How to lay a vinyl floor: step-by-step DIY guide

A PVC floor, also called a vinyl floor, is quiet, feels warm underfoot and is easy to keep clean. With a good subfloor and the right tools, you can lay one yourself. In this guide you will read how to choose between click and glue-down vinyl, prepare the subfloor, cut planks to size and finish the floor neatly. Always read the manufacturer's installation instructions first: they state the right subfloor, underlay and expansion gap for your floor.

👷 Calling in a professional is never unnecessary. With an uneven or damp subfloor, underfloor heating or glue-down vinyl, a floor fitter sees straight away what the floor needs.

Click vinyl or glue-down vinyl: what is the difference?

Click vinyl clicks together, just like laminate, and lies loose on the subfloor (floating). For most DIYers this is the logical choice. Some planks already have an underlay on the back.

Glue-down vinyl (dryback) is thinner and more flexible, and you bond it over the whole surface with the adhesive the manufacturer specifies. It needs a level, smooth subfloor, because every unevenness shows through. If in doubt, leave this to a floor fitter. This guide covers click vinyl.

What do you need?

Materials

• Vinyl planks plus extra for offcuts, from the same production batch.
• An underlay or vapour barrier, only if the manufacturer specifies one.
• Skirting boards with mounting adhesive for skirting boards and a sealant gun.
• Keralevel Eco to smooth out local unevenness; according to the manufacturer suitable under bonded resilient floor coverings.

Tools

• A tape measure with auto-lock, a carpenter pencil and a chalk line to measure and mark a starting line.
• A 100 cm spirit level to check whether the subfloor is flat.
• An 18 mm snap-off knife with spare snap-off blades and an aluminium angle square to cut planks straight.
• A jigsaw with jigsaw blades for cut-outs, if the manufacturer allows sawing.
• A back saw for door frames and a mitre box with saw for the skirting boards.
• A plastic/rubber hammer and plastic wedges for the expansion gap along the wall.
• A construction vacuum cleaner to make the subfloor dust-free.

Personal protective equipment

Wear cut-resistant work gloves when cutting, safety goggles when sawing and knee pads for the work on the floor. Use an FFP2 dust mask and earmuffs when sawing with the jigsaw. work trousers and safety shoe in your own size make the work safer.

How do you prepare the subfloor?

The floor must be dry, clean, flat and sound. Remove old floor coverings and skirting boards and vacuum the floor thoroughly. Lay the 100 cm spirit level on the floor in different directions and look for dips and bumps. How much unevenness is allowed is stated in the installation instructions. Smooth small spots with Keralevel Eco; with larger differences in height, level the whole floor, see our blog on levelling a floor.

Let the packs lie in the room beforehand as the manufacturer specifies, so the planks reach room temperature. Protect floors in the rest of the house while you work; read tips in our blog on protecting your floor during renovation.

⚠️ Is there an old vinyl or tiled floor with black adhesive in a house built before 1994? Do not scrape or sand it off, but have it tested for asbestos first. Removal is a job for a certified company.

How do you lay a vinyl floor, step by step?

Take your time over the first row: if it is straight, the rest will follow.

1. Choose the laying direction. Preferably lay the planks in the direction of the light, so the joints are least visible.
2. Work out the rows. Divide the width of the room by the width of a plank. If only a very narrow strip is left for the last row, make the first row narrower. Use the chalk line to mark a straight starting line.
3. Lay the underlay. If a separate underlay is specified, roll it out strip by strip, without overlap.
4. Lay the first row. Start in a corner. Place plastic wedges between plank and wall for the expansion gap the manufacturer specifies and click the short ends together.
5. Cut planks to size. Mark with the carpenter pencil, hold the aluminium angle square against it and score the top layer a few times with the 18 mm snap-off knife. Bend the plank along the scored line, snap it and cut through the underside. A sharp blade gives a clean cut.
6. Stagger the end joints. Start each new row with the offcut from the previous one, if it is long enough, and keep to the manufacturer's minimum stagger.
7. Click the rows together. Angle the long side into the previous row, press it down until it clicks and tap it gently with the plastic/rubber hammer if needed.
8. Finish frames and pipes. Place an offcut of plank against the door frame and use the back saw to undercut the frame at that height, so the plank slides underneath. At pipes, make the hole larger than the pipe and finish with a pipe collar.
9. Lay the last row. Measure each plank in a few places, because walls are rarely straight, subtract the expansion gap and cut the planks lengthwise.
10. Finish with skirting boards. Remove the wedges, mitre the skirting boards with the mitre box with saw and glue them to the wall with mounting adhesive for skirting boards, not to the floor.
11. Clean the floor. Vacuum up the dust and wipe the floor with a mild product such as Fila Cleaner Pro, following the instructions.

💡 Take planks alternately from different packs. Small colour differences then disappear and you avoid a patch with the same pattern over and over.

Which mistakes are easy to make?

• No expansion gap along walls, frames and pipes, so the floor lifts.
• Laying on an uneven, dusty or damp subfloor.
• Not letting the planks acclimatise.
• Lining up the end joints.
• Gluing skirting boards to the floor instead of to the wall.
• Using an underlay the manufacturer does not specify.

How do you work safely?

• Hands: cut-resistant work gloves when cutting; always cut away from your body and your other hand.
• Eyes: safety goggles when sawing and snapping off blades; more choice in eye protection.
• Knees: knee pads, because you spend hours on the floor; see also knee pads.
• Dust and noise: an FFP2 dust mask and earmuffs when sawing.
• Blades: keep snapped-off sections in a closed container.

You will find all protective equipment in workwear and PPE. Read which glove suits which job in our buying guide for work gloves, and more about working safely in our blog on safe working on the construction site.

When should you call in a professional?

A floor fitter is never unnecessary. Call one in for underfloor heating, a subfloor that may release moisture (such as a new or unknown cement screed), large differences in height, glue-down vinyl and stairs. A professional measures the subfloor, chooses the right build-up and delivers a floor that stays beautiful for years.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lay click vinyl myself?

Yes. With a flat, dry subfloor and the manufacturer's installation instructions, click vinyl is a good DIY job. Glue-down vinyl requires more experience.

Can vinyl be laid on a tiled floor?

Often it can, if the tiled floor is flat and sound and the grout lines do not show through. Sometimes the floor needs smoothing first. Follow the installation instructions or ask a floor fitter.

Can vinyl be laid on underfloor heating?

Many vinyl floors are suitable, but not all. Check the specifications and, if in doubt, have the build-up checked by a professional.

Do I need an underlay?

That depends on your floor. Only use the underlay the manufacturer specifies, and no extra underlay under planks that already have one.

How long do the planks need to acclimatise?

That varies per floor. The packaging or installation instructions state how long and at what temperature.

How do I keep my vinyl floor looking good?

Vacuum regularly and wipe the floor with a damp, not wet, cloth and a mild product such as Fila Cleaner Pro. Put felt pads under chair legs.

Read also: our blog on laying laminate, our blog on levelling a floor and our blog on protecting your floor during renovation.

Where can you find everything for this job?

At Saniso, the online store for DIYers and professionals, you will find tools, materials and personal protective equipment for your job.

• Browse our construction tools and our workwear and safety.
• Create a customer account and order easily.
• Working on a bigger project or want to hand over the job? Request a project quote.
• Book a showroom visit, at least 24 hours in advance.
• Not sure which material suits your job? Get in touch with us.

In doubt about the approach? Feel free to call in a professional.

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