How to Install Vinyl Flooring on a Coffee Shop Floor
Vinyl flooring is a durable and versatile option for a café floor. It’s hard-wearing, moisture proof and slip-resistant, but softer underfoot than stone or ceramic tile. Advances in vinyl design have allowed for a wide variety of color options, and textured surface patterns that imitate more expensive materials and flooring styles. Whether you choose standard vinyl, luxury vinyl or LVT (laminate-vinyl-tile) floor tiles, you can be sure that this flooring will enhance the look of your café while providing your customers with an inviting and comfortable environment.
To ensure a successful installation, start with a properly prepped subfloor. This isn’t a step that can be skipped, as it helps minimize movement or buckling in the future. It also minimizes imperfections that may show through your new flooring, such as popped-up nails or uneven bits of concrete. For this, you’ll need to level the area, remove any old flooring, and sand it as necessary.
Once the subfloor is prepared, you’ll need to decide whether to use a glue-down or click system for your flooring. Both are relatively easy to install, but the method you choose will determine how well the flooring will hold up over time. Glue-down installations are typically best for high-traffic areas, while click systems work great in more open spaces that don’t require a glue down.
Before beginning, it’s a good idea to remove any furniture in the room and protect any surfaces that you don’t want covered with the vinyl. Next, tape over any electrical outlets and light switches with painter’s tape to prevent them from being exposed during the commercial vinyl floor installation process. Finally, vacuum the entire floor with a soft brush attachment to remove any dust or debris that might interfere with the adhesive.
Begin laying the vinyl by unrolling the roll and working one taped area at a time. Use a framing square to transfer the template shape onto the underlayment, marking along the outside edge of the square and ensuring that the lines are consistent. This will help make it easier to cut the underlayment accurately, as even slight deviations can result in gaps and overlapping pieces that detract from the finished look.
When cutting the underlayment, be sure to use a circular saw with a blade that is suitable for wood flooring. This will allow you to achieve a smooth, accurate finish that won’t damage the vinyl or your subfloor. Once the underlayment is cut, carefully place it over the vinyl and fit it together like a puzzle. Then, nail down the underlayment using 1-and-1/4-inch long ring-shanked nails. Be sure to space the nails 4 inches apart around the perimeter and 8 inches apart in the field, to keep them from interfering with your new vinyl flooring.
Continue laying your vinyl in the same pattern that you used for the underlayment, starting with the most visible wall from the entrance and working toward the door. When you reach the end of a row, use a pull bar to help you position and install the last plank, then use a rubber hammer to tap it down. If you are looking for a reputable commercial vinyl floor contractor make sure you check on Tampa Flooring Solutions.