Posted on May 13, 2020 under Uncategorized |
Terracotta is a ceramic material that has been used for building construction and decorative arts since ancient times in cultures around the world. Terracotta, which literally means “baked earth,” is made from natural clay, which gives it a characteristic reddish-brown color. The color varies slightly depending on the clay used. Terracotta may be glazed for extra durability or to provide color. It is a waterproof and very sturdy material, and many ancient terracotta sculptures are still in excellent shape.
Terracotta Floor Tiles was widely used in the decorative arts of ancient China, perhaps most famously in the tomb soldiers of 2nd century BCE emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. Terracotta vases and other sculptures are known from ancient Egypt, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, West Africa, and Central and North America. Terracotta pipe was also one of the oldest materials used in plumbing.
Though Terracotta Floor Tiles largely fell out of use in Europe during the Middle Ages, its use in building and sculpture revived in the Renaissance, and it has remained an important material into the modern era. Construction methods improved over the ages, as terracotta was once baked in the sun, later dried among ashes in the oven, and finally kiln-fired. While terracotta was used to make roof tiles and bricks in the ancient world, it became more versatile as a building material during the Renaissance, when it features in the ornate decorations of buildings in the newly developed Gothic style. Terracotta was also a popular material for artistic sculpture in the Renaissance.
The Gothic revival style of architecture in the 19th century likewise made heavy use of Terracotta Floor Tiles, and the material became increasingly used for structural elements such as walls. The durability of Terracotta Floor Tiles and its resistance to both fire and water make it an ideal building material. It is also lighter than stone, and modern methods allow it to be glazed in a wide variety of colors, including finishes that resemble stone or metal patina. Terracotta Floor Tiles are a relatively inexpensive material, and glazing increases its durability and helps it retain its original look.
Terracotta Floor Tiles remains a popular material in the decorative arts as well, particularly pottery and sculpture. Unglazed, it is ideal for planters, as it is semi-permeable to air and water. It is also amenable to sculpting into rather elaborate designs.
Terracotta is a ceramic material that has been used for building construction and decorative arts since ancient times in cultures around the world. Terracotta, which literally means “baked earth,” is made from natural clay, which gives it a characteristic reddish-brown color. The color varies slightly depending on the clay used. Terracotta may be glazed for extra durability or to provide color. It is a waterproof and very sturdy material, and many ancient terracotta sculptures are still in excellent shape.
Terracotta Floor Tiles was widely used in the decorative arts of ancient China, perhaps most famously in the tomb soldiers of 2nd century BCE emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. Terracotta vases and other sculptures are known from ancient Egypt, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, West Africa, and Central and North America. Terracotta pipe was also one of the oldest materials used in plumbing.Though Terracotta Floor Tiles largely fell out of use in Europe during the Middle Ages, its use in building and sculpture revived in the Renaissance, and it has remained an important material into the modern era. Construction methods improved over the ages, as terracotta was once baked in the sun, later dried among ashes in the oven, and finally kiln-fired. While terracotta was used to make roof tiles and bricks in the ancient world, it became more versatile as a building material during the Renaissance, when it features in the ornate decorations of buildings in the newly developed Gothic style. Terracotta was also a popular material for artistic sculpture in the Renaissance.The Gothic revival style of architecture in the 19th century likewise made heavy use of Terracotta Floor Tiles, and the material became increasingly used for structural elements such as walls. The durability of Terracotta Floor Tiles and its resistance to both fire and water make it an ideal building material. It is also lighter than stone, and modern methods allow it to be glazed in a wide variety of colors, including finishes that resemble stone or metal patina. Terracotta Floor Tiles are a relatively inexpensive material, and glazing increases its durability and helps it retain its original look.Terracotta Floor Tiles remains a popular material in the decorative arts as well, particularly pottery and sculpture. Unglazed, it is ideal for planters, as it is semi-permeable to air and water. It is also amenable to sculpting into rather elaborate designs.
Posted on Feb 11, 2011 under Uncategorized |
Choosing the right Bathroom Floor Tile is by far the most important decision you need to make when designing a bathroom. Tiles last a very long time and one does not need to change them often, it is imperative to get them right the first time.
Keeping that under consideration, here are some important buying guidelines and tips that could help you make the right choice and prevent you from buying the wrong Bathroom Floor Tile.
1. Think of how the finished Bathroom Flooring job will look, what sort of style are you after.
It is imperative to imagine how the terracotta floor tiles would look like once on the floor, and to consider the budget you have for the terracotta floor tilings and who would execute the Floor Tile installation for you.
2. Get accurate measurements of the bathroom.
Once you have decided on the style of Bathroom Floor Tile for your bathroom floor, next comes the measurement part. Without the exact measurements of the floor, it would be difficult to estimate the quantity of terracotta floor tilings required to do the bathroom.
In case you intend to cover the walls with the same terracotta tiles then that needs to be measured too.
Without proper measurement you could end up buying lot more and thus wasting money; or buying a lot less, running the risk of same design not being available.
3. Hunting for terracotta floor tilings -Thinking about budget, floor tile types, styles and sizes.
After we decide on the style of Bathroom Tile and have the measurements, it is time to find the right terracotta floor tile. on the amount of space that needs to be covered, it would be important to see what kind of terracotta floor tiles suit the budget.
Various kinds of terracotta floor tilings like ceramic, vitrified are available in different price ranges.
If you intend to cover the walls with the terracotta floor tiles as well, remember to choose a terracotta tile color for the wall which is lighter as compared to the ones on the floor. It is also important to select the right size and weight of Bathroom Floor Tile.
If one chooses smaller floor tiles for the bathroom, it would generally cost more money and time for installation.
There are some who believe that smaller floor tiles aesthetically better than the larger ones, but it is really just about personal preference.
4. Choosing the right color of the Bathroom Floor Tile.
The choice of color also needs some consideration as there is a large variety of colors and designs available making it more difficult to select.
Although white is a very common color, one could add more style by selecting a combination of colors and designs.
Whatever color is selected, the over -all color scheme and style (decor) of the bathroom should be considered.
5. Choose a Tile which will last.
Last but not the least, the long term life of the terracotta floor tiles should be considered.
For added water protection, choose glazed terracotta floor tiles Glazing is a process whereby the terracotta floor tile manufacturers coat the surface of the terracotta floor tilings and re-fire it. This provides added water protection by preventing absorption of water into the terracotta tiles and safeguarding the ceramic beneath the surface.
Hoping these tips will provide some assistance to you in locating and purchasing the right and appropriate Bathroom Floor Tile for your bathroom.
Posted on Feb 11, 2011 under Uncategorized |
Before you actually rush into spreading your bed of mortar and laying your floor tiles it is advisable to pursue the method of dry laying to get an idea of exactly what you are up against. If you are working from the center of the floor and a projected chalk line from your doorway, then you’ll want to work your way out towards the edges of the room so see what space you are left with for the terracotta tiles which will butt directly against the walls.
As a basic guide, you really don’t want any gaps less than the width of 2″ inches, as to cut a terracotta floor tile this narrow would not only be difficult and time consuming, it would also look a little weird in comparison. To allow for making this gap wider or narrower so that there is no need to make a cut, simply by shifting your chalk line to compensate for the difference is an easy path to follow.
You should of course however still try to keep the line of sight and perspective as close as possible to the main doorway entrance, in order to give your terracotta floor tiling floor the same appeal. This is really the general rule to maintain when laying terracotta floor tiles that no matter the shape or size of the room, or the amount of doorways present, stay with the main entrance as your primary guide.
By shifting the your lines, you should always check what happens to the floor tiles going in the opposite direction to see how they land against the opposing wall, and although this may mean having to make more cuts, if followed it will certainly add to the aspects of the room. The most important factor is to keep the terracotta floor tiles as close as possible to their original size when taking the full view of the room into consideration.
Any hidden alcoves or points which can not be immediately seen when entering a room take second place when floor tiling, and can be adjusted accordingly without any great worries. If it makes your task any easier, try splitting the room in half by snapping a new chalk line perpendicular to your original walkway chalk line. With the aid of your full square aligned with its long edge against your guide line, mark a pencil line off from the 90 degree perpendicular short edge, and then project with another chalk line which will give you a smaller area to work with.
One other very important factor though when dry laying terracotta tiles is to always begin with a full terracotta floor tile at your doorway and then project the whole room from there. That being said really has to be the golden rule of terracotta floor tiling laying, and it’s just a case of projecting from then on until finally a cut must be made if necessary.
One final tip when dry laying, is be careful that you never put pressure or stand on any of the terracotta floor tiles especially if they are ceramic terracotta floor tiles There may still be some minor dips in your floor, and with the floor tile not being perfectly flat against the floor or embedded firm in mortar, even the slightest of pressure can cause it to break in an instant due to their non-pliable composition and inability to bend.
Posted on Feb 10, 2011 under Uncategorized |
If ever you are floor tiling into a fresh bed of mortar, and you find the terracotta floor tiling has sunk below it’s desired depth into a dip, then you must remove this terracotta floor tile completely and apply the technique of ‘back buttering’. Take any tool suitable for prying such as a flat head screwdriver, a pry bar, or the trusty 6-in-1 all purpose painter’s tool, and insert this between the terracotta floor tile and the subfloor.
Once you slide it underneath the terracotta floor tile apply some leverage and gently pry up the terracotta floor tile from one edge and completely remove from the mortar bed. This should actually require some amount of force to pull up, and if it simply just pops up with ease, then you are doing something wrong. The bed of mortar should have a good adhesive grip on the floor tile and will make a distinct ’slurping’ noise when lifted. If there is very little sound made, then either your mortar consistency is incorrect, or you terracotta floor tile was not forced down with enough pressure.
As a good idea to double-check that your mortar is of a good consistency and that you are mixing it correctly, then you should consider actually laying a terracotta floor tile as a trial run with the intention of removing it again. Especially if this is your first time to attempt floor tiling, there is no harm in laying a test terracotta tile to see exactly where you stand and whether you are ready to continue with the whole floor.
When your terracotta floor tiling is lifted out of place, you should be able to see that the underside of the terracotta floor tile has an even spread of mortar. If not, then either your mortar consistency is too dry and you can add a little more water to the mix, but generally it is best to make a completely fresh batch and start again, or there is an unseen dip in the floor. With the latter being the case, this is where we need to apply a patch of excess mortar to solve the problem.
With the terracotta floor tile in hand, take your notched trowel and scoop out a small amount of mortar and spread it over the dry area where you found there to be no or little mortar attached. There is no need to key-in this mortar, but simply just spread it over the ‘dry’ spot, then taking the notched edge of your trowel, create a line of furrows in the same direction of the existing ones. This method of back buttering will ensure a positive adhesion between the terracotta floor tiling and floor mortar due to the excessive quantity added, and should also fill out any shallow dips.
With the terracotta tile back buttered, place it back down in position exactly in the same direction that you had first laid it, and apply your gentle twisting downward pressure with your fingertips until it is settled nice and level with the existing terracotta floor tile. Again, always make sure that you did not nudge any other terracotta floor tiles out of alignment, and as usual insert your terracotta floor tile grout spacers and continue laying the terracotta floor tile floor as planned. As an overall simple and general rule to remember, if your terracotta floor tiling is too high at any point, then you need to apply more pressure to get it level. If it is too low and dips in certain areas, then you probably, (and hopefully), need only to apply more mortar by back buttering and filling the shallow dip in the subfloor.
Posted on Feb 10, 2011 under Uncategorized |
Tiled floors are a recommended choice for many different areas especially in areas where spillages are likely, such as kitchens and wash rooms and in both domestic and commercial environments. There are different types of terracotta floor tiles including natural stone and slate to fabricated terracotta tiles which can have shiny wipe clean surfaces or be made to replicate the rough uneven surface of natural stone.
Tiled flooring can offer a wonderful finish but the cleaning and maintenance of these floors is vital as markings on the terracotta tiles or the grout can quickly lead to an uneven and satisfactory finish which can be difficult to clean afterwards. Correctly and diligently maintaining the terracotta floor tiling floor is perhaps the best way to prevent this from happening rather than cleaning after the event.
The single most important tip for prevention and maintenance would be the application of a quality sealer, especially for the grout. Some ceramic terracotta tiles are relatively wipe clean, but others have a rough surface which is susceptible to staining, so a good sealer will help prevent this from happening and aid cleaning efforts.
Grout is another matter and the sealer is essential to stop grime and bacteria building up over time and staining the material. Grout is a porous substance made up of a cement, sand and water mixture and as it is usually recessed to slightly lower level than the floor tiles it is the grout which will be most exposed to any spillages that may occur.
A good sealer will offer protection and make the surface less permeable – which will make cleaning easier if and when spillages occur. It is very important to clean up spillages as soon as they occur to aid the situation. The right sealer is of course important, and a professional company specializing in floor terracotta floor tile cleaning should be able to recommend one for you.
General cleaning and maintenance is obviously recommended. Regular sweeping and vacuuming to remove surface dirt and grit is important as well as washing the surface with soapy water to remove any dirt or staining which builds up.
Posted on Feb 10, 2011 under Uncategorized |
To ensure that your job of laying terracotta tiles runs smoothly, there are some certain tips and pointers you should remember when attempting your project. The most important aspect has to be always checking you alignment as you go. For every two to three terracotta floor tilings you lay, maintain a habit of going back to check on the ones laid prior to the fresh ones to make sure they haven’t moved.
When butting two terracotta floor tiles together especially with terracotta floor tile grout spacers in place, it is very easy to push adjacent terracotta floor tiles out of position without noticing. If you ever feel that you may have applied too much pressure or force when pushing one terracotta floor tile towards the neighboring terracotta tile then always double-check the alignment. Even with the ones further back into the job, if they have not had the appropriate amount of time to settle and bond in the mortar, make sure that there has been no unwanted chain reaction of movement.
As you lay your terracotta floor tiles also, clean the wet mortar as you go from the grout lines. Don’t ever leave excessive mortar to build up and decide to go back and clean it out later. You may forget certain spots or even be too late before you manage to get back to them, and will find that they have dried and require chiseling out which can be a lot more time consuming. Simply wipe them out with a grout spacer to remove the excess, and also wipe down any that spills out or drips onto a terracotta floor tile surface with a damp cloth, or brush of with you hand.
One final tip is to always try and keep your direction of floor tiling as initially planned. Try as little as possible to veer away from your original decision, unless of course your choice was already flawed. If you ever find that you have unfortunately managed to terracotta floor tile yourself into a corner, which believe it or not can and still does happen, then you are left with two rudimentary options.
If you are lucky enough to be tiling a bathroom and you find that you are backed-up to the bath tub, get someone to throw you over a pillow and a blanket and sleep in the tub overnight. Either that or you are going to have to walk out across your fresh terracotta tiles and disturb all your work and effort. If this is the case, then try to obviously step on as little as possible with very light steps. Don’t try jumping or using wide paces as your method of escape, as your hard landings will apply more force and can cause just as much movement of the terracotta tiles free of your prison, then leave them to dry in the mortar and go back to check the crime scene the following day to see what you can salvage. If there are any that have either went out of alignment or become uneven and dipped, then chisel them out with a cold chisel or pry bar depending on the access you have to the edges, clean down the subfloor so that it is perfectly flat again, and lay a fresh terracotta floor tiling. This can obviously be a big pain of a job to do, but can easily be avoided by some common sense and forward planning, and certainly not by standing on any freshly laid terracotta floor tiles period.
Posted on Feb 09, 2011 under Uncategorized |
If you are considering purchasing and installing ceramic terracotta floor tilings for a floor in some of your rooms, there are a few things you should be wary of. Before you start with the ceramic terracotta floor tile floor installation, you should consider what is the purpose of the space you are about to decorate with terracotta floor tiles Is it a bathroom? Is it a kitchen? Or is it, perhaps some other room, one that you and your family spend a lot of time during the day. The climate of the room, and the activities that take place in the room should be your main leads when choosing should you, or should you not go for a ceramic terracotta floor tile floor installation in that particular room.
It is usually the bathroom that gets to be treated with a ceramic terracotta floor tile floor installation. The reason is obvious: the bathroom is the room that is most often confronted with moist, and varying temperatures. This is the reason why this type of a flooring is usually considered to be the best option for this room.
The second room in the house that people usually consider for installation is the kitchen. The reason is similar, if not the same, as for the bathroom. The kitchen also contain large concentrations of humidity (probably not as much as bathrooms, but still considerable amounts), and temperature (this can be even more present than in the case of the bathrooms). So, this is why people opt for ceramic floor tile floor installation in their kitchens and bathrooms. It should go without saying that installing flooring made out of linoleum, or wood, would be impractical for these rooms, as the above mentioned influences would ruin those materials very quickly.
Sometimes people consider terracotta floor tile floor installation for their whole house. This is especially often if the house in question is located near the seaside, because the high humidity, and presence of salt in the air can easily damage other types of flooring. In that case a ceramic terracotta floor tile floor installation for all of the rooms in the house might just be the right solution. Also, as the climate is quite often very warm in that type of places, the ceramic terracotta tiles will help keep the temperature of the house down, especially in the summer. However, even if your home is placed in a colder climate, ceramic terracotta floor tiling floor installation for all of your rooms can still be an option. You just need to make sure your home has adequate heating, and getting, and installing floor heating might fit quite nicely with this. Otherwise, you should keep rugs covering your rooms that have ceramic terracotta floor tile flooring.
Whatever option do you choose when it comes down to choosing what rooms should you install these terracotta floor tiles in, there is one important thing to remember. Tiles should always be installed in a proper and a professional manner. This is of crucial importance if you want your floor tiles to last, and to stand the test of time. Probably the best option for you is to hire a professional to place the terracotta floor tiles for you, but if you feel you can do it yourself, make sure you do some research on the topic, before you undertake that effort.
Posted on Feb 09, 2011 under Uncategorized |
Whenever you are attempting the job of laying terracotta floor tiles you will undoubtedly find that somewhere in your room has an awkward or irregular spot that requires a specifically cut terracotta floor tiling to fill the area. Obviously this will not be in the center of the floor, but more likely around the edges of the room somewhere. This is normal, so don’t worry if you were thinking that all terracotta floor tilings should just “fit into place”. I think only once, has there been a time where the terracotta tiles worked out perfectly, and I didn’t have to cut them. Very lucky on my part on that one!
Still keeping your initial terracotta floor tile projection in mind though, and working from your line of sight found when you enter the room, these should actually be the first attempted spots in which to begin laying terracotta tiles It are these ‘nooks and crannies’ with which you will find the most difficult to terracotta floor tilings so it is always best to do these first so that you don’t have to work over the top of freshly laid terracotta floor tiles that you will most likely disturb.
Following the ideal pattern of having pre-cut terracotta tiles for even your dry laying purposes, once you are happy with your direction and projection of terracotta floor tile laying to the point of these awkward spots from your foundation terracotta floor tile you should begin to mark out and cut the terracotta floor tiles necessary for those particular areas. Before actually making any cuts though, you must certainly have to mark out the terracotta floor tilings first.
If ever you find you are working around a door frame for example, then you must measure the dimensions of the protruding frame and then transfer these to the terracotta tile. It can be quite a time consuming and confusing task, but with a little concentration, precise measuring, and the help of an adjustable angle tool, the job is not entirely impossible.
With any odd areas to terracotta floor tile. you may find that you’ll never get it exactly right for a snug fit, but then again it’s not exactly a snug fit you are always looking for. When working next to walls, always compensate for near to 1/8″ inch less in your measurements, as you will need this gap for either your cocking sealant or terracotta floor tile grout filler. Tiles should never be butted directly against a wall, and if you ever find that you are slightly off with your measurements, always remember that your baseboards will hide these ugly edges once they are fixed in place.
Posted on Feb 08, 2011 under Uncategorized |
If you’re considering a remodel, whether large or small, you may want to take a close look at natural stone flooring.
Natural stone flooring can add lasting beauty to your space, be it bath, kitchen or living areas. Stone flooring is strong and durable. After all, some of the oldest buildings still in existence were made of stone – can you see how well it lasts?
Natural Stone Flooring Is Available in Many Styles and Textures
It used to be that only the wealthy could afford to have stone in their homes. Stone was difficult to mine, and so required many man hours to pull the stone pieces from the earth.
After it was mined, there was the extensive and labor-intensive shaping process where the stone was cut into floor tiles or tumbled to smooth rough edges.
Today mining practices for stone are much more efficient, allowing production costs to be reduced and placing natural stone flooring within the grasp of almost anyone.
What Sizes Are Available in Natural Stone Flooring?
Natural stone flooring is available today in many styles and textures. You can find flat terracotta tiles in sizes like 12 x 12 inches, 13 x 13, 16 x 16 and as large as 18 x 18 inches.
If you’re looking for something more varied and unique, you might consider pebble terracotta floor tiles This is a new product made recently available.
The pebbles are small, hand-selected stones that are glued to a wire mesh. The wire mesh makes it very simple to place the piece on the floor or wall with thinset, so even the do-it-yourselfer will find this attractive. Once the thinset cures, about 24 hours, then you simply grout the little pebbles like traditional square terracotta floor tiles result is a modern, crisp feel that will be sure to wow your friends and neighbors!
What Types of Stones Are There?
Natural stone flooring terracotta tile is available in granite, limestone, travertine, slate and marble.
The more commonly known large square terracotta floor tiles are always popular.
In addition, you can choose natural mosaic or glazed mosaic terracotta tiles which are small flat stones with crisp edges, moon mosaic terracotta floor tiles which are small, completely round stones, “sliced” pebbles which are small oblong stones, or natural, glazed or polished pebble terracotta floor tiles which are simply little stones in various colors.
Natural pebble stones look just like the stones you might see at the bottom of a running stream.
If you opt for these type of terracotta floor tiles the pebbles are hand-selected and applied to mesh backing so that the stones “fit” like puzzle pieces. This makes installation a breeze!
Whether you like a small or large terracotta floor tile look, you’ll be sure to find what you’re looking for.
What Are the Advantages to Natural Stone Flooring?
Actually, there are several advantages.
The first is quite simply that your home will look elegant and up-to-date with natural stone flooring.
Another advantage is that stone is highly durable. Stone does not absorb spills, and clean up and maintenance are easy.
Natural stone flooring can increase the resale value of your home. After all, stone flooring has been the epitome of “opulence” for centuries!
Stone terracotta floor tile is also slip-resistant, naturally, so safety is improved in your home. There is no sealant or conditioner required to maintain your natural stone flooring, and stone is naturally resistant to stains.
Stone is versa terracotta floor tile and flooring is just one application. If you’d like to modernize a room, simply terracotta floor tile one (or more) walls. Try a stone terracotta floor tile wainscot. Add a stone terracotta floor tile border. Accent a specific area, like perhaps a counter top or backsplash with terracotta floor tile. your imagination run wild, because stone terracotta floor tile can make your ideas shine.
Where Can You Find Natural Stone Tile?
Actually, many retailers offer stone terracotta floor tile. Your local home improvement stores will carry a few lines of stone terracotta tile. but to find the greatest variety you’ll want to look online.
Many stone masons and stone specialty retailers will provide a large selection of their products online so you can decide which look and color you prefer as well as get a good idea as to what it will cost.
Bear in mind that if you do buy from an online retailer, shipping costs can be a major factor in determining your budget. For example, one sheet of the wire mesh natural stone pebbles can weigh as much as 5 pounds.
Ask the retailer if they offer shipping discounts. Some retailers will ship free if you place an order of a certain size.
Whatever your choice, you’ll find that natural stone flooring is a great way to improve your home’s look!
Posted on Feb 08, 2011 under Uncategorized |
Commercial vinyl terracotta floor tile is very practical and popular amongst business owners. It can also be used for bathrooms, kitchens, schools, hospitals and retail showrooms as well. There are several advantages to using this type of flooring. Some of the advantages are that it is easy to clean, durable, comfortable to walk on and slip resistant. Some of the disadvantages are that it is possible it could be scratched, dented or cut.
Commercial vinyl terracotta floor tile is made of a plastic and most often, it is sold in twelve-foot wide sheets. If you are able to install it without seams or at least a minimal amount of seams then it will be resistant to water leaking underneath it. There are two main types of vinyl flooring. One type is inlaid vinyl flooring, which is the more expensive kind. The patterns or colors are penetrated deep in the material, this it’s name is inlaid. The printed vinyl is less expensive as the vinyl base sits on a thin veneer layer.
You can lay commercial vinyl terracotta floor tile on top of concrete sub floors, plywood sub floors, linoleum or wood. You need to prepare the sub floor by making sure it is clean and free of debris or anything that will cause the vinyl to not be flat, this includes raised nail heads. The inlaid type will usually last longer because it is more durable. If you are comfortable with laying this flooring yourself, it can be a relatively easy do it yourself job. However, if this is for a business then it is best to hire a professional. There is more flooring to lie if the location is a business or retail location.
If you need to install the commercial vinyl terracotta tile over a wooden sub floor then you will also have to install a plywood under floor before installing your vinyl. The plywood should be a quarter inch thick. The reason for doing this step is that you do not want your new floor to show every flaw of the wood underneath it. If installing over a concrete floor then you need to make sure it is very smooth. You may need to do some repairs and patching to get it smooth enough for laying vinyl over top.