Peel and Stick Flooring -What to Know
Peel and stick flooring which are primarily vinyl plank flooring and vinyl tiles, have found a lot of acceptance in the last few years owing to numerous reasons. The name actually refers to the ease with which you can install this type of flooring, peel the covering and stick them on the floor, voila! You have a new floor. These types of adhesive floorings have many types and are available in a variety of styles, patterns and colors.
Home improvement, repair and maintenance, new construction, etc can be a hassle for some and obviously a drain on your resources. If you have gone through this then you know that building a new floor or repairing an old one involves not only high cost, but also time and skill.
Flooring can be pretty expensive depending on the flooring material you choose and not everyone can afford or would want to spend a lot of money on it. Ceramic tiles, marble flooring, wooden flooring, etc can not only be expensive to install, but also expensive to protect and maintain.
Variety
You can select from peel and stick vinyl plank flooring or vinyl tiles. The material of both is exactly the same. The planks/sheets are larger in size, while the tiles are smaller. The sheets are usually six to twelve feet wide resembling the shape of a rectangle. The tiles usually come in the shape of squares measuring 12×12 inches or 9×9 inches, because the tiles are smaller they have obviously more seams. The installation of tiles is relatively easier than the vinyl sheets and that is why tiles are preferred by homeowners who want to do their work themselves instead of hiring a flooring contractor. As there are more joints in the tiles, they are relatively more vulnerable than vinyl sheets, but that should not be a real issue if the installation is done correctly.
When it comes to vinyl tiles for flooring, you can also choose peel & stick groutable vinyl tiles. The material once again is the same, but because these tiles can be grouted they give a more natural look and their mimicry of either carpet, stone or wood is much better than vinyl sheets.
Durability
The peel & stick vinyl tiles are available in various varieties based on durability, but the most common are the VCTs i.e Vinyl composition tiles. A more durable version is the VETs (Vinyl Enhanced Tiles) and SVTs (Solid Vinyl Tiles). The SVTs are considered to be the most durable, but are mostly used in factories, stores, and other commercial buildings that face high traffic.
Peel & Stick Vinyl Flooring- Luxury Vinyl Tiles & Regular Vinyl Tiles
Vinyl tiles are also differentiated based on the quality of their appearance, luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) and the regular vinyl tiles. The LVTs are relatively expensive, but offer a much better look. It is pertinent to mention that even the regular vinyl tiles are available in countless patterns, styles and designs and there is not much difference between them and LVTs when it comes to durability.
Benefits of Peel & Stick Flooring
Made from poly vinyl chloride (PVC), peel & stick vinyl flooring is considered to be very durable and can last up to 25 years.
Compared to all other types of flooring, they are considered to be the most affordable and easy to install. The average cost depends on the type and brand, design, area, etc and can range from $0.20 per square foot to $2.50.
You can select flooring with different strengths for nearly all the rooms in your house, including bathrooms, kitchens and rooms with high traffic.
Most of them are water resistant and less vulnerable to wear & tear due to their flexibility.
They can be easily replaced or removed, even if one tile/sheet needs replacement you can do it yourself with ease.
A huge variety of colors, styles, patterns are available for mimicking natural materials such as wood, marble, stone, etc.
Unlike natural flooring, vinyl flooring is easy on your feet and its temperature does not vary a lot relative to its surroundings.
Method of Installation
These are very simple to install if you are even a little bit into DIY and have worked with floors before or have worked on a similar task.
- First step should always be cleaning your floor adequately. Although peel & stick vinyl tiles can be installed on existing floors don’t forget to consult it with your vendor as it does not support floors such as wafer & particle boards.
- Although these are extremely flexible, it is still best to level your floor if the irregularities are too much.
- Decide the layout and direction of your tiles.
- Find the center of your room. Divide your room into sections using a chalk line.
- Carry out a dry run i.e. before peeling the vinyl tiles lay them on your floor the way you would like your room to look when it is done.
- If you need to cut tiles/sheets to fit in the corners of your room, you can easily cut them with a utility knife or scissors.
- While keeping the tiles arranged as they are, start peeling them off and sticking them one by one.
- Once you are done sticking all the tiles, take a roller pin and roll it over the entire floor to release any trapped air.
*If you are using peel & stick groutable vinyl tiles, the method of installation will be different. You will require a grout mix and extra tools.
Final Word
Always remember, things are best done when done by experts, so either hire a flooring contractor or DIY with a friend who has done it before. Remember, peel & stick vinyl tiles are better than vinyl sheets when it comes to ease of installation as well as price and the range of designs.