Here's How To Prevent The Most Annoying Downside To Using Peel-And-Stick Vinyl

For both renters and thrifty homeowners, peel-and-stick vinyl offers a convenient and beginner-friendly way to change your flooring, but it's not immune to problems. Even if you install it according to the directions and maintain a careful cleaning regimen, your peel-and-stick vinyl may still exhibit an annoying but common issue —curling. While curling is not a welcome sight, it is fixable and preventable. Common solutions include reducing moisture and replacing the affected tiles.

You should think twice before using peel-and-stick vinyl in your home if you haven't already, precisely because of issues like curling and a lack of durability. However, peel-and-stick vinyl is often the only way for a renter to update or add personality to the flooring in their space. Once you've tripped over a curling tile one too many times, you should first focus on determining the cause before repairing. By diagnosing the problem, you can pinpoint the right solution and ensure that the tiles won't curl (and trip you) again.

When peel-and-stick vinyl is first laid down, it looks great. But over time, it can separate from the flooring beneath it because of a variety of factors, including moisture and changes in household temperature. Peel-and-stick vinyl is especially difficult to keep flat in a bathroom, where moisture lingers and collects. The steam from your shower can cause the adhesive beneath the tile to release, leading to curling. Other rooms that are subject to more moisture are the kitchen and laundry room. Make sure to check your appliances for leaks and clean up spills immediately. Exhaust fans and dehumidifiers can help, too. 

The location of the tile or your cleaning methods may also be to blame. It's important to clean peel-and-stick floor tiles to keep them looking fresh, but vinyl tiles should be cleaned with a neutral pH cleaner, like Fabuloso or dish soap, to avoid compromising the material. When cleaning, make sure not to oversaturate the floor or the mop so you don't introduce moisture beneath the tile.

Another common cause of peel-and-stick vinyl curling is a lack of acclimation prior to installation. With any flooring, including peel-and-stick, it's important to leave the product in the room it will be installed in to acclimate to the room's temperature and moisture level. This keeps the flooring from expanding or contracting after it is laid down, which can cause curling, grout cracking, and a host of other issues.

To fix an individual peel-and-stick tile that's curling, you can remove and replace it. Don't pull up the tile from the lifted portion — soften the adhesive beneath the entire tile by passing a warm iron over the surface, using a hand towel beneath the iron to keep it from burning the tile. When the adhesive has loosened, pull up the tile and clean out any adhesive left behind on the underlying floor. Apply a new layer of adhesive, replace the old tile with a new one, and press it down with something wide, heavy, and flat, like a block of wood. Leave a stack of books or another heavy object on the tile for about a day to make sure it won't go anywhere while the glue dries, then apply a sealant along the places where the flooring meets a wall or other flooring. In bathrooms, where the tile is especially prone to curling along walls and baseboards, you can install a metal transition threshold to hold down the edges.

The key to keeping your peel-and-stick vinyl tiles flat lies in the initial installation. While you can change your floor in a flash with peel-and-stick tiles, take your time during the installation process and make sure you're using a high-quality vinyl adhesive.