Amanda
- Sep 13, 2021
- 4 min read

Installing Chasing Paper's Peel & Stick Floor Tile

My bathroom floor has been through an evolution. It was one of the first DIY projects I attempted in my house, and I'm proud to say my scrappy fabric floor served me well for over three years. I never expected it to last forever, and it didn't. But it was good while it lasted. It was starting to yellow and stain, so I decided it was time for a small refresher.

We would eventually like to gut and renovate the bathroom, so I needed a solution that was affordable, not too permanent, but would last us about a calendar year. Enter Chasing Paper's peel & stick floor tile.

I was a little skeptical about the product. Peel and stick flooring can look really cheap really fast. After a ton of research, I still couldn't find many folks who had used it, so I was relying heavily on the product photos on the website, which is always a gamble. I decided to take a leap and give it a try, and I'm so glad I did.

I decided to install the tiles right on top of the fabric floor I had installed. I figured it would stick much better to that than to the plywood underneath. But these tiles can also be installed right on top of existing tile. They just recommend that you don't install them over hardwood - but if you're the kind of person that would put peel and stick vinyl on top of hardwood floors, I don't want to be your friend.

Here's everything I needed for the project:

Vacuum
5 packs of 8 12x12 Chasing Paper tiles in Terrazzo
Scissors
Waterproof caulk + caulk gun
Optional: caulking tool to scrape off the old caulk

Step 1: Prep your floors

I spent so much time on the prep work. First, I removed my vanity from the bathroom, so I'd be able to install the tiles underneath it. Then I vacuumed about 5 separate times - trying to remove as much dust, dirt, and hair as possible - followed by several rounds of Swiffer wet cloths.

Finally, I scraped off all of the caulking that I had added when I installed the fabric floor. I wanted to ensure that the new vinyl tiles would be able to get as close to the wall as possible. And I finished up with one more round of vacuuming.

Step 2: Peel and stick!

This was about as easy as it sounds. I started in the corner by my tub and worked my way towards the wall. Literally just peeled off the backing of each tile and stuck it to the floor like a giant sticker. Then pushed down on all corners of the tile to make sure it was really on there.

Here are a few notes to keep in mind:

I tried to be thoughtful about how I was placing the tiles down, so that they'd be varied and not too repetitive. In hindsight, I should have bought the sheets, not the tiles. The tiles are great if you want to install over existing tile and keep your grout lines. For my floor, the sheets would have been a quicker install, but it was nice to be able to work in smaller sections at a time with the tiles.
For the area around the toilet, I just cut out the shape in computer paper first. Then, I cut the tile to shape before installing it around the base of the toilet.

Step 3: Caulking

Ah yes, my favorite. Not. The installation instructions from Chasing Paper didn't mention to do this, but because I installed these in a bathroom, I figured it wouldn't hurt to seal up the edges with some caulk. Plus, it made the edge along the wall look super clean and finished. I used a kitchen and bath water-proof caulk in white.

And that was it! I just reinstalled my vanity, and I was done! It took me about 8 hours start to finish with lots of breaks in between.

How do they hold up?

I've had the tiles installed for about 3 months now, and they are holding up so well! This is our only bathroom, so it sees at least 2 showers a day - sometimes more during the summer. The water and steam don't seem to be an issue, and they're super easy to clean with a Swiffer wet cloth. We just avoid any cleaners with bleach, so we don't impact the color.

I only spent $225 on the entire project, and that left me with about 10 tiles leftover, in case I messed any up (I did) or if I need to replace a tile in the future. I am just so so pleased with how it turned out. I think this would be a great solution for a rental. It's affordable, removable, easy to install, and durable.

And now for a little before and after!