INSTALLATION
Full
Spread Vinyl - Preparing the Floor
Margin of
Error: Floor should be level within 1/8”, with gaps no Larger
than 1/4”.
Most
Common Mistakes
- Not
leveling the floor and/or applying an underlayment if needed.
- Not
making the needed repairs before beginning the job.
When laying a new floor, you will need to remove all furniture
and appliances from the room. Do not attempt to merely move. Furniture
from one side to the other because you will need space in which
to maneuver. Also, the floor will need some time to set once it
is installed. So move out anything that isn’t attached. Remove
the shoe moldings, trim pieces, door thresholds, and floor grates
carefully, using a pry bar and a scrap of wood for a leverage
wedge so as not to mar the baseboard. This will enable you to
fit the flooring right up to the baseboard. Any minor imperfections
along the cut edge of the new flooring will be hidden underneath
the molding when you replace it. Also, the underlying floors need
to be smooth and free of grease, dirt, and any irregularities.
Clean the floor well.
A scrap of cardboard will support your handsaw so you can undercut
the bottoms of the doorway moldings to allow for the flooring
to slip underneath. Keep the saw blade flat against the cardboard
when doing this. If your floor is level, dry, and structurally
sound, with an even finish, you will need no other prep work than
to sweep and vacuum thoroughly, then mop the floor with a mild
cleaner. If the flooring will have a seam, the 6” strip of floor
directly under the seam should be very dean and free from any
wax or finish so the adhesive will have something to hold on to.
Use a heavy-duty detergent or wax remover to dean this strip.
If the floor is badly sloped or dipped, fill those areas in with
leveling compound. Install an underlayment of 1/4”plywood. Plan
the seam so they do not match those of the flooring underneath.
Over an open joist system, first apply a layer of 3/4” tongue-and-groove
plywood as a sub floor. Check local code for specific recommendations.
Nail the underlayment with 6 penny ring shank nails every 4” to
6” around the edge and every 4” in the middle. Check local code
on this requirement as well. Leave 1/4” gap at the baseboard and
1/16” between sheets to allow for expansion and contraction of
the wood.
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