Hey Darling-Streeters! I am sooo close to finishing the Wellness Library! All the books are off the floor and on the shelves, so last week I was able to get started on my mission to lay a new floor. I had put aside $150 for the floor covering which meant I had to find a cheap way to replace the hideous, sterile, hospital-like floor.
In keeping with my Ivy-League theme, I took to Craiglist to find a Persian rug. Truth be told, this rug was the very FIRST purchase I made for the library a couple of months back. I actually matched the wall colour to the blue in this rug. As is the way when one lives in NYC, I had to collect it via subway.
Since this room will be used by hundreds of residents, I needed a floor that was durable, easy to clean, cheap and ultimately stylish! The best solution was vinyl tiles. These squares of vinyl come in many colours and designs and are super easy to install. I measured the size of the library floor which was 3.2m x 2.4m. I therefore needed 86 tiles at 79 cents which came to $67.94. Bargain!
- I chose this faux wooden vinyl tile from Home Depot. I love the dark, rich colour of the tile and knew it would tie in nicely with the wooden shelves and desk.
Firstly, I swept and mopped the floor thoroughly. I then measured the floor to find the dead centre of the room and lay my first tile there – that way the tiles will be symmetrical around the edges. Next, I peeled the paper off the back of the tile and lay down my first tile, pressing it down firmly.
I worked my way outwards from there, making sure to butt the tiles right up against each other as I lay them down.
When I only had the edges to go, I had to cut the tiles to make then fit.
Using a lead pencil and ruler to measure the size of the tile piece needed, I took a stanley knife and ruler and scored the tile where it needed to be cut. Then I simply snapped the tile along the cut.
It’s finished!! Ta-da!
I am so thrilled with the end result, and I think it has made a huge impact on the feel of the library. If you have an ugly floor you want to cover up, DIY does not get easier than this, I promise!