A comprehensive list of tools and equipment for vinyl flooring installations

With more than 50 years’ experience in the local and international flooring industry, Denver Coleman, Chairman of Polyflor SA, answers questions posed by installers, architects and readers on their flooring challenges. In this issue, he discusses tools that any committed flooring installer needs and wants to have in his tool box.

“I’m finding more and more contractors on site that are struggling to get the right result and I think this may partly be due to not having the right tools on hand. Can you provide a comprehensive list of the tools and equipment that you would recommend for vinyl flooring installations?” – Rhonda Stuart, Germiston.

For a vinyl flooring installation to be successful, flooring contractors need the right tools and equipment at their disposal. Flooring contractors often find it difficult to afford the correct tools or to replace broken tools, but investing in the tools you need can make a huge difference to the final installation.

At the most basic level, an installer should have a tape measure and carpenter’s pencils, a rollable steel straight edge, chalk line, a good-quality Stanley-type knife with both straight and hook blades, an adhesive trowel with replacement blades, a maxi trowel for screeding, a hand roller and heavy 68kg roller as well as a broom and good-quality vacuum cleaner (wet and dry can be useful).

A sought-after installer that consistently does good work has specialist tools at his disposal. Not only do you need the right equipment to test moisture levels in screeds, but critical tasks such as trimming factory edges off the product, grooving, welding etc. demand the right tools. 

To ensure proficiency and a quality professional installation, we have compiled a basket of tools that we recommend:

MOISTURE TESTING TOOLS

• QAS 529 Flooring moisture indicator
• Protimeter (Mini 2000 moisture meter)
• Wagner meter
  
  

FLOOR GRINDING MACHINES AND VACUUMS

• Blastrac BDC-122 twin motor vacuum
• Blastrac BMG-435 triple head floor grinder
• DPC DP-300E single head floor grinder

RIP-UP TOOLS AND SCRAPERS

• ST72108 12’’ scraper

CLEANING TOOLS

• Broom
• Heavy duty vacuum cleaner

TESTING THE LEVELNESS OF THE SCREED

• KU/Q meter
• 3m straight edge

SELF-LEVELING SCREED APPLICATION

• Measuring bucket
• Self-leveler mixing drums
• Electrical mixing drill whisk
• ST860/600 Maxi trowel
• Rake
• Pin Roller
• Spike shoes
• MEASURING AND CUTTING

• Tape measures & chalk line
• 214B/L 2m roll up straight edge
• Utility knife with straight and hook blades
• Squares

CUT FACTORY EDGE OFF

• Provinol factory edge cutter or the Lino edge trimmer
• Pajarito joints scriber and pins
• Steel hand roller
• Utility knife with hook and straight blades

ADHESIVE APPLICATION TROWELS AND SPREADERS

• Fine notched trowel blade (as per manufacturer’s recommendations)
• ST 28cm adhesive trowel handle
• ST 28cm A1 spreader blades
• Mohair roller
• ST72030 sponge rubber knee pads with Velcro strap
• 68kg roller

GROOVING

• PW2050 electrical groover
• ST11010 P type groover
• Groover blades
• Alternatively, a Pico or Linea groove

WELDING

• 5mm reducer nozzle (PUR nozzle)
• Leister welding gun
• Leister 5mm speed nozzle
• Leister automatic welder

TRIMMING THE WELD

• Mozart speed trimmer
• Spatula
• Mozart weld trimming knife
• Hand roller

For more advice from our vinyl flooring specialists, why not download our latest eBook, Flooring contractor's guide: Developing and growing your business with vinyl flooring.

For more insights like these sign up for Polyflor Insights and we will send useful tips and advice straight to your inbox.