On a floor, it can. Style Selections Peel & Stick Vinyl Flooring goes on concrete that is clean, surface dry and at least 28 days old, over two coats of a latex primer made for self-adhering vinyl. Quadrostyle puts its floor panels on sealed concrete. For walls, Smart Tiles, Art3d and NuWallpaper rule out brick, stone or cinderblock, and none we read names a concrete wall.
Concrete floors
| Product | Concrete it names | What the maker asks for |
|---|---|---|
| Style Selections Peel & Stick Vinyl Flooring | Concrete slabs, residential and indoors only | Clean; surface dry; at least 28 days old; no hydrostatic pressure; two coats of latex primer made for self-adhering vinyl |
| Quadrostyle floor panels | Sealed concrete; its guide also lists concrete among smooth surfaces for panels | A smooth floor; its guide says the panels are 500 microns thick |
| Quadrostyle stickers, outdoors | A covered concrete balcony or concrete stair risers | A waterproof surface with no snow, ice or puddles, and no high heat or intense direct sun |
| Smart Tiles (wall tiles) | Floors are on its do-not-install list | Wall use only |
From each maker’s installation instructions, FAQ or guide. Style Selections is Lowe’s store brand, made by Novalis; its instructions are hosted by Lowe’s.
Laying Style Selections tile on a slab
- Check the slab isn’t coated. Style Selections rules out substrates coated with “a varnish or oil-based, enamel, paint, primer-sealer or stain-blocker”.
- Check flatness. Style Selections allows a gap under 1/8 inch over 6 feet, and 1/16 inch or less over 1 foot.
- Fill cracks, saw cuts and joints wider or deeper than 1/8 inch with a patching compound.
- Make sure the slab is surface dry and at least 28 days old. Don’t install if hydrostatic pressure is visible, present or suspected.
- Apply two coats of a latex primer designed for self-adhering vinyl, the second at right angles to the first.
- Keep the room between 60 and 80°F, steady within 5 degrees, for 48 hours before, during and after laying it.
- Roll the floor across its width and then its length with a three-section roller; Style Selections says rolling badly may cause bond failure.
Style Selections says its flooring is for residential indoor use only, and that wet areas such as inside showers aren’t suitable.
Basements
None of the makers we read mentions basements or below-grade slabs. The closest line is Style Selections’: don’t install if hydrostatic pressure is visible, present or suspected in the slab. Quadrostyle also says not to put its stickers on damp or moldy surfaces. We’d sort out any dampness before laying peel-and-stick tile in a basement.
Concrete, brick and block walls
- Smart Tiles: not on brick or stone, or any porous or textured wall.
- Art3d vinyl peel and stick tiles: brick, stone and stucco walls are on its not-recommended list.
- NuWallpaper (Brewster): brick and cinderblock are not recommended.
- Tempaper: may stick to painted brick, but may not stick to unpainted, textured brick.
To hang something on a concrete wall instead, see hanging on concrete without drilling, or what sticks to concrete.
Style Selections’ instructions say to follow all local, state and federal rules when removing old asbestos flooring or any lead-containing material, and to always wear safety glasses and respiratory protection so you don’t breathe in dust.
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