Easy Cleanup Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring for a busy household

Vinyl flooring can be a good choice for many rooms, especially those that get a lot of traffic, or where moisture is present. Kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms are good locations for easy cleanup vinyl flooring. This is also a good choice for families with children and pets in the household.

Vinyl flooring is not what it used to be. It is available in a diverse range of colors and patterns appropriate for any room of the house. The recent addition of textures and patterns that mimic real stone and tile flooring are ones I find especially appealing. Some are so convincing, that you almost have to feel them to be sure they are not actually tile or stone.

Easy cleanup is another aspect that makes this product so attractive. In a household with children and pets spills and puddles are an easy to fix problem.

Vinyl installation tips

Vinyl flooring can be installed over most surfaces, and comes in a wide range of prices. It is available in the form of tiles that have the adhesive embedded so that they are basically a peel and stick application. I personally don't recommend these if you are planning for the long term.

You will also find vinyl flooring in sheet form that is available in six and twelve foot widths. This will cover most rooms without any seams. It is usually purchased by so much per running foot.

Installing sheet vinyl as a do-it-yourself project can save you quite a bit of money if you are on a tight budget. If the room is very large, it is good to have a buddy who is somewhat handy to help you manage the bulk of the piece. Working with a large piece of vinyl by yourself can be a bit tricky.

Measure your space carefully, then measure a second time to avoid errors. Make a sketch of your area, and note where there may be cutout areas. Add measurements to all sides of your sketch. This can be handy to take along when you are shopping. Purchase a little more than you need in case of errors, or in case it wasn't cut square at the time of purchase. Leftovers can often be applied below sink areas for an easy to clean surface.

Prepare the surface you are covering. Smooth out high and low spots. Patch and sand if needed. Check surface to be sure there are no nails or staples protruding. Remove baseboards and if in good condition save to replace after vinyl is laid. Check carefully to be sure there are no nails sticking out. Clean whole surface to be covered.

Use scribing felt to make a template, and transfer this to the back of your vinyl. Use masking tape on top of your vinyl to reinforce corners so they don't tear while you are positioning it.

Most home improvement stores will have brochures or booklets that lay out the steps for installation, along with a list of supplies you will need.

Some tools that will come in very handy are a utility knife, scissors, a straight edge, measuring tape, and masking tape to strengthen corners of vinyl while positioning. Take your time with this project if you have not installed vinyl before, have patience and you will be rewarded with a shiny new floor.