How to Lay Vinyl Sheet Flooring

1. Remove Obstructions

   Remove all baseboards and quarter-round moldings. If any floor transition strips are in place, remove them with a manual screwdriver or cordless drill. Remove the bathroom cabinet.

   Remove the toilet. Stop up the toilet closet flange with a cloth rag to prevent tools from getting lost down the sewer pipe. Methane gas can come out of the toilet flange, which is another reason for the rag plug.

   Tip

   For a bathroom remodel, it is not necessary to remove the bathtub or shower if they are already in place.

2. Prepare the Subfloor

   The subfloor must be perfectly level and free of gaps, seams, or gouges that could transfer to the surface of the soft vinyl. Use the combination pre-mixed floor patch and level compound to fill low spots up to a maximum thickness of one inch. For deeper dips, repair the subfloor. With the trowel, spread the compound over gaps and seams until the floor is flat and level.

3. Cut Under the Door Trim

   Use the multi-tool fitted with a wood blade to cut under door trim by 1/8 inch. Alternatively, you can remove the door trim and re-install it after the floor has been laid.

4. Cut the Sheet Flooring

   Turn off any floor radiant heating. Cut the sheet vinyl flooring so that it is the size of the room, plus about four inches on all sides. Lay the vinyl flooring in the room, with the excess running up the walls. Let the flooring rest in the room for about two hours, so it can conform to the room's size.

   Tip

   Keeping the room warm will help make the flooring more pliable.

5. Make Relief Cuts

   The flooring will bunch up in the corners, making it difficult for you to cut down the sides. To relieve this tension, make stress or relief cuts in the corners. Start the utility knife in the corner, at the lowest part, then make a single cut upward until the flooring falls into place.

6. Cut Around the Sides

   Cut the flooring where the wall and subfloor meet. Cut as close to that corner as possible so that all of the flooring will be hidden by the baseboards or quarter-round. Feel for the toilet closet flange and cut around it.

7. Add Adhesive Tape

   Remove the vinyl sheet flooring and set it aside. Make sure that it stays flat. Add strips of the double-sided adhesive tape in a few key areas of traffic: by the door, in front of the bathtub or shower, and in front of the cabinet.

   Another option is to leave the sized flooring in place and gently pull one side toward the center. Place the tape or adhesive along the edge and roll the flooring back in place. Repeat the procedure for the other side. Vinyl can sometimes tear easily, especially in inside corner cuts, so be careful when moving it.

8. Lay the Vinyl Flooring

   Lay the flooring sheet back in the installation space. Make sure that the flooring does not fold or bunch up between the adhesive strips.

9. Replace the Baseboards and Other Items

   Install the toilet, cabinet, and heating vent. Install the baseboards, quarter-round, and transition strip.

Tips for Installing Vinyl Sheet Flooring

• Buy five to 10 percent extra of the sheet flooring to account for expected waste.
• Remove as many obstructions as possible: heating vents, portable shelves, and even the toilet and cabinet. Removing these items is extra work but it makes the installation go easier and helps to hold down the flooring when reinstalled.
• For bathrooms and other small spaces less than 12 feet wide, seaming is not required since sheet vinyl rolls are usually 12 feet wide or more.