Traffic Master tile, manufactured by Shaw Industries Inc., are long-wearing and easy to install. Traffic Master tiles come in a multitude of colors and styles, which means they can work with many kinds of decor. While you may want a professional to install a glue-down tile, peel-and-stick tile installation is quick and easy. Before you begin, clear all the furniture from the room. Pry off the old baseboards carefully so you can reuse them. Remove all of the old flooring down to the subfloor, and clean the subfloor.
Instructions
1. Use a tape measure to find the midpoint of the two longest parallel walls, and mark those points. Using the marks, snap a chalk line across the room. Repeat the process for the other two walls. Use a carpenter's square to ensure that the lines intersect at a right angle. Remark the lines if they aren't square.
2. Lay out tiles along both sides of the lines, starting at the midpoint. If spaces along the outer edges are more 6 inches, readjust the chalk lines. This helps to give the room a balanced look.
3. Peel the back off one of the tiles. Set it in place so that the corner touches the center point, and two sides align with chalk lines. Peel the backing from a second tile. Place it so that one edge is aligned with the first tile, and the adjacent edge is next to the chalk line. Peel backing from a third tile. Set it so that one edge touches the first tile and a second edge aligns with the chalk line.
4. Continue to peel the backing paper from the vinyl tiles, and set them in place to finish that quadrant of the room. Discard all backing paper in a trash can, as it can be slippery. Do not set the outside row of tiles at this time.
5. Press the tiles firmly in place. Use a rolling pin or wallpaper roller to help seal the self-adhesive to the subflooring.
6. Set the vinyl tiles in place for the other three quadrants of the room in a similar manner as the first section.
7. Measure and mark on each border tile how much you need to trim before you remove the backing paper. Cut the tile with a utility knife held against a straight-edge tool. Place the border tiles as you cut them. Press them in place with a roller.
8. Create a template of irregularly shaped fixtures in the room, using a piece of cardboard. Use the template to cut the tiles with a utility knife. Press them down firmly with a roller.
9. Replace the baseboards, nailing them into the wall, rather than the floor. This allows some room for the tiles along the edges of the room to expand and contract.
Tips Warnings
Acclimate the Traffic Master tiles to the room at least 48 hours before you install them.
The subfloor must be smooth and level. Secure all nails and screws to a plywood subfloor before you begin the project. Apply self-leveling compound to an uneven concrete floor, and allow it to dry before you install tile.
Tags: traffic, master, vinyl, tile, Traffic Master, backing paper, chalk line, backing from, before install, chalk lines, first tile, Master tiles, Peel backing
