Disclosure: For this post I received gifted product from Chasing Paper in exchange for review. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.
When we decided to update our guest bathroom recently, I didn’t originally plan to remove the existing floor tile. But at some point in the design process, I realized how much I hated the tile and how badly it needed to go. So on a whim, I started removing tiles one night… just to see how easily they could be removed. And then I just kept doing. At that point, I realized I didn’t exactly have a plan as to what I wanted to do for flooring — especially since we were on a pretty tight budget for this project. Late one night, I ordered some random peel and stick flooring I found from a popular retailer. It arrived a few days later and was *terrible*. With little over a week until I had to finish the renovation, I reached out to Chasing Paper to see if they would be interested in teaming up on this project. They came through at the last possible minute and sent us the floor tiles you see in the reveal — and I am OBSESSED. I’ve gotten so many questions about Chasing Paper’s new peel and stick floor tiles. So today, I am sharing my full review, including installation notes.
Chasing Paper Peel and Stick Flooring Review
All About the Peel and Stick Floor Tiles
I will be the first to admit that I was very skeptical about pretty much ALL peel and stick tile before ordering the first version (the one that I rejected). I worried it would feel overtly fake and be difficult to install. But I am here to confidently tell you that the Chasing Paper peel and stick floor tiles are not like that at all.
The flooring is sold either as 12×12 individual tiles in a pack of 8 or a 2×4 ft panel. We chose the tiles because we thought that would be easier to install. The tiles are made from high quality, self-adhesive vinyl that is then finished with a laminate overlay. This is to add durability to the floor.
The pattern is printed on to the material with GreenGuard Certified Latex Inks in a matte finish that is also fade and stain resistant — all bonuses for an area like a bathroom or laundry room. The adhesive on the back is low-tack. Lastly, the materials are sourced in the US.
How to Install Peel and Stick Floor Tiles from Chasing Paper
The first step in installation is to prep. When the tile arrives, make sure they lay flat for 24 hours. This helps to smooth out any potential bends that happened in transit.
Next, clean the surface. For us, that mean demoing the existing tile and grout, removing screws and other fasteners, and sanding the sub flooring. And a LOT of vacuuming! We also cleaned the sub flooring with an all purpose cleaner. This is very important: the floor must be clean, dry, and dust-free before installation.
When you’re ready to install, gather your tools:
- plumb line
- utility knife or razor
- straight edge or ruler
- kneeling pad
- felt pads to put under furniture legs
We chose to start the pattern from the door and work our way out toward the edges of the room — just like when you’re installing ceramic floor tiles. Nothing in our cabin is square, so we established a straight center line with a plumb line and worked off that.
Once you’ve established where you want to start, peel 2-3 inches of the backing away from the tile. Then, carefully line up the exposed edge with your plumb line. Continue to remove the backing slowly as you press the tile onto the floor, smoothing it as you go. Continue going this way, aligning the edges. Chasing Paper also mentions that if you are using the 12×12 tiles, you can leave the grout lines or cover them.
When you get to the edges of the room, follow the same method. Press the material tightly into the edge. We used the back of our utility knife to do this, but you can also use your fingers or a straight edge. Then, use a straight edge to trim away the excess.
You can see from the photo below where the tiles meet up — the seam is barely noticeable!
Additional things to know
- When ordering your floor tiles, definitely purchase 10% extra because they are printed to order and colors can vary batch by batch. Plus you don’t want to risk running out!
- We found it very helpful to use a small hand vacuum to give the surface one more clean before placing each tile. That especially helped prevent animal hair from ending up stuck underneath!
- As you’re lining up the tiles, you can always peel it back up and re-stick it, thanks to the the low-tack adhesive.
- I firmly believe that big part of why our flooring looks so good is because we removed the baseboards before installing the tiles. After they were down, we put the baseboards back which gives the project a beautiful finished look.
- If you plan to paint the surface (for example, with a sealant), keep in mind that those types of products can take up to 4 weeks to fully cure.
- Our bathroom is actually pretty large and the total installation time took about 2 hours, not including installing the baseboards.
- For the more complex patterns, lay out the pattern without removing the backing first in order to establish your repeat. Use a bit of painters tape to mark the top left corner of each so you know where to align them as you install.
Q&A about Chasing Paper’s Peel and Stick Flooring:
I reached out to my followers on Instagram to ask me any questions they have about the flooring. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions:
Which pattern and color did you install?
Subway basket flooring in the cream colorway in 12×12 tiles.
How thick is the floor tile?
Each tile is 3.4 mil.
Can I install this over my current flooring?
Yes! It can go over existing floor tiles, ceramic, glass, metal, painted walls, drywall, sealed wood, and linoleum flooring. For example, if you have 12×12 tiles on your floor already, you can layer these right over and even leave the grout lines exposed for a more natural update to the room.
We chose to remove our tiles because they were chipped, the grout was missing in some spots, and I just really, really hated them.
Will the floor tiles damage my floor?
Let’s be real: there is always a chance something can damage the flooring underneath. But given how low-tack these tiles are, I feel like the chances are pretty slim. While I was researching for this review, all I could find was mention about the general use of peel and stick flooring (not specific to Chasing Paper) that you should be careful about the type of cleaner you use. If you use a cleaner with harsh chemicals, that can affect the adhesive and then cause damage.
How do you clean them?
I use this natural floor cleaner and cleaning mop, then turn on the overhead fan to ventilate and help them dry faster. Pretty much the same process as our old tile!
Where can these tiles be used?
The tiles are water resistant, so you can use them in bathrooms as long as there is ventilation (I.e. a fan or cracking a window). They are also recommended for backsplashes, laundry rooms, even high traffic areas like a mudroom. The key is making sure they are installed properly on a clean surface and then maintained.
How durable is it?
I would say that the number one questions I’ve received is about durability. In full transparency, I don’t know the longterm quality of this type of flooring because we have only had it in our home for a little over 2 weeks. Over that period, I’ve dropped stuff, spilled liquids, and let our pets behave as normal on the floor — and it’s been totally fine!
If you plan to put furniture on the floor tiles, be sure to use felt pads under the legs to prevent scratching.
How did you select a color and pattern?
While perusing the Chasing Paper flooring options, I took screenshots of my favorites and dropped them into the moodboard I made for the project (above). You can learn more about how I make my moodboards in this blog post. Because of my ridiculously fast timeline, I didn’t have time to order swatches — I ALWAYS recommend ordering swatches in order to best judge the color. Companies have no control over how their photography looks on different screens and devices, so always always always order swatches. (Sometimes I am terrible at following my own advice.)
Because our bathroom is black and white, I had a bit of wiggle room when it came to choosing a color combo. I ultimately chose the cream colorway because I felt that it would help tie in the cream color of the existing shower/tub.
Do they have a chemical smell?
Nope! At least not that I noticed and I have a very sensitive nose. They didn’t really smell like anything.
I apologize for the ugly old caulk around the tub in the above photo. I wanted to show you the clean edge you can get with this peel and stick flooring. We are going to put a bead of white caulk along that edge to clean it up.
Final thoughts:
I’m being totally transparent when I tell you that when the tiles first arrived, I was concerned that they were too thin. I said this before, but the sub floor that you plan to install the tiles over truly needs to be smooth and clean. Ours was, but even still I was worried that we’d miss something and it would somehow affect the entire floor. That definitely did not happen! Even though the tiles are thinner than the crappy ones I ordered before, they don’t feel thin at all once they are down. If anything, I think the thinness makes the installation so much easier because you can trim and adjust the tile placement to a finer degree.
These tiles are awesome for both homeowners and renters. I actually really wish they had existed when we lived in the bungalow! The installation is truly SO easy
I am beyond happy with the decision to install the peel and stick flooring from Chasing Paper. It’s exactly the look we wanted, but with a fraction of the material cost and installation time/effort. Our longterm plan is to eventually gut the entire bathroom, start from scratch and do a full remodel. But until then, these tiles are the perfect temporary solution to making the home feel like ours! I’m already eyeing using the same product in different patterns in a few other areas like our van, our other bathroom, and maybe even the kitchen backsplash.
If you have any additional questions about Chasing Paper Peel and Stick Flooring, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer!
