Installing Vinyl Flooring...Your Tools

Advice for the Newbie Handyman

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to change a room's appearance significantly then you may want to consider installing vinyl flooring. 

Vinyl flooring is a simple and easy to install as well as being extremely cost effective.  Compared to other types of flooring such as wood or laminate you will often find that you are paying less than half what they would cost.

Installation is Easy

The installation process is relatively easy for even the complete novice DIY person to handle.  All it needs is a little patience and attention to detail and you will soon find that you have installed your new vinyl flooring in no time at all.

However before you can even start laying your new vinyl flooring there are a number of tools and pieces of equipment you will need to ensure that the job goes as smoothly as possible:

• Goggles for eye protection.
• Pencil so you can mark out where you will need to cut your vinyl flooring so that it fits securely in to all corners of the room and if you need to cut out sections to go round walls or items on the floor that are fixed in place.
• Tape measure (you need to have exact measurements of the room to ensure that you buy enough vinyl flooring to avoid having to purchase more and then end up with the problem of seaming the two pieces together).
• Hammer.
• Trowel or spreader that is notched.

These are also going to be useful:

• Some clean cloths.
• Carpenter's square. This will ensure that you get the corners and edges of the vinyl exactly straight.
• Stanley or utility knife.  Must be sharp as it will need to cut through both the vinyl top layer and the bottom cushioned backing.
• Vinyl tile adhesive.  If you want your flooring to remain in place after it has been laid then this is really essential.
• Solvent cleaner. A must to ensure that once the work has been finished you can clean off your tools and also mop up any adhesive that has got stuck to the walls or vinyl flooring during the installation process.

It is important that before you start installing vinyl flooring in any room in your home you clean the sub floor thoroughly and make sure you remove any wainscoting and doors.  This will actually help to make the process of laying your new vinyl flooring much easier and all these can then be replaced once the installation has been completed.