When I was renovating my kitchen I had my heart set on rescuing the original maple hardwoods that were trapped beneath 2 layers of linoleum flooring. Well, turns out one of those layers of linoleum was full of asbestos and I was quoted $2,500-$5,000 to abate it. Not in the budget.
So I quickly pivoted and since I was planning to rent this house out in the future I decided I needed the most budget conscious solution possible. Inset: Peel & Stick tile!
This tile cost me around $150 to install, amazing. The best part? I have a bunch of leftover tile so if one piece of the flooring gets ruined I can simply remove the damaged tile(s) and replace it.
Shopping List:
- Heat Gun
- Putty Knife
- Flooring Primer
- White Marble Tile
- Black Marble Tile
- Paint Roller & Extension Pole
- Paint Roller Tray
- Chalk Line
- Floor Roller
- Utility Knife
Step 1: Remove Existing Flooring and Clean
Thankfully the top layer of flooring in my kitchen had no asbestos, so I was able to safely remove it myself. The majority of it peeled off easily but I used a putty knife and a heat gun to remove any leftover little bits of adhesive/flooring. Once fully removed carefully clean the floor of any dust or debris, these can weaken the bond between the subfloor and your new peel & stick tile.
Step 2: Prime the Subfloor
Use a Flooring Primer to seal your subfloor and prepare it for the peel and stick tile.
Step 3: Find the center of your room
This is the hardest part of installing the tiles, find the center of your room where you would like to start tiling. If you have an oddly shaped room like me it helps to lay down a few tiles to help you determine how the finished tiles will look. I decided to line up my tiles centered on a hallway to the left – this made the tile placement look more intentional, even though it was not the true center of the room. Mark your width and length centerlines with a chalk line.
Step 4: Start installing tile
Installing the tiles really is as easy as peeling off the tile backer and then sticking the tiles to the floor. The first tile is the most important – be sure to carefully line it up on your chalk lines. Then start working your way out in a circle placing tile snuggly against each other making sure there are no gaps. This part goes so fast, its so fun to see the floors come to life!
Step 5: Cut edge pieces & Roll
Use a utility knife and straightedge to cut out edge pieces. I found it helpful to create templates for my cuts using the tile backer pieces that were peeled – this allowed me to avoid doing any measuring and math, my least favorite! Once all pieces have been installed use a floor roller to apply heavy pressure to the tiles and help seal their bond to the floor.
Step 6: Enjoy Your Brand New Tiled Floor!
That's it, one of my favorite DIYs to date. Simple, affordable, and high impact. What's not to love?
