Saturday, November 3, 2018

Installing And Maintaining Peel And Stick Tile

A very affordable and easy-to-do renovation of a floor uses peel and stick tile. These tiles work exactly as their name suggests.

What You'll Need:
  • Very sharp craft knife
  • Metal straight edge
  • Tape measure
  • Waste bin

Step 1 – Clean the Floor

The success of most jobs depends on the early preparation, and this preparation is very important with peel and stick tile. The floor must be totally clean and dust-free. Fix any irregularities before you lay the first tile.

Step 2 – Find a True Corner

Find a true corner in the room or the longest straight wall for your starting point. Test the tile against the corner before you remove the backing to make sure it fits snugly on both edges.
Step 3 – Fit the First Tile

Remove the paper backing and fit the tile to the floor. Try to get the tile into the right position immediately. The adhesive is quite strong, and you will probably ruin the tile if you try to reposition it.

Some people tear the paper backing, and the parts left behind prevent the full adhesive surface from making contact with the floor. With care, you can remove all the backing sheets in one piece.
Step 4 – Fit Other Tiles

Repeat the process. Make sure each new tile sits tight against any others. The paper backing of peel and stick tile is very slippery, so you should immediately dispose of each backing sheet into the waste bin.
Step 5 – Fill Gaps

Once you fit all the tiles, measure and cut tiles to fill the remaining gaps. The tiles are difficult to cut with scissors. Use a sharp knife, drawn along a straight edge. It is safer to stand and use a table for cutting, but always make sure you have some backing material to prevent damage to the floor or the table where you cut.

Don’t dispose of all the tiles or parts of tiles you have left. You might need them for repairs later.
Step 6 – Clean and Maintain the Floor

Maintaining your peel and stick tile floor is easy. You can clean the tiles with a damp mop, but you should never wash them.

Consult the manufacturer’s recommendations before you try any exotic cleaners. Most vinyl cleaners are acceptable, and some non-wax floor polishes can help create and maintain a glossy finish. To achieve the very best results, you can hire a buffing machine every month or so to bring the shine back to the tiles and remove any stains.

Peel and stick tile is supposed to be a short-term solution, but if you install and maintain them correctly, they could serve you well for a long time.