Vinyl floor tile today comes in all kinds of colors, styles, and finishes, some of them every bit as attractive as traditional like ceramic or porcelain. But vinyl tile is a lot simpler to lay than hard tiles, because it cuts easier and because you don't have to grout between the tiles after you install them. You do have to start with a clean, dry subfloor of wood or cement. Armstrong is among the most popular brands of vinyl flooring.
Instructions
1. Measure and mark the middle of each edge of the floor. Stretch a chalk snapline between two opposing marks, so it divides the floor in half, and snap the line.
2. Stretch the string between the two remaining marks, to intersect the first line at the center of the floor. Lay a carpenter's square at the intersection and adjust the second string before you snap it, to make sure the two lines are exactly perpendicular to each other.
3. Spread tile adhesive over the middle of the floor, using a tiling trowel. Cover a few square feet of the floor, encompassing the whole intersection of the two lines. You'll still be able to see the lines through the adhesive.
4. Set four Armstrong tiles into place in the adhesive, using the two intersecting lines as guides. Set the edges of the tiles right against each other as you lay them, dropping the other side last, so adhesive doesn't squirt up between the tiles.
5. Spread more adhesive and lay more tiles, building out along the lines and toward the walls. Cut the final pieces, by the walls, using a vinyl tile cutter.
6. Install floor trim around the edges of the room with your miter saw and trim nailer, to cover the seam between the cut edges of the tile and the wall.
Tags: , each other, hard tiles, vinyl tile