How to Install Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

Cut along the perimeter with a utility knife.

Cut the vinyl into small pieces. Vinyl that is glued under the entire sheet should be cut into small pieces. It will be easier to pry up from the adhesive. Some vinyl sheets are only glued along the perimeter. In this case, the vinyl can be cut into larger pieces.

Pry up the old vinyl. Use a paint multi-tool (also known as a 5-in-1 tool), putty knife, pry bar, or floor scraper to separate the vinyl from the adhesive. Some vinyl will come up easier than others.

Remove as much of the old adhesive as possible. A paint multi-tool can typically get the job done.

Check the subfloor for high spots. Sand them down with a belt sander. Also check for low spots, which can be filled with a cementitious leveler. The lever comes as a powder that mixes with water. Spread it over the low spots with a trowel, making sure it’s level.

If the tile won’t fit underneath, you’ll need to cut the casing. Place a tile next to the casing. Use it as a guide to cut the casing to the correct height with a backsaw or oscillating saw.

Scrape out the debris from the casing groove and the tile should easily slide underneath.

Clean the floor of any dust and debris with a shop vacuum. The floor must be very clean for the tile to adhere.

Apply a cementitious leveler over the old adhesive and subfloor seams. Skim it over the surface with a trowel. It doesn’t need to be thick, it just has to cover enough to ensure a flat surface. Allow the leveler to cure following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Prime the subfloor with latex-based flooring primer. This primer is specifically designed for floors, it’s not the same primer you would apply to walls or ceilings. Follow the directions for drying time, then inspect the tile for defects.

Measure from the center to the starting wall, subtract the manufacturer’s expansion gap (check the tile packaging) and the width of one tile. Mark this distance at the ends.

Snap a line between the marks to get a straight starting line near the wall.

After you’ve marked your starting line, do a dry layout to see how the tile will end against the walls or cabinets. If you have less than half a tile width at the walls, shift the layout lines a little bit to get larger tiles at the walls.

Making sure the arrow is facing the same direction as the first tile, peel off the backing and place the second tile snug against the first. Continue laying the tile this way.

Along the walls or cabinets, you’ll most likely need to cut the tile to fit. Hold a full tile over the last installed tile. Now place another tile directly on top of that tile against the wall. Mark the line on the middle tile. Use a straight edge and cut along the line with a utility knife.

To cut the tile along angled walls, use the last installed tiles to get measurements to the wall.

Transfer the measurements to the new tile, draw a line between the marks and cut.

Replace the wall trim. Attach the trim to the wall, not the floor. For help, see Install Decorative Moulding.