Vinyl flooring. Admittedly, not as bad as it used to be. And it is softer underfoot than it was, but it still isn't good. It is available in a vast range of designs and patterns. It is best used in commercial buildings such as care homes and the cheaper hotels. If you intend using it in your home, I would certainly keep it in an out of the way place like a utility room or the downstairs bathroom . If you're determined to fit it yourself, then I suggest you read on about how to fit it as it should be fitted.

I will be blunt at this point. You are going to will want a quite a great deal of kit to do this job. Unless you've got a lot of vinyl, it might even work out cheaper to pay someone else to do it for you.

Anyway, to perform the task you will require a roll of vinyl (obviously), a Stanley knife, vinyl glue, a steel straight edge, a tape measure, a paint scraper (for the glue), a ballpoint pen, a roll of double-sided flooring tape. And, if you have got a tiled floor or it is made from concrete you'll will need some self-levelling compound.

Step 1: The Vinyl:

Laying cold vinyl is a nightmare. It is stiff and does not stretch well. So, leave the vinyl in a warm room for a day and switch on your central heating. It will make fitting it a great deal easier.

Step 2: Preparing your floor:

If you have a raw concrete floor, you'll be required to ensure that it is completely flat. Otherwise the lumps will show through the vinyl. It may look horrible and present a potential safety hazard. Purchase a self levelling compound, spread it over the floor to fill the holes and follow the instructions. That should do the trick.

Self levelling compound is what you will will want when you are covering ceramic tiles, as well. Spread a thin layer and fill in the joints between tiles. Again follow the instructions and let it to set.

If you are covering floorboards, you'll need to lay hardboard over them to establish a flat, smooth and stable surface. Don't forget to stagger the joints and use plenty of pins to make sure they don't rise over time.

Step 3: Lay the Vinyl:

Make sure the area is clean. Take out the vacuum out and give it a good hoovering. Take your shoes off. You won't will require them on to do this job. They will just drag grit around. Now, unroll the vinyl against the longest continual wall. Keep unrolling until the pattern is parallel with your wall. Leave a 4 inch overlap against the wall.

Now you'll will need the Stanley knife. As the vinyl is unrolled, keep it as flat as you can around the edges near to the wall by making vertical cuts into the waste vinyl (i.e. the stuff pressing against the walls that will not be covering the floor). For a neater finish, cut into the corners and trim the excess vinyl so that you form a V shape.

Step 4: Fit the Vinyl:

Now that you have cut most of the excess vinyl off, it is more manageable. Get a pen and mark off more excess vinyl. Cut it away. Your aim now should be to get the vinyl into the rough shape of the room with a 1 or 2 inch excess all around the sides.

Step 5: Trim and glue:

Ok, press the straight edge against the vinyl and trim to fit exactly. Force any edges under cabinets, skirting boards etc. This is going to give you a nice, crisp finish. if you have got anything other than 'stay-flat' vinyl, this is the time to stick it to the floor. Follow the instructions on your glue container.

Step 6: Finishing:

You are almost there. Get a soft brush and starting from the centre of your room, push out any bubbles. Secure the vinyl along at the doors and entrances to the room with double sided carpet tape. It is going to stop it moving.