The very nature of peel-and-stick tiles was made to make your life simpler as you revamp the flooring of your house. When installed properly, these tiles create a safe, resilient and low-maintenance vinyl floor application, minus the clutter of distributing tile adhesive anyplace. Instead, you want only peel off the backing every tile and smooth it securely into place. For all these tiles to hold correctly, however, you must prepare the subfloor. Peel-and-stick tiles will bond to bare plywood, but you must ensure the plywood is clean and secure .
Walk over the plywood subfloor and ring any loose or darkened regions with chalk. You can go back to resolve those places. Look for any structural damage; the plywood must be structurally sound to support the tiles.
Hammer 11/4-inch finishing nails into the loose or squeaking areas to guarantee the plywood. Squeaking is brought on by the plywood rubbing loose claws, so securing new nails from the floor will ensure a powerful, quiet hold.
Mix wood leveling chemical and warm water in a bucket with a paddle mixer. Follow specific product instructions regarding how much water to use. The consequences should resemble peanut butter.
Spread the leveling compound in a thin layer over the seams between the plywood planks; utilize a cone or putty knife. Guarantee that the chemical completely covers the seams to prevent moisture from leaking and rotting the timber. Permit the compound to dry for 30 minutes before continuing.
Sand the sealed seams with 100-grit sandpaper either by hand or with an oscillating sanding tool to smooth across the chemical, bringing it flush with the remainder of the floor.
Vacuum the whole floor with a wet/dry vacuum to remove sanding dust, in addition to accumulated dust and dirt. Any contaminants on the floor will impact the way in which the adhesive from the tiles bonds to the plywood.