How to tile over vinyl floors

If you have vinyl flooring or LVT flooring that you desperately want to refresh, why not consider tiling over it? With proper preparation and installation, tiling over vinyl is not only an effective way to update a room's look but also an eco-friendly choice that reduces waste by keeping old materials out of landfills. Check out our tips and tricks below.

Vinyl is a type of flooring that is made out of synthetic materials such as fibre glass, PVC vinyl and a plasticizer. It’s especially durable due to it being made from multiple layers and its resistance to moisture.

Whether or not you can tile over vinyl flooring largely depends on the condition of the flooring. If the vinyl is in good condition - meaning it’s securely attached to the subfloor, smooth, and free from damage - then you can tile over it. However, if your vinyl flooring is loose, has cracks, or shows other signs of wear, you’ll need to address these issues beforehand. You may be able to repair the vinyl, but in some cases, you may have to remove and replace it entirely to ensure that the foundation is stable.

To remove vinyl flooring, simply use a blow dryer or heat gun to gently warm the tile and loosen the adhesive underneath it. When the adhesive is loose enough, pull it off. Alternatively, if using heat to remove vinyl flooring is not working or if the floor is coming off with it, use a sharp cutting knife to cut the floor and use a scraper to lift and remove the flooring.

In many cases, removing vinyl flooring will leave behind the original adhesive or glue. This needs to be dealt with before you can continue to lay new tiles. There are a couple of ways in which you can deal with the remaining adhesive:

Option 1

If you have removed the vinyl flooring and are left with adhesive residue then we would recommend mechanically removing about 80% of the residue to expose the concrete floor beneath. To remove the residue, we recommend using a long-handled scraper or a type of suitable mechanical abrasion tool, such as an angle grinder.

Once you have removed the residue, sweep and vacuum off all the loose dusty material from the surface and prime using BAL Prime APD (diluted 1:1 by volume with water).

Option 2

If the existing vinyl flooring is clean, solid and flat, BAL Max Flex Fibre can be used directly onto the vinyl tiles without the use of a BAL Bond SBR.

If the floor will be directly exposed to water or is part of a wet room (i.e. water from a shower head will land directly on it) then you must have some form of waterproof tanking layer on the floor. This waterproofing layer is vital as it will prevent water from penetrating through the floor. We stock a wide range of waterproofing and tanking tools to help you.

When setting out floor tiles, the general rule is to work from the centre outwards, therefore, the centre of the floor must be positioned correctly. Once the centre tile has been laid, you can extend the tiling pattern towards the edges of the room.

1. Measure the opposing walls
2. Mark the centre of each wall
3. Draw a line using chalk or pencil between the two points
4. Repeat for the other two walls

Bear in mind that rooms aren’t always perfect squares so start as centrally as you can.

Before you lay your vinyl floor tiles, make sure to plan ahead so you can exit the room without stepping on any tiles. If you step on a tile too soon then it won’t have time to set. If you still need to use the room while tiling, or shortly after tiling it, then we recommend that you tile half of the room at a time as this allows you to still access it.

1. To start, mix the recommended tile adhesive in a mixing bucket as per the instructions on the bag.
2. Start by working off your set-out lines or using a straight edge as a guide and spread the adhesive evenly across the floor, making sure the notches run in the same direction.
3. To prevent the adhesive from drying out too quickly, only cover a small area at a time—about 1 square metre. This will give you enough time to place your tiles before the adhesive starts to set.
4. Place the tile on the bed of the adhesive, then press it down with a twist and slide motion to ensure that the adhesive sticks properly. For larger tiles, you may also need to apply a thin layer of adhesive on the back of the tile.
5. Use a spirit level or straightedge to check that the tile is even and flat in both directions.
6. Insert a tile spacer between each tile to make sure that the spacing is consistent. Press down the spacers well below the surface of the tile so that they will be hidden when the floor is grouted.
7. As you work, wipe off any adhesive from the tile surface with a damp sponge, as it is harder to remove once it has set.

Tiling over vinyl flooring is an effective way to refresh a room, and with proper preparation, you can achieve a durable and long-lasting finish that enhances the space for years to come. Need some inspiration to get you started? Check out our style and advice hub.