How to Use Groutable Peel & Stick Tile
- 1). Measure the floor to assess the proper square footage of the room. Determine the area by multiplying the length and width of the room. Purchase enough tiles to fully cover the floor.
- 2). Strip away current flooring and place a layer of plywood underlayment on the flooring. If you plan to lay the tiles directly over existing flooring, remove baseboards and sand down any raised areas so that they are flat. This will allow the peel-and-stick tiles to fit together properly.
- 3). Clean the floor of all dirt and debris. Allow to dry.
- 4). Find the center of the room by measuring to the halfway distance of the width and length of the room. This is where you will begin to lay the tiles.
- 5). Lay the tiles onto the floor but do not remove the paper backing to expose the adhesive. Lay the tiles in a straight row until you reach the wall, then continue along one wall to form an "L" shape. When you reach the edge of the wall, use a vinyl tile cutter or utility knife to cut the tiles to appropriate size. If you use a utility knife, heat the tile's edge with a heat gun first.
- 6). Place the next layer of tiles directly next to the first, lining up the seams. Continue in this manner until the entire floor has been covered.
- 7). Remove the paper backing and press the tile down firmly. Be careful to ensure the tile is in its proper place before pressing, as it will be difficult to remove the tile once it adheres to the surface.
- 8). Use a floor roller, which can be purchased at a home supply store, or a kitchen baker's pin across each row to ensure the tiles have adhered to the floor.
- 9). Spread grout into the seams using a grout float, a flat-surfaced tool with a handle made for the purpose of applying grout. Keep the float at a 30- to 45-degree angle and wipe the float diagonally across the tiles to avoid catching the seams.
- 10
Mix a few drops of detergent into a bucket of water. Wet a sponge in the solution and ring out. Wipe along the edges of the grout lines to prevent a haze from accumulating on the tiles, but be careful not to disturb the grout settled into the seams. Change the water as it becomes murky. - 11
Allow the grout to dry for at least one day before allowing traffic across it. - 12
Replace molding, if used, along edges of the wall. Secure with 4d finishing nails.
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