How do You Install Vinyl Flooring in a Garage?

Vinyl flooring is one of the best flooring for any garage. If installed properly, they will look great on any floor. But do not be mistaken though, if you install vinyl incorrectly, you will not be pleased with the end results.

How do you install vinyl flooring in a garage? With the right approach, sheet vinyl flooring is quite easy to install. And for most garages you’ll only need one piece of sheet vinyl for the whole floor.

For this task, you are going to need knee pads because you’ll be spending quite a bit of time on your knees. You’ll need to use a utility knife, so make sure it has a sharp blade. Keep the blade covered or retracted when it’s not in use. When you’re making your cuts, do it in such a way that you won’t enjoy yourself if the knife slips.

 

Step 1-Preparation.

  • First, give your garage floor a thorough sweep of vacuum. If your existing floor has been treated with a wood preservative, it’s unlikely to be suitable for covering with sheet vinyl. Check the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Make sure the surface is free from any protrude and objects such as nails or screw heads or dust and debris. This is particularly important because even the smallest pieces of debris all protrusion will show through.
  • Use a hammer and a nail punched to punch any now heads below the surface of the floor. Any oil, grease, bitumen is compounds of solvent-based material should be removed using a suitable cleaning or removal agents.
  • How to Test for damp: Concrete floors must also be free from damp. There is a simple method to test for this and the way you are going to do it is by placing a piece of polythene approximately one square metre in size onto the floor and sail around the edge using a piece of tape. Leave it overnight.
  • Any trace of moisture underneath the polythene indicates dampness which must be rectified before the floor is tiled. If your existing floor is damaged or uneven, you will achieve a much better finish a few level the floor first.

 

Step 2- Measuring.

  • Now, you need to measure the garage. First, measure and record the length and the width of the room. Make sure you’re accurate about this and include any alcoves. Measure right up to the center of any doorways as well.
  • Now, add 75 millimeters to each edge to allow for final trimming and cutting. You now have the measurements that you need to be able to buy the sheet vinyl.

 

Step 3- Laying

  • Before laying your vinyl unroll it in the room you’re going to fit it in and leave for 24 hours to acclimatize. If you have under floor heating, also turn that off 24 hours before you lay your vinyl. Now, roughly lay the vinyl and adjust it so that it fits as closely as possible allowing for the 75 mm excess.

 

Step 4-Obstacles

  • With obstacles like a toilet or sink pedestal, you’ll need to cut around them. Cut a series of slits in the vinyl around the pedestal with a utility knife. The first cut should be where the vinyl meets the pedestal. This is followed by cuts at regular intervals better angle towards the first cut. You need to do this on both sides of the pedestal.
  • Press the vinyl down and fold the flaps up around the pedestal. The flaps at the back of the pedestal should neatly meet. Trim the excess with the knife to make a perfect fit. Continue to work around the room using the same method with each obstacle you come to.
  • Once you’ve cut around your obstacles, you then need to work around the room trimming the edges. Where have a long straight cut to make use of vinyl cutter which will give you a nice clean finished edge.

 

Step 5- Bonding

  • Avoid making the join in any wet hair it’s like a bathroom as water might get underneath it and damage the vinyl. O-sheet vinyl flooring needs to be stuck to the floor. Sometimes sheet vinyl need to be fully bonded to the floor using an appropriate vinyl floor and adhesive that is either sprayed onto the floor or spread across it using the notched adhesive trowel.
  • Other types of sheet vinyl only need to be bonded at the perimeter and at any join using double sided vinyl floor tape. Typically, cushion time sheet vinyl only needs to be bonded at the perimeter and non-cushion sheet vinyl needs to be fully bonded. But you should always check the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

Step 6-Final laying.

  • The next task is to fix the double sided tape to the floor ready for final laying. If your floor surface is smooth completely dust free and non-porous, you can stick the double sided tape straight onto the floor.
  • If you are going to use an adhesive under the tape as well to get addition to the floor, first read the instructions and safety information on the can then spray the DCF along the edge of the floor taking care not to spray onto the walls.
  • Then stick the tape to the floor around the edges of the room without removing the backing paper. Use a small block of wood and run along the top of the tape to make sure it’s firmly fixed. Repeat for the other edges and put some tape around the base and pedestal and any other obstructions.

 

Step 7- Placing the vinyl

  • Now, you’re ready to lay the sheet vinyl into position and fix it in place. Working around the room, lift each edge. Remove the backing paper from the top of the double sided tape and then push the sheet vinyl firmly onto the tape.

 

Conclusion:

  • Well, that’s the bulk of the job done. You just need to think about the finishing touches. If you’re laying the sheet vinyl in a bathroom or similar wet area, you could seal the joint between the sheet vinyl and the wall with a sanitary grade silicon sealant.
  • Make sure that the sealant tube nozzle is cut at a slight angle and is cut to have the right size hole. The bigger the gap the bigger the hole needs to be. Starts at one end and move along in one continuous movement maintaining a steady pressure and speed.
  • To smooth the sealant, you can use a sealant shaper or a wet soapy finger, but always remember to wear gloves. Another option is to fit a trim between the edge of the floor and the wall. Finish off your new fill by fitting a threshold bar in the doorway to make a neat joint between the new floor and the flooring in the next room. And that’s the job done. A beautiful new vinyl floor.

Are Garage Tiles any Good?

 

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