To get an update in an entryway, are peel and stick floor tiles okay to put over existing linoleum?

Question

The flooring is fake stone, (ugly), about 15 years old, with fake brick on the exposed wall going down to the basement. The walls in entry are white which is fine. I would love to paint the 'brick' also. I don't know about peel and stick tile, but would love to try something not expensive, but nice. Thanks!

Answer 1

i know a lot of people who use that stuff, and are NOT happy w/ it.   the previous owner of my home put it down everywhere and half of it doesn't stick, and the seams get nastiness in them.  i would to w/ like a ceramic tile (some of that can be picked up pretty inexpensively, especially if it's a small area)  i really think you'd be unhappy w/ it after a few months, and even though a lot of it won't stick, the ones that do will be a real "beach" to pull up.  good luck, and i hope you find something you love :)

Answer 2

Several years ago I tiled a bathroom with peel and stick tiles.  They were a brand-name top-of-the-line product, they looked great when I first put them down.  Within a few weeks I'd noticed the tiles had started to move. Individual pieces were offset from the others and it looked terrible.  I did proper surface preparation before installation?  Taking them up was difficult I had to use a heat gun and large putty knife.  If you're not comfortable with setting ceramic tile there is an alternative.  They make a laminate tile that has texture and is available in different colors. It works just like snap and lock laminate flooring. Being in an entryway you would need to buy the sealant to make the tile water proof, it comes in a small tube and is applied to the seams during installation.  It's easy to work with and even easier to take up should you decide later to redecorate.  Try looking for them at Lowe's or Home Depot.

Answer 3

There's a better version of the same thing available now at Home Depot, it's vinyl tiles or planks which stick to each other but not the floor. They can go over any flat surface, and to avoid having the pattern on the old floor come through, you use some stuff called embossing leveller. It's easy to use and the flooring is easy to install.

Answer 4

I agree with the previous poster that you may not be happy with the end result if you use peel and stick tiles.  In theory, YES, you can put peel and stick tiles over existing linoleum.  HOWEVER, you said that the existing stuff is fake stone.  If it has any sort of texture, that texture will show through new peel and stick tiles (or new linoleum), especially with all the traffic an entryway receives.  

Some tips if you do go this route:  wipe the floor with rubbing alcohol to remove dirt that will prevent the new tiles from sticking.  And you can avoid the "nastiness" in the cracks by sealing with latex or silicone caulk, but this is REALLY labor intensive and needs to be cleaned up well so that it doesn't look like an amateur job.  New ceramic tile can be installed directly over the old linoleum as long as you use cement backer board first.

Good luck!