Inside: How to install peel and stick tile flooring and backsplash; plus a complete FloorPops Tile review; FAQs about FloorPops and SmartTiles; and how the floor and tiles are holding up.
FloorPops is a new kind of peel and stick floor tile that allows you to create the look of high end tile floors without the hassle. This review will help you decide if this product is right for your home.
A Review of our Peel and Stick Floor Tiles by FloorPops
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Our front entry way is small and dark and I’ve never liked it. So this summer, I decided it was time for a refresh of the space starting with the floor. I gravitated towards the FloorPops peel and stick vinyl tile for the upgrade because I loved the patterns and I knew I could get it done in a day. Here is my complete review of the FloorPops peel and stick floor tiles and at the bottom of this post, I’ve done a full comparison to our SmartTile peel and stick backsplash review as well.
Here is what our front entry looked like before we updated the floors and refreshed the space.
What are the benefits of Peel and Stick floor Tiles?
I knew I didn’t have time or energy to rip of the existing ceramic floor (and to be honest, we didn’t have the budget this summer!) This is one of the main benefits of Peel and Stick Tiles – they tend to be budget friendly and you can install them over top of existing ceramic tiles.
In fact, check out how we installed peel and stick vinyl plank flooring in our bathroom here. We also put that tile over top of ceramic floor.
The other benefits of this type of peel and stick flooring is cost. Ceramic tile, marble tile and even vinyl plank flooring can get quite costly, especially if you want something that has pattern or style (and isn’t just one monochrome colour). I was able to update this entire entry floor for less than $100 and next to no mess!
How do you install FloorPop vinyl peel and stick tile?
Thoroughly clean your floors
The first step to installing peel and stick is to clean your floor thoroughly. I swept, vacuumed and then scrubbed the floor on my hands and knees. Then I let the floor dry and washed it again. I don’t know if that was overkill, but because this is the entry of the home, the floor gets quite dirty with leaves and small debris.
The reason you clean the floor thoroughly before using peel and stick tiles is so that you ensure no dirt gets caught under the tiles. If this happens, you will run the risk of the tiles not laying flat or peeling up over time (and you obviously don’t want that to happen!)
The FloorPop tiles I purchased came with a one page instruction manual that I referred to constantly throughout the installation process.
Dry fit your peel and stick tiles first
To dry fit your tiles, you simply lay them down in the pattern and position you think you want them. Doing this will help you see if they are centred and if there are any spots you can reduce cutting.
Notice in the photo above, when I dry fit our FloorPops (which are a 12×12 size) they aren’t as large as the ceramic tiles beneath them (which are about 13×13). So I wasn’t able to simply recreate the existing tile pattern.
As well, you’ll note that I moved the tiles over to the right by the closet door ever so slightly so that I could avoid making small cuts to fit around the door frame. The FloorPops installation instructions say to avoid making cuts of 2″ or less. I’m not sure why that is, but my guess is because a strip of peel and stick tile that is smaller than 2-inches likely won’t stick (or look very good).
Peel off the paper backing and press down the tiles
Start with the tiles that you don’t have to cut. They go down like large stickers. I would peel the backing off, line up the top of my tile with the line from the existing ceramic tile (to make sure it was straight), and then press down firmly. If you make a mistake, you can reposition your FloorPops once before you lose adhesive on the back.
Cut the remaining pieces to fit
Then with the rest of the floor, measure, score and cut your FloorPops to fill out the remaining space. You can cut these tiles with a utility knife. We used a level to create the line, and then scored and snapped the tiles by hand. It was quite easy.
How do FloorPops tiles compare to SmartTile peel and stick backsplash tiles?
One thing to note is that FloorPops also make a product called WallPops – which are designed to be peel and stick tiles for backsplashes.
We have done quite a few backsplash projects over the years and in our last kitchen DIY before we renovated, we installed SmartTiles on our backsplash.
My honest comparison of these products is that FloorPops are far superior in both look and quality. I found the SmartTiles flimsy and the end result looked a bit cheap. They were also extremely expensive and didn’t save us any money (they only saved us time).
You can see my full installation tutorial and review of our SmartTile peel and stick backsplash here.
How do FloorPops compare to vinyl plank flooring?
This is a legitimate question, so I’ll break it down for you. We have installed vinyl plank flooring in our main floor bathroom that was peel and stick. It has held up very well to wear and tear, and the installation was very similar to FloorPops peel and stick.
The main difference with this plank floor was the how the tiles stick together. You can see above that the plank style peel and stick has an adhesive strip on the side of each 36″ plank. This is supposed to help you get a firmer and more tight fit between your tiles.
FloorPops DO NOT have this additional adhesive edge. Which I think might mean they are going to be more susceptible to heaving and lifting over time.
Comparing vinyl peel and stick flooring to vinyl plank flooring
If you are comparing peel and stick to actual vinyl plank floor, there isn’t much of a comparison. Vinyl plank flooring is what we installed throughout our basement and it’s more of an engineered floating floor that goes over top of an insulated subfloor.
You can install peel and stick over a subfloor, but in that case, I’d rather do a vinyl plank. The biggest difference is cost. Vinyl plank flooring can be as costly as real wood or tile. However, they tend to come with a twenty or twenty five year warranty. You can read more about how we installed vinyl plank flooring in the basement here.
Should you get white vinyl peel and stick tile?
Oh! This is the question I was asked most often! And I think it has to do with whether FloorPops peel and stick tiles are actually easy to keep clean!
And as a mom of both children and fur babies – keeping my front entry clean is a HUGE challenge for me. I did consider if a darker pattern would be better at hiding the dirt, but then I realized that it doesn’t make the floor less dirty! It just hides the dirt! And I didn’t want that!
I went with a pattern that is mostly white because my desire to brighten the space was greater than my desire to not see dirt.
How do you wash vinyl peel and stick tile?
So far, our peel and stick flooring is easily cleaned just like other tile floors. I vacuum regularly with our stick vac to keep the dust and debris out of the crevices of the stairs and baseboards. And then every week or so, I go over it with a damp mop.
The floor has stayed scuff and dirt free and I’m quite happy that they don’t require any special cleaning process or products.
How is our peel and stick floor tile holding up?
So far, so good! The floor has made it through a very busy summer and back to school season with no visible lifting or folding or wear and tear.
I am going to watch it closely through the winter months, because that is when it will be subject to cold and salt. I’m curious to see if that results in the tiles lifting at all.
Do peel and stick tiles last?
The peel and stick tiles we have in our bathroom have lasted five years with no trouble at all. I expect the same from our FloorPops.
Do peel and stick tiles ruin floor?
I wondered this too and I looked into it. While they don’t ruin floors, they can be hard to pull up if you use additional adhesive. We did not use additional adhesive to install our floors, so I think it’ll be fine.
However, if you were to lay FloorPops or other peel and stick tiles over a subfloor, I don’t think you’d be able to pull them back up without destroying the floor entirely. So be aware of that!
FAQs about FloorPops and SmartTiles
How to avoid adhesive residue on floors and walls after using peel and stick tiles?
I didn’t find there was any residue on the floors related to the adhesive at all. Once they were laid down, I swept with a regular broom and that was it. If you do find there’s a bit of sticky or tackiness on your FloorPops, you can just wipe them with a warm damp sponge or towel and that will remove any lingering adhesive or glue.
How long does it take for the tiles to arrive?
My tiles arrived within about a week! I was super impressed.
How are FloorPop peel and stick tiles shipped and packaged?
The FloorPops come in flat packs of 10-tiles per box, which cover approximately 10 square feet. I used just under 3 boxes to do our front entry way.
