Tutorial for Herringbone peel and stick planks

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Good Morning! I wanted to give you some details on how I laid my peel and stick flooring over my ceramic. Now I know you are supposed to remove your old flooring and lay these on the sub floor, but I have demoed quite a few old homes with 6 or 7 layers of flooring. So 2 layers isn't such a crime. Plus I live in an old home from 1901 so I need the extra "insulation"! 

Also I did not fill in the grout underneath. I am sure it would be wise to do so if you have deep grout lines, I had done the floorpops in my half bath here right off my kitchen and had no sinking into the grout so I was willing to take the chance on these not sinking.

*****PRO TIP……Be very careful picking up the boxes from Lowe’s my dear friend Amy ran out to get these and dropped the box on her foot. Wound up in ER with stitches so please don’t grab the box from the hole!😉



Supplies needed

  •  square here
  • tiles here
  • paper cutter here
  • grout for vinyl here (I ordered slate gray)
  • floor cleaner
  • vacuum 



Clean and your floor really well. Let completely dry before you start laying the peel and stick tile.

I first started with laying the border. I took the planks and laid them end to end around the perimeter of the entire room. I had tried to use tile spacers but they didn't work with the herringbone pattern. So I just eyed the spaces. It wasn't hard to do with this pattern.

I was able to use a metal putty knife to lift the quarter round on my trim to slide the tiles under the quarter round without having to remove any of it.


Once if finished the perimeter of the room, I started on the right side. Nothing in my home is level or square so It didn't matter where I started my pattern. I went off the border I had created and made my first "V". Cutting the tile end at a 45 degree angle.

I took the plank with the paper on still and laid it at the angle I wanted to start. I used my square to make a straight line from end to end. Take a pencil and mark your line to cut. ( do not use a marker it wont wash off easy)

I first tried using a utility knife and a level for the straight edge, but the tile kept shifting. My cuts looked awful. You really just need to score the top of the tile and then bend it to snap at the cut line. So I decided to try and use a paper cutter I had and it worked perfect. I got perfect cuts! It is so much easier than using a razor blade!
Plus the paper cutter didn't hurt my fingers like using the utility knife.



I had made some mistakes and had to lift the tiles and re-position them. I had first laid the V pattern and kept laying each plank end to end. Forgetting what I was trying to achieve is a W. Once you get the hang of the pattern it goes fast. I had to move my island to tile under it so if you do I would advice to use some furniture sliders that don't scratch. This tile does scratch easy. So be careful!! 

I was so thrilled to cover that ugly ceramic it was always so cold and never ever looked clean.





As you can see my spacing isn't always perfect or the same, but again I'm in an old home so nothing is square. But once the entire floor is finished you can't really tell.




I just kept going in the same pattern. You only have to make the cuts when you get the edge  otherwise laying them is really quite quick


Excuse the mess, I had to keep vacuuming the ceramic as I went. I have two dogs and two kids that kept walking thru and using the kitchen.











I did not have any sinking. The tiles laid nice so far. It does take a few days to let the adhesive set.




Once you have the entire floor finished and you are happy with your design you then apply the grout for vinyl. I did have to you tube that. Grouting wasn't as easy as laying the tile to me.

Once grouted the flooring really is waterproof and so easy to clean.
 


Read More

Friday Amazon finds for your front porch

Monday, June 21, 2021

 Updating your front porch for summer is easy and is more just about layering. It just takes a few great pieces to add design and style to your home. Not to mention great curb appeal. 

Layer your entry rug for a  more grand appearance link this one you can find here


topped with this rubber hello matt here

or for more of the buffalo look

Start with this plaid pattern you can find here


Layered with this matt found here


adding some farmhouse lanterns is a great way to freshen your front entry



here is a fun wreath to add to your entry

Adding your street address on your front door with these vinyl letters here









Read More

Kitchen updated with peel and stick planks

Wednesday, June 16, 2021


Good Morning friends..I have the most exciting news. I finally finished my kitchen floor!!! I have been procrastinating it for over 2 years. Many of you had asked from my bathroom updated floors here how I was going to do the transition. I really wasn't sure because I was unsure of the floors. Do I paint them? Do I do a floating floor? 

Peel and stick tile has been around for decades, its not like the "peel and stick" wallpaper. Its not removable. I realize that the proper way is to remove the ceramic and start with a nice even sub-floor.
BUT....I tend to not follow directions and do what works for me. I have demoed 100 year old homes before and tore of layers and layers of flooring. So I am not worried about adding one layer onto my ceramic tiles.
Plus my house is old and drafty and I hate, hate, hate ceramic tile. Its cold on my feet, its hard to stand on, and it never ever looks clean.





So this week I was online browsing flooring and the tiles I had my eyes on went on clearance for .57 a tile.
Jumped in the car and ran to Lowes. The lowes closest to me said a contractor came in yesterday and bought all of it! All of the peel and stick because it all went on clearance! Lowes was changing their flooring out. UGHHHHH. So I had the kind man check the nearest one and it was about 40 min away. I did not care now I was on a hunt. I knew if I didn't find them I would forever regret not buying them sooner.


So I was able to pick up 5 boxes from of these  My flooring was under $100


I will work on a tutorial this week for anyone that wants to try this.

Hope this post inspires you to try something new in your home!

Read More

Amazon Friday finds

Friday, June 4, 2021

These faux boxwood. Great way to add box woods to your entry for a lot less the actual real plants. I am super impressed with the size of these 


 

A great way to update your outdoor furniture is changing out your existing pillow covers, fun way to freashen things up and can change for different seasons...like this 4th ones here 



Look how cute these citronella candles are. Fun way to add candles to your outdoor space.



Adding some mood lighting with battery powered faux candles either indoor or out. These are a great addition to any space in your home. 


When I use a product I do try to link it for you and if you decide to purchase the product I am affiliated with some of those companies. Its the only way to offset the time it takes building my how tos for decorating and DIY.

I am in no way asking you to click and purchase any items but it makes it easier for all the info to be on one site. Many different stores carry the products I use. But the links I provide is where I had purchased.

Read More