Vinyl
floorings are durable, attractive, and long lasting. They're almost
as easy to install as spreading a blanket over a bed. This article
will show you the basics. PREPARING
THE FLOOR:
Prepare the room for the flooring by removing all the furnishings,
including the covers on the floor registers and the shoe molding
along the baseboard. The baseboard doesn't have to be removed if
you can't do it without damaging walls or doorjambs. When you remove
shoe moldings and baseboards, number the pieces so you can replace
them in the same order.
Vinyl
flooring can be installed over several types of old flooring, but
in all cases the floor must be in good condition. You can lay the
flooring over old flooring if it is completely smooth and still
tightly adhered to the subfloor. Concrete must be dry, level, and
clean. A wooden floor is suitable if the boards are not rotten or
warped, and only if they are firmly nailed down. If these conditions
can't be met, then it's best to install an underlayment of plywood
or hardboard. Use staples driven in by a power nailer.
HOW
MUCH TO BUY:
To start the project, draw an accurate sketch of the floor area
or write the measurements down on the old floor surface. Then, when
the entire floor has been measured, go back and transfer your calculations
to the floor plan.
Seamless
Installation-
In Fig. A, one of the dimensions is smaller than 12', so a 12'-wide
sheet can be installed without seams. Now, the maximum measurements
of this room are 10' 6" x 15' 6" . You might think you should buy
a 12'-wide sheet 15' 6" long, maybe adding another 6" for trimming.
However,
notice that cabinets run along one whole wall and the new floor
won't run under those cabinets. So the real working dimensions are
10' 6" x 13' 6" plus 6" for trimming, giving you a piece 12'x 14'.
To
convert linear feet into square yards, multiply length times width
and divide by nine (9 square feet equal 1 square yard). For our
job:
12'x14' =168'
168 /9 = 18.7 sq. yd.
