The vinyl tile will conform to any little gap in the subfloor. So, yes, you'll want to fill them.

I had put some vinyl tiles in my bathroom. I had some flooring going down in a different room, so I paid an extra $50? to have them skim coat the bathroom while they were there. I'm not sure what the product was, but I'm sure you'd find it at HD in the vinyl flooring area.

Once the floor is in, you would have a trim piece go around the toe kick of the cabinets to hide the edges.

Why vinyl tiles? I put them in as a quick and dirty face lift. After a few years, they looked TERRIBLE. They spread apart, they discoloured. I ripped them out and did a sheet vinyl for about the same price. I wish I had done the sheet vinyl in the first place.

Vinyl tiles are wonderful, but not as easy to install as they first appear. There is a lot to getting the floor properly prepared to receive the planks.

First, locate the manufacturer specifications for your vinyl tiles and follow them exactly. This will give you a good-looking, long lasting floor.

Everything telegraphs up through vinyl (including some inks stamped into the wrong type of plywood) so the right underlayment is important. All underlayment is not made for using for vinyl -- some "underlayment" is intended for use under carpet and pad, others for under ceramic tile. We found that even at the âÂÂrealâ lumber yards we had to be especially careful what they were trying to give us. For vinyl, the APA (Engineered Wood Association) recommends half-inch Fir-faced plywood rated UNDERLAYMENT. That should be attached to the subflooor with 3d ring shank, 12.5 guage nails (we found them as Grip Rite brand underlayment nails at Lowes). There is a specific pattern for the nails...I think it was every 8 inches.

Patch all voids, gaps, gouges, and chippededges with a patching compound approved by the vinyl flooring manufacturer, and follow its instructions.

When that is dry sand and the surface until totally smooth.

At this point the application of tiles is very easy and sort of fun.

Would it be possible for you to return the tiles? Glue down LVT is much more durable, and actually easier to install than the peel and stick.

I think you need to do more research before proceeding. A wood subfloor material needs to expand and contract. I believe it is a 1/8" gap you need to leave between boards. The perimeter gaps might be more. Foundations and prep work are critical to success, so don't just make things up. Look for technical specifications.

Follow the manufacturer instructions carefully for the flooring material. They are your safest route to avoid problems.

There is a flooring forum on GW.

First set of vinyl floor tiles were wonderful! Then had some water damage and had to replace them...and the second time they spread like crazy. It was a cheap and quick fix because I knew I wanted to eventually do something else.

Lately, it seems there are very few style choices...but they do have a practical purpose. Great for affordable and/or temporary improvements, like putting a home on the market (mom's laundry room) bringing some color into a work room space, or saving up for the big remodel :)

I'm sure a less 'cheap' tile would be nice for everyday. I just wish they had more options!

Thanks to you all. I have done some more research and observations and decided to return the peel & stick. Instead, I am considering the Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) made by either Armstrong or Mohawk.

I am still torn between either getting a floating floor (the click type) or a vinyl sheet that I can glue down.

What are the pros and cons of each: the click or glued-down?

Thanks - Oyii

I'm so glad to hear you decided to return the peel & stick tiles. The previous owners of my home put them down as a quick fix and so many of the tiles are peeling up or bubbling up. And most of the gaps have spread and gathered grime as well. I hope you'll share pictures of your new floor when it's done.

I think you'll get the best answers to your flooring questions on the flooring forum...

But, glad you have decided against the peel and stick.

Benefits of glue-down is that they form a more water-proof seal, which can be nice in a kitchen. They are also much more permanent. Downside is that they have to be scraped up to remove.

I recently installed floating (click type) laminate floors in a few areas of the house, and glue-down VCT (commercial vinyl tile) in a storage area.

In all honesty the VCT, going down on a concrete slab, was the easiest to install, and forms a solid, polishable, waterproof surface. The click-type laminate was cleaner to install, but required more finessing, was harder to cut (you can cut VCT with a utility knife as you work), and most importantly for a kitchen, leaves a lot of gaps around the edges for expansion that can also allow water in. They are acceptable for kitchens, but you have to be pretty good about getting up spills and protecting the expansion gaps from water with trim and silicon sealant (as recommended by the manufacturer).

You'd probably be happy with either - but the most important thing to remember for all flooring is to follow the manufacturer's recommendations closely, get the right adhesives/tools, and spend the time to get your subfloor just right. Like paint, if you spend 80% of your time on the subfloor/underlayment, and 20% on the actual flooring, you will get a much nicer final product.