Get the cement tile look for less with peel and stick vinyl sticker flooring! I’ll show you how to apply the decal tiles and give you my opinion on the pros and cons of going this route.
Self-Adhesive Floor Tiles
One of the things I loved most about our home when I first saw it on the MLS listing was the kitchen! It had been recently remodeled, and I knew with a few small tweaks I could make it our own. I don’t mind the ceramic kitchen floor tiles, but I thought it would be fun to try something different. I used cement tiles in our PA home’s farmhouse bathroom remodel and knew they would look beautiful in my kitchen! However, cement tiles are so trendy right now that I’m not sure I won’t tire of this look soon down the road. It got me wondering if there were any temporary flooring options available. I’ve used peel and stick wallpaper in three rooms in this home, and I’m kind of obsessed with it. It’s easy to work with, durable, removable, washable, and temporary. I googled “vinyl sticker flooring” to see if something similar exists for backsplashes and floors and low and behold it does! You can actually find sticker flooring here on Amazon, here on Wayfair, and here on Etsy.
Since our tile is not a standard size, I knew I’d need something custom made. The India-based shop Bleucoin on Etsy has 630 five star reviews and will customize your tile stickers to your size specifications and even pattern and color desires. I messaged them on Etsy requesting the exact size and pattern I was looking for and they emailed back with a mockup for me to review and approve. I paid for my tiles and received them about a week later.
Peel & Stick Vinyl Sticker Floor Tile Installation
When I opened my box of tiles (back in May), I was incredibly skeptical as to whether or not they would be suitable for our high traffic kitchen. Honestly, I panicked a bit and thought I’d made a fairly expensive mistake! The tiles are essentially large stickers you place over your tile. I’m honestly not sure what I expected them to be, but I was unnecessarily intimidated by the simple installation process. I let the tiles sit in the box for several months before installing them. If you’ve ever installed peel and stick wallpaper, the process is exactly the same! They are easy to install.
Tools Needed for Installation
If you need to custom cut some tiles, you will need the following:
- Craft knife
- Scissors
- Plastic smoother
How to Install Sticker Tile
Note: Use a degreaser on your tile and thoroughly clean your grout before installing.
To install, simply place the sticker with backing in place over the tile and measure to size if needed. Trace and cut the tile to the appropriate size using your craft knife and scissors. You will only need to do this if you have cut tiles. Next, peel the backing off the sticker and line the sticker up on the tile. The tiles are forgiving so if you need to pull them up and reposition you can do so. Once you have the tile correctly positioned, smooth tile outwards using your smoother making sure to smooth out any air bubbles. Tiles contain micro-glue bubbles which are released with pressure so be sure to use your smoother over the entire surface of the tile.
As I’m typing this, the tiles have only been in place in our kitchen for a few weeks, but so far I am incredibly impressed! Here are some pros and considerations to using these tiles:
Pros of Sticker Tiles
- Beautiful. Beautiful way to transform the look of your floor or backsplash immediately! These decals have elevated the look of our kitchen instantly, and I love the way they look. I think they are perfect for a powder bath or backsplash!
- Easy to install. They are incredibly DIY-user friendly! Don’t be scared of install.
- Clean up easily. I have vacuumed my sticker tile floors numerous times and also wiped them off with a damp rag. I haven’t had any trouble keeping them clean.
- Feel nice underfoot. I don’t love the feel of cold tile and these feel nicer to me than ceramic.
Considerations of Sticker Tiles
- Cost. These tiles can be fairly expensive per square foot. Cost may be similar to a mid-priced or luxury wallpaper.
- Durability. If installing in a high traffic area, the durability of the tiles is something to take into consideration. My kitchen is most definitely the “riskiest” room in my entire home to try these tiles out in! Our family spends a ton of time in the kitchen and with two dogs, a budding 11 year old chef, and curious kitten–we spill a lot of things on the floor. Our kitchen floor sees a lot of water, mud, and messes. So far I’ve been amazed at how well the tiles have withstood the messes. However, time will tell!
- Grout cleaning. Cleaning your grout lines may be more difficult. The tiles do not cover my grout lines, so I can still clean the grout but I don’t want to soak the floor in cleaner or water that could damage the tiles. It takes extra care.
Below are some of my favorite floor decal options from Bleucoin. You can click the affiliate linked pictures to shop. If you spend more than $198, use BLEUCOIN10 to receive 10% off your order.
ellen from ask away blog says
OMG I didn’t even know this stuff existed. HOW AWESOME!!!!