Residential | Commercial
Vinyl Installation
Phase 1: The Pre-Installation Consultation & Preparation
This crucial phase sets the stage for a perfect installation.
- In-Home Consultation & Quote: It all starts with one of our experts visiting your home in Auckland, Napier, or Hastings. We’ll measure your space accurately, discuss your style preferences, and help you choose the perfect vinyl product (plank, tile, or sheet) for your lifestyle and budget.
- Acclimatisation of Materials: Once your vinyl planks or tiles arrive, we bring them into the room where they will be installed. We let them sit in their packaging for at least 48 hours. This allows the material to adjust to the room’s temperature and humidity, preventing expansion or contraction after installation.
- Preparing the Room: We will move all furniture and remove any existing flooring (e.g., old carpet, tiles, or vinyl) as part of our service. We ensure the room is clear and ready for our team.
Phase 2: The Most Critical Step: Subfloor Preparation
The secret to a perfect vinyl floor lies beneath the surface. A flawless subfloor is non-negotiable.
- Subfloor Inspection: Our installers meticulously inspect your subfloor. Whether it’s concrete or wooden (plywood/particleboard), it must be:
- Perfectly Clean: Free of all dust, dirt, wax, and grease.
- Perfectly Dry: We use moisture meters on concrete slabs to ensure they are within manufacturer specifications. Excess moisture can ruin vinyl flooring.
- Perfectly Flat and Smooth: The subfloor must be level with no dips, bumps, or imperfections. The tolerance is very strict—typically no more than 3mm over a 3-meter span.
- Subfloor Levelling & Repair: Any high spots are carefully sanded down. Low spots and cracks are filled with a professional-grade levelling compound to create a perfectly smooth, uniform surface. For wooden subfloors, we ensure all boards are securely fastened and replace any that are damaged.
Phase 3: The Installation Process
With the subfloor ready, the installation begins. The method depends on the type of vinyl you’ve chosen.
- Planning the Layout: Before a single plank is laid, we plan the layout. We snap chalk lines to find the centre of the room and dry-lay rows to ensure the pattern is balanced and that end pieces will be a sufficient size, avoiding thin, sliver-like cuts at the room’s edges.
- The Installation:
- Luxury Vinyl Plank/Tile (LVP/LVT) - Click/Lock System: We start in one corner and work across the room. Each plank is angled and clicked into the tongue-and-groove system of the previous plank. We use spacers around the entire perimeter to maintain the essential expansion gap.
- Luxury Vinyl Plank/Tile (LVP/LVT) - Glue-Down System: We apply a recommended pressure-sensitive adhesive to the subfloor using a notched trowel. The planks are then firmly pressed into the adhesive.
- Sheet Vinyl: For larger sheets, we roll out the material in the room, allowing it to relax and flatten. It is then meticulously trimmed to fit perfectly around every corner, cabinet, and door frame. It is either fully adhered with adhesive or, for some products, laid as a loose-lay with sealed seams.
- Precision Cutting: We use professional tools like utility knives, straight edges, and jigsaws to make precise cuts for obstacles like door jambs, pipes, and irregular walls. This attention to detail is what creates a custom, seamless look.
Phase 4: The Finishing Touches
- Installing Mouldings & Transitions: Once the floor is down, we install the finishing elements. This includes:
- Scotia Beading/Quarter Round: To cover the essential expansion gap around the edges.
- Thresholds/Transition Strips: To create a smooth, safe transition between your new vinyl floor and adjacent flooring in other rooms (e.g., carpet or tiles).
- Final Inspection & Clean-Up
Commercial Vinyl
Phase 1: Pre-Installation Planning & Consultation
This phase is about minimizing risk and ensuring the project meets your commercial needs.
- Commercial Needs Assessment & Quote: We begin with a detailed consultation at your commercial site. We discuss the specific demands of your space (e.g., high foot traffic in a retail store, moisture exposure in a clinic, or heavy rolling loads in a warehouse). We then help you select the perfect product:
- Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT): An economical, extremely tough option ideal for schools, hospitals, and retail spaces .
- Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) or Plank (LVP): Offers superior aesthetics, mimicking wood or stone, with enhanced comfort and durability for offices, hotels, and upscale retail .
- Commercial Sheet Vinyl: Provides a seamless, water-resistant surface perfect for healthcare facilities, laboratories, and kitchens where hygiene is paramount .
- Detailed Site Measurement & Floor Mapping: We create a detailed floor plan and calculate the exact square footage, accounting for irregularities and adding a significant percentage for waste on complex jobs. This ensures we order the correct quantity of materials from the same manufacturing run to maintain color consistency .
- Scheduling for Minimal Disruption: We understand you can't afford lengthy downtime. We work with you to schedule the installation during off-hours, slow seasons, or in phases to allow your business to remain operational .
Phase 2: Critical Subfloor Preparation
The longevity of a commercial vinyl floor is 100% dependent on the quality of the subfloor. This is the most crucial step we perform.
- Subfloor Inspection & Moisture Testing: We conduct thorough moisture tests on concrete subfloors using calcium chloride (MVER) tests or relative humidity (RH) probes per ASTM standards. Commercial standards are strict; for example, many adhesives require a relative humidity of below 90-95% for above-grade concrete . Excessive moisture can lead to adhesive failure, mold, and warping.
- Surface Preparation & Levelling: The subfloor must be perfectly clean, smooth, and level.
- Concrete: Must be flat to within 3/16" in 10 feet (3.9mm in 3m). We grind down high spots and use professional levelling compounds to fill low spots and cracks .
- Existing Floors: We can install over suitable existing substrates like ceramic tile or fully adhered resilient flooring, but must never install over cushion-backed vinyl, carpet, or particleboard .
- Asbestos Warning: If removing old flooring (especially 9"x9" tiles), we follow strict safety protocols for potential asbestos-containing materials, including testing and safe abatement procedures by licensed professionals .
- Job Site Conditioning: All flooring materials and adhesives are delivered and acclimatized to the job site's conditions for a minimum of 48 hours before installation. The HVAC system must be operational to maintain a stable temperature between 65°F - 85°F (18°C - 29°C) during and after installation .
Phase 3: The Installation Process
The method depends on the vinyl product selected and the commercial application.
- Planning the Layout: We snap chalk lines to find the center of the room and dry-lay tiles or planks to ensure a balanced, aesthetically pleasing layout. We avoid small, sliver-like cuts at the walls (typically less than 3" or half a plank width) by adjusting the starting point .
- Adhesive Application (for Glue-Down): Using a notched trowel specified by the adhesive manufacturer, we apply a consistent layer of commercial-grade adhesive. We allow it to become tacky (open time varies from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the product) before installing the flooring .
- Installing the Flooring:
- VCT/LVT Installation: We carefully place each tile into the adhesive, ensuring tight seams. A tile roller is used immediately after to ensure full contact and remove air pockets .
- Sheet Vinyl Installation: This requires expert precision. We roll out the material, allowing it to relax, and then trim it for a perfect fit around all obstacles, columns, and walls. It is then fully adhered using the recommended adhesive .
- LVP Click/Floating Installation: Planks are clicked together over an underlayment. While easier, this method is often less suitable for very high-traffic commercial areas with heavy rolling loads .
- Precision Cutting & Seaming: We use professional tools like utility knives with titanium blades, heat guns for softening material around pipes, and specialized seam cutters for sheet vinyl to create invisible seams .
Phase 4: Finishing & Post-Installation
- Final Rolling & Inspection: Once a section is installed, we use a heavy, 100+ lb. vinyl roller over the entire surface to ensure a permanent bond and eliminate any remaining air pockets .
- Immediate Post-Installation Care:
- Traffic Restrictions: Light foot traffic can typically resume after 24 hours. Heavy traffic and rolling loads must wait 48-72 hours to allow the adhesive to fully cure .
- Initial Cleaning: We perform a thorough clean-up, removing any adhesive residue with a recommended cleaner .
- Furniture Moving: Furniture and equipment must be moved with extreme care using plywood runways to prevent gouging the new floor. We recommend installing non-staining, flat glides on all furniture legs .
- Client Walkthrough & Maintenance Plan: We provide a detailed walkthrough of the new floor and deliver a customized maintenance plan to ensure its longevity, protecting your commercial investment .
Why Professional Commercial Installation is Non-Negotiable
FactorDIY/RiskProfessional with Scott FlooringSubfloor PrepOften inadequate, leading to adhesive failure and costly repairs.Meticulous preparation & moisture testing to industry standards.Adhesive SelectionUsing the wrong adhesive voids warranties and causes failure.Correct commercial-grade adhesive selected for your specific subfloor and traffic needs .WarrantyManufacturer warranty is almost always voided by improper installation.Full warranty protection on both product and our installation labor.DisruptionLengthy, unplanned downtime hurts your business.Efficient, phased scheduling to minimize operational impact.Safety & ComplianceRisk of improper handling of asbestos or unsafe installation.Full compliance with all NZ safety regulations and RFCI standards .Long-Term ValueHigher lifetime cost due to premature failure and repairs.A durable, long-lasting asset that enhances your facility for years.
Types of Commercial Vinyl & Best Applications
Choosing the Right Commercial Vinyl Flooring
Product TypeBest ForInstallation MethodKey AdvantageVinyl Composition Tile (VCT)Schools, Hospitals, RetailFull-Spread Glue-DownExtremely economical & durable; can be refurbished .Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)Offices, Boutiques, HotelsGlue-Down or Loose-LaySuperior aesthetics; designs mimic wood, stone, etc. .Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)Offices, Senior Living, RetailClick (Floating) or Glue-DownWaterproof core; comfortable underfoot .Commercial Sheet VinylHealthcare, Labs, KitchensFull-Spread Glue-DownSeamless & hygienic; maximum water resistance .