What Kind of Wood Do I Need to Use to Put Vinyl Down?

Vinyl Floor

• Laying a vinyl floor typically is a quick way to cover a floor, and the average homeowner can usually install it on his own. It commonly is found in laundry rooms, mud rooms, bathrooms and kitchens. You can install a large sheet of vinyl flooring, or you can lay vinyl tiles. Vinyl tiles are easiest to install -- especially the peel-and-stick variety.

Existing Floor

• Your existing flooring is most likely a suitable surface to apply vinyl. However, it should be in good shape, dry, level and clean. If you are installing vinyl in the bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, you might want to take up the old flooring to verify that the underlayment is not water-damaged. If it is, locate the cause, repair any plumbing issues and replace the affected sub floor.

Wood Sub Floor

• You can lay vinyl over any type of wood flooring. In fact, you can install it right over the wood sub floor. A basic 1/4-inch plywood sub floor is suitable for vinyl, as are higher-grade sub floors. Fill the seams between boards and fill in any low spots with leveling compound. After it dries, smooth with 100 grit sandpaper so the vinyl bonds to that area as well.

Other Tips

• To give the floor a more finished look, remove the shoe molding before installing the vinyl. Then, replace it after installing the floor. You also should trim off a bit of the bottom door jamb and other door casings that cannot be removed. Cut just enough so the vinyl can slide underneath.