After researching relatively simple and inexpensive ways to update my bathroom's hideous 'butterscotch' tiles, my partner and I thought we'd give adhesive linoleum tiles a go because they're cheap, impactful (in classic black and white squares), relatively simple to install yourself, and super quick (versus not being able to use the facilities for a few days!).
We purchased adhesive linoleum tiles from the local hardware warehouse, and after cleaning and levelling the tiles beneath (which were thankfully even and intact, just ugly), the installation process is straightforward. Starting from the middle of the room, lay the tiles super evenly so all the lines match up. Using a Stanley knife, a pair of scissors and a metal ruler, carefully cut around the irregular shaped parts of the floor. Always cut less than you need to, so you don't have to start again. Waxed baking paper, or tracing paper is also useful for tracing difficult areas, which you can then trace onto the back of the tiles, so you can make accurate cuts. The process only took a couple hours.
Thanks, Melissa!
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(Images: Melissa Leong)
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Everything looks so much CLEANER!
"After cleaning and levelling the tiles beneath ..." I'd be interested to know more about what "leveling" means in this context. Were individual tiles loose and askew, or does she mean filling in the grout lines with something to create one smooth uniform surface? I'd be worried about how the new tiles would stick if the old surface still had grout-line indentations.
She should let the real estate agent see what she's done -- I bet the agent would beg her to start a side business updating bathroom floors in homes that are for sale. This result could easily shave weeks off the wait to find a buyer, or add thousands to the sale price.
Hooray! I'm always so pleased with tile updating posts :)
Wow! It's always awesome when a simple little change makes such a giant impact in the look of a room!
Wow, this made a HUGE difference. How hard are adhesive linoleum tiles to clean?
No harder than regular linoleum --- i.e., not very hard to clean at all.
Looks great. I'm really envious that everything was plumb, which is why this nifty trick wouldn't have worked in my sloppily built apartment.
Such a great improvement! Not only to the tile, but also to going from an under to an over, for the toilet paper. ;)
Another thing to be aware of is that, over time, the lines outlining the edges of the original tiles will "telegraph" through the lino on top. It's not a deal-breaker, since the lino is definitely an improvement, but it's good to know what to expect.
We have nasty butterscotch tiles, too. But we are renting. And the ceiling in the bathroom is wood-paneled, so there's really only so much new tile would help anyway! HA! ;) xo
I did the same exact thing to my kitchen in my first apartment in manhattan. it lasted forever!
This is a great, but tricky update. I love the look, but if the lower layer of tiles isn't completely level (i.e. no divots where the grout is), there's a high probability of water seepage between the two layers of tiles, not to mention cracking wherever there's a divot in the lower layer. But it sounds like Melissa completely leveled the first layer of tile, so hopefully everything will be fine.
another good cheap renter friendly fix is to use something along the lines of an out door carpet, or bamboo mat [etc], which you can cut to size.
I would love to do this in my rental, but I would need it to be reversible for when we moved out. Any suggestions on a removable way to achieve a similar effect?
Sorry, I prefer the butterskotch ceramic tile, from the photo they don't appear to be cracked or broken. I suspect the new floor covering is vinyl, not linoleum, and those black and white adhesive vinyl tiles usually look shiny and cheap.
I think it was the installation of the red towels that is the real DIY masterpiece here. ;)
JK, love this as a quick fix.
I just want to know if they're truly linoleum. I suspect vinyl.
I, too would like to know how she leveled the floor. Did she use a thinset mortar? That alone would have taken some time to lay down and level.
For renters who truly just want something temporary, you could buy some lauan, which is 1/8" plywood sold as underlayment for vinyl flooring. It's only about $11 for a 4x8' piece. Some strong double-sided tape would stick it to the floor. Then put your vinyl or lineoleum stick-it tiles on top of that. To mitigate possible water damage, you could first paint the wood with some product designed to repel water.
If you don't have a jigsaw to cut the lauan to go around the toilet, etc, they're available really cheap.
If you're able to remove and then reinstall the baseboards, it will create a really clean look.
I get that they wanted an update, but as someone who has had to deal with several misguided attempts by others at covering up something unsightly, this kind of thing gives me the shivers. ESPECIALLY in a wet area.
i def prefer the yellow...it has a sort of ugly charm to it that i go for (srs)
That looks REALLY good. It just lifts the boring beige-ness out of the room.
Well, it looks clean and bright now, but the tiles don't line up with the grout lines on the wall the way the butterscotch tiles did. If it were me, I would have tried staining/painting the existing tiles a darker color first.
Hi Bee - Yes, we used a little thin set mortar to even up the grout, although it was already quite high to the tile line.
Fortunately I own my apartment, but thanks for the props!
Melissa
Hi guys! WHOAH- so many posts so little time! Thank you for reading my before and after!
To answer your questions:
- Yes, it's linoleum, which I agree, looks a lot better than vinyl
- The grouting was very high and even, but we used a tiny amount of thinset mortar to reduce the possibility of 'telegraphing'. Thankfully also, the tiles were almost exactly overlaid in the same dimensions, so if any did occur, it will still be symmetrical.
Thank you for all the comments and feedback, it's really cool to know what you think..and an honor to be included on Apartment Therapy! I know we all get a lot of tips and interior goodness from here, so thank you for letting me contribute back!
Melissa
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I think is vinyl tiles, not linoleum. Not a good remedy for wet area unless prepare properly below with scrim to level grout lines. I think 'butterscotch' actually look ok only because high contrast b&w in small area can look comical (but not funny). Sorry but black white and red is current Sydney apartment nightmare. Makes my eyes hum. But In all the Ray White ads so I'm in the minority.
I liked the yellow tiles, and would have decorated around them. But I like yellow and white (with black accents) baths. You gotta wonder if they did the floors in that color to hide the drips one sex often makes on floors :-) But I like the way the black and white looks a lot - classic. If you own the place, why not do a quick fix. The tiles are still there underneath if a later owner wants to rip this out.
What I'd like to know is, who makes that sexy toilet?
I'd like to sit on one some day.
"Starting from the middle of the room.."
Excellent advice. However, when laying tile, keep in mind the term 'middle' is relative to the space configuration. Based on the picture alone (which, granted, may well not represent the whole picture) the 'middle' would be the mid-way point between the tub/shower & the opposite wall. Just noting (for the benefit of novice diy-ers) the single pic shared is a poor example of the good advice.
I have the same yellow tile in my kitchen! And to everyone who says they would have kept it- you haven't seen it in person.
I will say it has one advantage though: no matter how dirty it gets, you will never see the dust/dirt/dry spaghetti/bread crumbs that have accumulated. (Or in the case of the bathroom, boys' accidents?)
I had similar issues with one of my first apartments. A simple way to cover a nasty floor (I did it for two kitchens as well) is to buy a roll of inexpensive b&w vinyl flooring at any home improvement store and cut it to size (which is the hardest part). I used a low-temp hot glue gun to stick down the edges. When it's time to remove it, you just peel the vinyl up - the hot glue is only strong enough to keep the flooring in place, but won't pull the underlying tile loose or do any damage. For any bits of glue still stuck to the tile, you can easily scrape it up with a paint scraper, or use a blow dryer on its hottest setting to melt and wipe away the final bits of residue (this is why the low-temp hot glue is important). Good luck!
nice!!
That yellow tile was vile. Nice job!
Looks good. Interesting to see the drain OUTside of the tub.
I hate to be the dissenting view here, but it looks cheap to me. Tiles are better than self adhesive tile. It makes it look like a slumlord did it to avoid an expensive renovation.
I'm not so sure what's offensive about vintage butterscotch. I think if the color was on a couch in an apartment in Austin Apt Therapy would probably feature it.
Clearly I'm in the minority here, though.
I lived in Brisbane with my Aussie husband for 5 years, and now that I'm back in the States, I do so miss that extra drain in the middle of the bathroom floor.
I like this transformation, having seen that uber-ugly colour in houses over there. Nicely done.