Gluing down flooring is an easy and simple way to set up your flooring. If you have a concrete subfloor, it makes the process much easier, as you can just lay it right on top of the concrete. So, if you plan on having a vinyl flooring, you should learn how to lay glue down vinyl flooring and take advantage of the simplicity of this process.
Vinyl is a great option for your floor. It’s strong, durable, and very resistant to water. Depending on the model, it may make your floor completely waterproof. And even though it’s so good, it’s also pretty cheap and is available in many different patterns, so you can make your house look just the way you want it to be.
Combine that with it being easy to install and compatible with many different installation methods, and you pretty much have the perfect floor.
So, if you want to know how to lay glue down vinyl flooring, either because you want to do it yourself or because you want to know how it’s done, you just need to know these simple steps.
How to lay glue down vinyl flooring: a short guide
Vinyl can be pretty easy to install because it’s flexible, rather light, and it’s a kind of plastic. It’s much easier for glue to adhere to plastic, because glue tends to be made of some kinds of plastic themselves.
Still, that doesn’t mean you could do it your eyes closed, especially if you haven’t done a lot of floor installation before. You need to be careful with how you install your flooring to ensure you get a good finish. Otherwise, you may end up having to rip it all and install it back again.
Step 01 – Prepare the subfloor
Making sure that the subfloor is ready to receive the glue and the flooring is crucial for a good finish.
Before applying glue and laying down the planks, make sure that the floor is flat, that you fix any cracks and imperfections, and that you properly clean up and dry out the subfloor. Check the instructions given by the manufacturers of the planks and the glue to know how you should prepare the subfloor prior to installation.
Different kinds of subfloor have different ways of being prepared. Concrete, for example, has to be dry enough (it’ll always be a bit wet) and flat enough. If there are bumps, you’ll have to sand them out, and if there are low spots, you’ll have to fill them in.
After everything is ready, clean up all the dust and leave the planks on the subfloor for two days, so that they can acclimate. This is important to prevent them from warping during the first few days after installation.
Step 02 – Begin laying down the planks
If everything went well, it’s time to start the installation.
You’ll want to prepare things before you start laying the glue, because some kinds of adhesive can dry very quickly. There are some that can dry in about two hours.
You should also place the spacers on the walls, so the floor has space to expand during the summer. Being plastic, vinyl flooring can expand quite a bit, so check the manufacturer’s specifications. Cutting the planks to the right size before starting can also save you a lot of time.
Then, get some chalk and divide the floor into sections that are parallel to the boards. Start at one of the walls and mark down a section every two or three planks. Then, apply glue at the first section, then apply the planks on top. After finishing a section, go for the next one.
This way, you avoid the risk of the glue drying out before you put the planks, and you don’t have to stretch yourself out to apply the planks while the entire floor is covered in glue.
When laying down the planks, make sure to clean up any glue that seeps its way upwards, otherwise the glue can dry out like that and make the floor look less than ideal.
Remember to check the manufacturers’ specifications. Some vinyl planks work better with specific kinds of glue. And some kinds of glue require some time to settle before you can start laying down the planks.
Step 03 – Finishing touches
After you finished laying down the floor, it’s time to let the adhesive fully dry. This can take about one or two days, but it depends on the glue. Avoid stepping on the floor during this time, or you’ll risk making the floor sink down a bit.
However, you should also make sure that no glue ends up seeping through the cracks, so you can have a perfectly smooth floor in the end.
After it’s dry enough, you can apply the finishing touches: add baseboards and molding (nailing them only to the walls) and clean your new floor. Do not throw water at your flooring during the first week, or the glue can get wet again. A damp mop should be fine, though.
After that, feel free to bring all the furniture in and start using the room, as it should be in shape to handle it.
Opt for professional floor installation
While doing things by yourself can be fun, it can also end up being pretty expensive. If you have no experience installing floors, there is always the risk that you’ll have to do it all again because of something you did wrong.
Sure, there are adhesives that make it easier to remove the flooring later on. But that also means you’ll remove the entire floor, prepare the subfloor again, then lay down the floor once again.
If you want to ensure that the floor turns out the way you want it to, and that you get it in one go, you’ll need the help of professional vinyl plank flooring installers.
Here at Meta Flooring, we can do that for you. Just get in contact with us and get a free quote! We specialize in floor installation and help you make your dream house come true.
