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I live in a rented flat, so can't make substantial changes but have very ugly ceramic floor tiles which I would like to cover with some funky vinyl flooring. Is it possible to do this without glue so it can be removed when I move? Please advise.

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  • Might be important to know exactly what "funky vinyl flooring" is.
    – Tester101
    Jun 21, 2016 at 13:09
  • Hello, and welcome to Stack Exchange. A picture of the tiles would be helpful, especially a closeup showing how rough they (and the inter-tile joints) are.
    – Daniel Griscom
    Jun 21, 2016 at 13:20
  • It's a moot question since you'd need to level the ceramic with a skim product first. You can't put vinyl over a substrate with many voids and expect it to look decent or last.
    – isherwood
    Jun 21, 2016 at 15:27

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I have seen vinyl floors where the glue was put down unevenly (sparingly in some areas), and by comparison the areas without enough glue were visibly damaged on top from wear. So, I think that (for whatever reason) vinyl floors which are not (well) attached have a shorter lifespan.

However, you might want to look into floating vinyl floors (here's a random link for a floating vinyl floor vendor). Perhaps it would help to lay some carpet padding on the underside, so that it doesn't slide and protects the original floor.

enter image description here

Now, I have often seen vinyl floors that are made to look like tile, stone, or wood, but they are always reaching for a conservative aesthetic. If you already have a sheet of vinyl that you like, then you are sort of forced to install it properly or be willing to sacrifice it to a learning experience.

But I have always wondered if you could create vinyl panels from say, 3/4" plywood. Basically the idea would be to cover the top with the vinyl and the bottom with say, foam rubber or carpet padding, and then just lay the panels down and cover the seams with trim. Unfortunately, I've never had enough money to warrant an experimental floor, so I can't really recommend it; but if you try it, let us know how well it works, any tips or hiccups, and after a while- how long it lasts.

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  • +1 For the idea of covered panel. Those would add some nice heft to the temporary flooring, and probably make it somewhat re-useable! Gravity + Friction will be your friend here. This could be good in my basement.
    – BrownRedHawk
    Jun 21, 2016 at 15:11
  • @BrownRedHawk I thought of it many years ago. I believe it would be a popular item for renters; I've been in the position of wanting a different floor but not having permission to make any changes to the rented floor.
    – Ben Welborn
    Jun 21, 2016 at 15:19
  • The joints of the original floor might show through if the vinyl is not very thick or dense
    – Phil Freedenberg
    Mar 9, 2021 at 20:32

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