Fitting guides · dctuk.com · 0345 222 1544 · Flooring that ain’t boring
Free fitting guides
DIY floor fitting guides
Fitting your own floor is a lot less frightening than it looks — as long as somebody tells you the bits that actually matter. So here they are: a plain-English guide for every type of flooring we sell, plus a guide for every brand, because they all have their own little quirks.
Which floor are you fitting?
Carpet tiles
The easiest floor to fit yourself. No stretching, no gripper rods.
Read the guide → EasyClick vinyl (LVT)
Slots together like a jigsaw and floats on top. Walk on it the same day.
Read the guide → ModerateGlue-down LVT
The flattest, toughest way to lay vinyl. Takes more care but it's very doable.
Read the guide → ModerateSheet vinyl
One big roll, almost no joints. Brilliant in kitchens — measure twice.
Read the guide → VariesLinoleum
Natural, tough and lovely. Tiles and click are DIY; sheet isn't.
Read the guide → ModerateRoll carpet & fibre bonded
Stuck straight down rather than stretched, which makes it easier.
Read the guide → ProfessionalSafety flooring
Honest answer: this one needs a fitter. Here's why, and what's involved.
Read the guide →Carpet tiles in four steps
The short version. For the full method, read our carpet tile fitting guide.
1. Prep the floor
Clean, dry, flat and solid. Get the old flooring and old adhesive up, vacuum properly, and fill any dips. Check your tiles are all there and all from the same batch before you start cutting.
2. Grab your gear
A sharp utility knife with plenty of spare blades, a metal straight edge, a tape measure, a chalk line and some tackifier with a paint roller. Knee pads if you value your knees.
3. Let the tiles chill
Leave them in the room for 24 to 48 hours so they settle to room temperature. Cold tiles don't lie flat, and you'll see it in the finished floor.
4. Kill the heat
If you've got underfloor heating, switch it off 48 hours before you start and leave it off for 48 hours afterwards. Never lay over a floor running above 27°C.
Fitting guides by brand
Every manufacturer does something slightly differently, and it’s usually the thing that catches people out. Pick your brand for the specifics.
Carpet tile brands
Each of these lays slightly differently — the laying direction, the adhesive and the edge rules all vary by brand.
Vinyl and LVT brands
Click systems vary a lot between brands. Expansion gaps, underlay rules and even the order you click the planks together are all different.
Flooring fitting questions, answered
Can I fit flooring myself?
Carpet tiles and click vinyl, absolutely — they're designed for it. Glue-down LVT, sheet vinyl and roll carpet are all doable if you're careful and you take your time. Safety flooring and sheet linoleum need welding and templating, so those are the two we'd steer you towards a fitter for.
What tools do I need to fit flooring?
For most jobs: a sharp utility knife with lots of spare blades, a metal straight edge, a tape measure, a chalk line and knee pads. Click floors also need spacers, a rubber mallet and a pull bar. Glue-down floors need a notched trowel and a hired floor roller.
Do carpet tiles need to be glued down?
Only lightly. Most use a tackifier — a thin coat rolled over the floor that dries tacky rather than hard, so tiles stay put but can still be lifted. Some brands, like Interface and Mohawk, use sticky tabs instead so there's no liquid adhesive at all.
What gap do I leave around click vinyl flooring?
Usually between 4mm and 8mm all the way round, including around pipes and door frames — check your brand's guide, because they differ. Skipping this gap is the single most common reason DIY click floors fail.
Can I lay new flooring over floorboards?
Not directly, in most cases. Boards move and the joints show through. Overlay them with 6mm plywood or hardboard first, fixed down every 100–150mm. Click vinyl can sometimes go straight over boards if they're completely flat and solid.
How much flooring should I order?
Measure the room in metres, multiply length by width, then add 10% for cuts and spares. Add a bit more for herringbone or diagonal layouts. Always keep a few spare tiles or planks — swapping a damaged one later is far easier than matching a discontinued batch.
What you’ll need before you start anything
- A sharp utility knife — and far more spare blades than you think
- A metal straight edge (a 1m one is the minimum, 2m is better)
- Tape measure, pencil and a chalk line
- Knee pads. Non-negotiable after the first hour
- A vacuum, because the floor has to be genuinely clean
- Adhesive or tackifier, if your floor needs it
- Spacers, a rubber mallet and a pull bar for click floors
- A hired floor roller for anything glued down
Rather someone else did it?
If it's a big room, an awkward shape, or you just fancy a Saturday off, our own fitting teams cover the whole of the UK. Free site survey, tidy job, no dramas.
See how our fitting worksNationwide fitting, fully managed
Our own teams, a free site survey, and one point of contact from quote to clean-up.
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