Self
Stick Floor Tiles
Adrian Calow - The Flooring Specialist
-
Create a beautiful kitchen with self stick floor tiles
Floors without carpeting present a smooth flow from one room to the next. Any area, such as a small kitchen, will
instantly appear larger than it really is. Linoleum used to be the norm for kitchens and bathrooms, but there was a
lot of work involved with the measuring, cutting and gluing, in addition to trying to prevent bubbles from showing.
With the invention of self stick floor tiles, pretty floors suddenly became convenient and easy.
Before purchasing self stick floor tiles, check the type of floor they will be covering. There are wood floors,
cork, old linoleum, carpeting and waxed floors. Sometimes on an older wood floor, there will be nails sticking up
which must be removed before placing down the tiles to prevent puncturing them. Also, when carpeting is to be
removed, there may sometimes be remnants of glue and a carpet pad protector which will also have to be removed.
After the floor is prepared, dried, and cleaned thoroughly, it is time to place the tiles in the order desired
before removing the paper backing. If the self stick floor tiles are of one design and color, then beginning at the
center of the room is the first place to begin. If they are of various colors and designs, then lay them out first
and follow the plan of design, again beginning from the center. Mark the starting place using white chalk because
it shows up better than pencil.
Marking the floor into a grid shape is done by measuring the room by width and length, then marking the four
squares in the middle. This should make a cross shape. Remove paper backing from the first tile and lay in each
square of the grid. Press down for about thirty seconds, and move on until all tiles are laid except corners and
sides that need cutting to shape.
Cutting self stick floor tiles is fairly easy with the right tools. Turn the tile upside down and measure how much
needs to be cut when pressed against the wall. After cutting with an exacto knife or tile cutter, turn the tile
over and while making sure it matches the other tiles cut line, press into place securely until it feels snug.
Repeat for corners of the room. When finished, walk into another room, then toward the room just completed. The
floor should flow evenly and smoothly and give a sense of satisfaction for a job well done.
Back to
Top
| 
