Vinyl flooring installation: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What vinyl flooring installation is

Vinyl flooring installation puts down sheet, plank or tile vinyl over a flat, clean subfloor, with careful cutting and sealed seams and edges. People choose vinyl for a water-resistant, durable floor in kitchens, bathrooms, entries and basements, provided the subfloor is ready for it.

Signs you need it

  • The kitchen or bathroom floor has lifted tiles or sheet vinyl that curls at the seams and the edges
  • Water gets under the old floor at the sink, the toilet or the dishwasher, and the subfloor smells damp
  • The floor is cracked, dented or worn through, and you want a surface that is easy to clean
  • You want a floor that is soft underfoot and warm in winter compared with tile
  • The room has an uneven subfloor that needs leveling before a thin floor can be laid

What the pro does

  • Check the subfloor for flatness, moisture and loose areas, and repair or level it before the vinyl goes down
  • Remove the old floor covering and prepare the old adhesive for the new floor, after old sheet vinyl, tile or adhesive in an older home has been checked for asbestos, since it must not be sanded or ground
  • Measure and cut the sheet or the planks, leaving room at the walls and sizing the cuts to the pattern
  • Set the vinyl with the adhesive the product requires, rolling it to bond the material to the subfloor
  • Seal the seams and the edges with the seam sealer or the welding process the product calls for
  • Install the quarter round or the transition, then clean the floor and give the homeowner the care steps

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Room size and shape, including the number of corners, alcoves and cuts around fixtures
  • Vinyl type, such as sheet, click-together plank or glue-down tile, each with a different method
  • Subfloor condition, including leveling, patching and removal of old adhesive
  • Seam count and whether the job needs welded or sealed seams for the room use
  • Removal and disposal of the old flooring, and the base trim or quarter round work
  • The pattern layout and whether the vinyl is matched to a pattern or set straight

What a written quote should spell out

  • Square footage by room with the waste included, and the product name and thickness
  • Subfloor preparation steps, including the leveling product and the adhesive named
  • Seam method and edge sealing, with the product used for each
  • Removal and disposal of the old floor and its adhesive
  • Quarter round, transitions and any base trim work, with the warranty

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What condition is the subfloor in, and how do you check it for moisture before the vinyl goes down?
  • What adhesive do you use, and how long does it take to set before the room can be used?
  • How do you seal the seams, and will they show or stay tight?
  • What is the thickness and the wear layer of the vinyl you are quoting?
  • How do you handle an uneven subfloor or a height change at the doorway?
  • Can you show me a vinyl floor you installed in a room with similar fixtures and use?

Red flags

  • The pro lays sheet vinyl over a subfloor with ridges, holes or old tile edges showing through
  • The pro does not seal the seams or the edges in a wet room
  • The pro uses an adhesive that is not named in the quote and says it is the same as the product named
  • The pro lays vinyl over a damp subfloor with no moisture test

What you can do yourself

Click-together vinyl plank over a flat, dry subfloor is a reasonable project for a patient homeowner. Sheet vinyl with welded seams, glue-down work, and any floor in a room with moisture or a damaged subfloor should go to an experienced installer, because a seam or a bubble that gets past the adhesive is difficult to correct.

Licenses and permits

Vinyl flooring installation commonly does not need a license, but subfloor repair or moisture control can require a permit or qualified contracting. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building department about the rules for your work.

Vinyl flooring installation questions

Is vinyl good for a basement?

Vinyl is water-resistant on the surface, but a damp slab can still cause adhesive failure. Ask the pro to test the slab and to choose an adhesive and product rated for the moisture level.

What is the difference between sheet vinyl and vinyl plank?

Sheet vinyl has fewer seams and suits wet rooms well when it is sealed. Vinyl plank looks like wood and is easier to replace one board at a time. Ask the pro which suits the room.

Can I put vinyl over old vinyl?

Sometimes, if the old floor is flat, firmly bonded and not cushioned. Ask the pro to check for layers and height change at the doors, and to remove the old floor if it is damaged.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More remodeling, painting and floors guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request vinyl flooring installation