. Fill the
entire floor with the vinyl, until you reach the edges. If you need to cut vinyl to fit the odd
edge spaces, do so now. Otherwise, place your cut vinyl into these spaces and roll over
them to verify that they are secured.

8.

8
Finish the flooring. Wait several hours for the floor adhesive to dry (according to
package instructions), and then begin replacing the molding/trim that you removed and
adding the threshold strips. If you installed your vinyl flooring in a bathroom, use a caulk
gun to caulk around the edges of the floor where they meet with the baseboards. This
will protect from water damage and help your vinyl to last longer.[7]

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