Some problems have multiple solutions, and installing flooring is no different. You could install a sheet vinyl floor in a number of different ways, however this article will focus on a single method. The methods outlined here are the same that Merritt Construction LLC uses to install sheet vinyl flooring. You can use this article in a number of different ways. The most obvious is if you are planning on installing a sheet vinyl floor in your own home. If you happen to be in the greater Indianapolis area, then you can use this article to learn about how we do things. Learning how a company you are thinking about hiring does their work is important when comparing bids between competing firms. This article will help you understand how we would install your floor if you were to hire us. If you are just looking to do the floor yourself, this should also give you a very good idea of what is involved. It is impossible for an article to cover every variable that might come up in a home improvement project, so if you ever have doubts about what you are doing stop and seek advice from a professional. This article is offered free and Merritt Construction LLC is not responsible for how you choose to use this information.

Step 1 - Prepping the old floor
The first step is to remove any old flooring or other objects in your way. The most popular areas to install sheet vinyl flooring is in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry/utility rooms. Each of these room types present their own challenges. In kitchens you will need to remove the refrigerator, stove, and when possible the dishwasher. New flooring is not always run under the dishwasher, but you want to if possible. New flooring should always be run under the stove and refrigerator. In bathrooms you will want to pull the toilet and set it aside. New flooring should always be run under the toilet, no exceptions. In laundry rooms you will want to remove the washer and dryer. In utility rooms you will usually work around the furnace, and sometimes the water heater. Where possible it is better to run the flooring under the water heater, but not always feasible. Usually any kitchen/bathroom/utility room cabinets will stay in place and the floor will be cut around them. In new construction where the cabinets are not in yet, it is better to run the flooring under them as it is easier to install that way. In remodel situations it is not worth the effort of removing the cabinets to run the flooring underneath.

Once the objects are cleared out of your path, you need to get the floor ready to receive the new floor. There are an almost infinite number of configurations of old flooring you might have to deal with. In all cases carpet and padding should be removed. If you have tile, sheet vinyl or hardwood you may need to remove them or you might be able to go over the top. It is outside the scope of this article to explain the details and possible pitfalls of each of these situations. Generally in new construction we would have a 3/4" plywood or OSB subfloor to work with. If you have other layers on top of the subfloor you will need to examine your particular situation and decide if it needs removed.

You will need to remove any quarter round or shoe molding that you might have. Removing the actual baseboards is rarely done in a remodeling situation. The new floor will be installed up to the baseboard, and new quarter round should be installed to cover the edge. In a new construction job, if you can install the sheet vinyl before the baseboards, then quarter round is not needed. This is an ideal situation, but removing preexisting baseboards just to eliminate having to use quarter round is rarely worth the effort. The jambs and casing of any doors will need to be undercut so that the flooring can slide underneath the jambs. You can use a hand saw to do this and it goes by many names: undercut saw, pull saw or Japanese pull saw. If you plan on doing a lot of flooring a power saw can be purchased or rented to speed things along.

The next step is to check the condition of the subfloor. You want the floor to be as straight and level as possible. Again it is outside the scope of this article to explain all the various problems that you might encounter and the many different methods of fixing them. At the vary least you will want to use a 4' level and check all over the floor, for larger rooms a 8' level or string line will help. Now is the time to check for squeaks in a wood subfloor, go around trying to find them, and drive 3" deck screws (not drywall screws, they break) into the joists. Make sure you hit the joists are it isn't going to do much.

Review time:
You now should have a subfloor of some type that is clean, straight, and relatively level. It should be free of nails or screws sticking up, and should have no squeaks. It should be structurally sound, and secure. You should have all large objects removed from the area, any quarter round should be gone, and the door jambs and casing should be undercut. The floor should be swept, vacuumed, and ready for underlayment if necessary.


Step 2 - Do I need underlayment?
Sheet vinyl is normally so thin that any joint, crack or defect in the subfloor will telegraph through to the finished floor. It is important to install an underlayment meant for sheet vinyl. This is usually a 1/4" plywood that is sanded on at one side and is commonly called Luan plywood. There are some instances were you might not need underlayment, such as installing over a concrete slab. If you try to install sheet vinyl directly over the 3/4" plywood subfloor, it will usually be to rough. If you have a concrete subfloor, it should be very flat and smooth. This might require grinding the floor. Again all the variables that might come up here are outside the scope of this article. If you have a specific situation you are unsure of, be sure to research it before doing anything.

Step 3 - Making the pattern
The method that Merritt Construction LLC uses involves making a paper pattern, and then using that pattern to cut the underlayment and the vinyl. This is the best method to use if you are a beginner, and are worried about making a mistake. There are a number of different papers or cardboards you can use to make the pattern, we use red rosin paper. It is a thick paper that comes on a roll and can be found at most home improvement stores in the painting section. It is commonly used by painters to mask off things before painting. Keep in mind that the paper has a small amount of flexibility to it, so your pattern will move a bit, and your cuts will end up being a little off. This is usually fine as quarter round will hide the edges. If you have a situation were the cuts need to come out perfect, you will need to use 1/8" plywood or stiff cardboard and hot glue to make the pattern, and not paper and masking tape.

What you want to do is cover the entire surface of the floor area with the paper, overlapping the seams and taping them together with masking tape.


Throughout the field of the paper you want to cut small holes that you can tape over with masking tape. This will tape the paper to the floor and stop it from moving. Later when we move the pattern and drop it down on the vinyl, these same holes will hold the pattern to the vinyl.


When you get to an edge just trim the paper back leaving about 1/2" space between the paper and the wall. You don't have to be very accurate. If you cut to much, just tape another piece over the top and cut it again. This edge can be rough and wavy, it is not important. Just make sure it doesn't touch the wall anywhere, and isn't any farther than 1" away from the wall.

Now what you want to do is get a framing square. All framing squares are L shaped and measure 16" on one side, and 24" on the other side. The 16" side is 1.5" wide, and the 24" side is 2" wide. What you want to do is use the 24" leg of the framing square and lay it flat against the base of the wall. It should overlap on to the rosin paper. Use a pencil and draw a line along the inside edge, this will leave a pencil line on the paper exactly 2" from the wall. Take your time on this part, as this pencil line will be what determines your final product.

Once you have the pencil line going all the way around the room you are finished making the pattern. You should have a continuous pencil line around the entire perimeter of the room that is exactly 2" from the wall.


Step 4 - Underlayment
If you decided back in step 2 that you need underlayment now is the time to cut it. You can lay out the sheets in a garage or driveway and lay the paper pattern over it. You will place the framing square in the same position as before, but this time you will run the pencil down the outside of the framing square. This will create a new line on the underlayment exactly 2" bigger than the line on the pattern. You can then use a saw to cut the underlayment out. Make sure to keep the pattern nice and safe, as you will need it again on the next step. After the underlayment is cut you will need to install it and use any floor patching compound if necessary. Again deciding whether you need underlayment or not, and how to install it our outside the scope of this article.

Step 5 - Cutting the sheet vinyl
Go back to where you cut out he underlayment, and carefully sweep the area. Make sure it is very clean before you roll out the sheet vinyl. Many vinyls are thin, and a small rock can go right through it if you step right on it. Once the area is clean roll out the vinyl with the finished surface up. Make sure it is clean, then lay the paper pattern over it and tape it down using those triangles we cut earlier. If you do this outside, you might need to weight down the corners on a windy day.

Depending on the pattern of the vinyl you have selected you might want to line it up in a certain way. This will depend on the vinyl and layout of the room, and is outside the scope of this article. You will again use the framing square on the paper pattern as you did to cut underlayment, but this time you will use a knife instead of a pencil on the outside.


Slowly cut your way around the pattern until the whole room is cut out. Carefully roll the pattern up and keep it until the floor is 100% finished. It's always possible you might make a mistake and need to use the pattern again. Now carefully roll up the vinyl and carry it inside. sweep and vacumm the surface of the floor making absolutely sure it is perfectly clean. A small pebble will ruin the finished floor.

Lay the vinyl out into the room and carefully work it into position. Verify that it fits the room perfectly and is in the position you want it in. Now you will most likely need to glue the floor down. Different manufacturers of flooring have different procedures regarding this. Some floors will require full field gluing, other will need only perimeter gluing, and others still won't require any glue. Again like before refer to the manufacturers instructions. If your floor requires full field or perimeter gluing then you will fold back half the floor and lay down the glue. Make sure to follow the glue manufacturers instructions on trowel notch size, and open time. Lay the floor back down into the glue, and fold up the opposite side. Once both sides are down you will need to roll the floor. It is absolutely necessary to roll a full field glued floor. If you don't roll it, you will get air bubbles guaranteed. You can buy a small two hand held roller for small areas, or rent a large roller for bigger rooms.