When I redid my kitchen, I wanted to change the floor tile, but didn’t have the budget and was concerned about having to to tear up all the tile on our main living areas. The tile goes from the kitchen to the living room to the hall. Instead of that, I decided to do a temporary project of putting in peel and stick tiles. If you’re wondering how to install peel and stick tile, I have a great tutorial for you!
how to install peel and stick tile
These tiles can also be called “adhesive backed.” The great thing about them is they’re easy to put in and there’s no demo needed. So if you want a new floor, but want to skip the mess, this is a great temporary solution!
SUPPLIES
Note, you’ll get the best result if you buy peel and stick tile that is the same size as the existing tiles. Mine are 16″ square so I ordered those speciality from Mirth Studio. Lots of options come in the 12″ square option. If your tiles are a different size, go to the extra effort to order or find the same size.
I’ve also installed peel and stick floor tiles that are thicker and can go over grout lines. I have a tutorial for those peel and stick tiles that I used in a bathroom here.
step 1- prep
Start by cleaning the floor very, very well! First, I vacuumed the whole floor with a shop vac. Since we’d done a bunch of construction in this room, it was important to get everything off the floor.
Next, I used my steam mop to clean the floor. Dirt and debris will show through the peel and stick tile and can make it not adhere well to the floor.
Let the floor dry or use a clean rag to absorb any moisture before continuing to the next step.
Remember, these prep steps are super important! Small details are the difference between the tiles look sloppy and professional.
step 2- install full size tiles
Next, decide on the floor layout. The tiles I used have a top and bottom, so I needed to decide which way the tulips would point.
When I installed the floors, I started on one corner and worked around the room. I wish I hadn’t done this. Why? I made mistakes cutting the corner pieces and I thought I had tons of extra tiles. Then I realized that I barely had ordered enough and wasted some in the process.
Instead, I suggest installing all the full size tiles first in the center of the room. Peel off the backing and lay the tile in place making sure the tiles are in the correct orientation.
Note, I ordered tiles in the exact size of my tiles and have the grout show. I think this looks the most realistic. One thing I wish I would have done is a grout renewal before putting these down.
Tip- I kept a rag with me and would wipe off each tile before laying the tile just to double and triple check that no dirt of dog hair got between the original tile and the peel and stick flooring.
step 3- install perimeter cut tiles
And now, for the perimeter pieces, they’ll need to be cut. Because my floor is on an angle, I had more cuts than if they are square to the room.
The great thing about these tiles is they’re thin so they’re really easy to template and cut! Just put the tiles in place and use a pencil to trace where a cut needs to be made.
Then, use scissors to cut on the pencil line. Alternatively, with a sharp razor blade to cut the tiles.
Peel off the backing and lay the tile in place.
Save any cut off corners or excess pieces because they can probably be reused in other places in the kitchen.
Continue laying all the tiles until the room is complete.
after
And here are my pretty, pretty pink tiles! When I saw this pink pattern, I knew it would make the kitchen. And I LOVE them in here!
how do you clean them?
I clean them as I would a tile floor. I usually sweep or vacuum them. Then I mop. Sometimes I’ll spot clean with all purpose cleaner and a rag. I don’t baby them when cleaning.
are these rental friendly?
Yes! Definitely! They come up cleanly and won’t damage the floors (if they were solid before installing). If you are renting, I’d suggest testing one piece in a hard to see area and making sure they come up without damaging your floors.
what room would you suggest for these in?
The lower the traffic, the better. More traffic means they’ll show ware quicker.
If these are used in a bathroom, I’d be more careful with moisture (have an absorbent rug and dry off well before getting out of the tub/shower). For a young children’s bathroom, I probably wouldn’t recommend.
I think these would work great in a kitchen like I did, living room, powder room, office, laundry room and bedroom.
how are the peel and stick tiles holding up?
The tiles are holding up pretty good! There are some corners that have come up. I think the reason why is that my tiles are slightly rounded down on the edges so it’s a weak spot.
I just used a razor blade to trim them up so they aren’t so noticeable. My floors are a similar color to the peel and stick tiles so it’s not too noticeable.
I’ve been asked if dirt sticks to the tile. I haven’t noticed that.
could you use these on a backsplash?
The tiles I’m using come in a 6″ or 12″ size. Or you can contact Mirth Studios at [email protected] to request a custom size. They’ll also do custom colors- which is so cool! So yes, I do think these would work as a backsplash.
I have a blog post with how I installed the above peel and stick backsplash. It also links to lots of different self adhesive backsplash tiles.
how long will these last?
Peel and stick tiles typically last for 4-5 years. Their life span depends on how they’re created and what they’re made of.
The length of use also depends on how well they’ve been installed, the amount of traffic they receive, and how much water they’re exposed to.
how much does it cost?
Peel and stick floor tiles comes in a range of cost that depend on the quality and and style of the tiles. They usually cost between $1 and $6 per square foot. That means that a 100 square foot room costs between $100-700 to have peel and stick floors installed.
My peel and stick floors cost about $675 for my kitchen.
Tip- order extra! I’d suggest ordering 10% extra to make up for cuts on the perimeter where there will be waste. Also, order a few extras in case on gets messed up down the line. Then you can peel up the one bad tile and quickly replace it.
how long did this project take?
I’d say laying these floors in my kitchen took 2-3 hours. SO much faster than tearing out tile, tiling, and grouting!
what did you do under the appliances?
For under the fridge, we went to the wall (this was the first area I did). But for the oven, I knew I was low on tile so I cut pieces so they’d go under the front of the oven, but it doesn’t go to the wall. It is not noticeable. I think both are great options.
how did you start and stop the peel and stick tile?
Since my flooring runs continuously from my kitchen to my living room, I had to pick a place to stop the peel and stick tile. I decided that place would be at the wood frame door opening. It’s not the most seamless looking, but it works.
what other style do these come in?
I got my tiles from Mirth Studio and love their selection! They have the prettiest whimsical and unique patterns! I knew this tile would make my kitchen and think they are works of art. Mirth Studio also had hard wood patterned tiles too.
1 Blush Blossom / 2 Betty blue peel and stick / 3 Vogue gray / 4 Chandler Beige / 5 Barcelona multi color / 6 Vibe yellow / 7 Lisse Blue / 8 Belle Gray / 9 Arlo Green /
If you’re interested in peel and stick floor tiles from other companies here’s a few options-
1 Diamond in gray / 2 Chili in Green / 3 Tomette in Blush / 4 Moroccan in pink / 5 Distressed in gray / 6 Navy stars / 7 Yellow Moroccan / 8 Copper and Marble / 9 Green Spanish Tiles
As you can see, peel and stick flooring can be a budget friend and easy way to update a room! They are ideal for spaces that don’t get a lot of traffic. This is a great option if you want a temporary solution while saving up money for more permanent tiles.
When peel and stick tiles are installed well and maintained, they can last up to 5 years and look great! They come in a huge variety of styles and colors so they can work in any home.
Alright! There you have it! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions on peel and stick flooring!
For all kitchen sources, please see this blog post
Thank you to Mirth Studio for gifting the product for this project. This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
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