To transfer the outline of the room to the resilient flooring, place a blade of the framing square on the scribed line and run a utility knife along the outside edge of the blade, as shown in the photo on the facing page. The mark made by the utility knife—112 in. beyond the scribed line—represents the cut-line you’ll make in the resilient flooring. But the utility knife should score the flooring
only about one-third deep. After you’ve scored with the utility knife, use a hooked knife to cut all the way through, with the scored line guiding the hooked knife. Hold the hooked knife at a slight angle, so it undercuts the edge. At some point, you’ll also trim off the flooring’s factory edge, which protects the material in transit.
Once you’ve cut the outline, remove the paper template and loosely roll the flooring with its back facing out. Carry it to the room to test its fit. If you need to retrim the flooring to make it fit exactly, you’re in good company. Professional installers always assume they’ll trim because no template measurement is ever 100 percent accu-
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rate. When you’re satisfied with the flooring’s fit and final position, use a pencil to draw set marks on the underlayment, so you’ll know exactly where the sheet edge should be when you lap the sheet (roll it back on itself) to apply adhesive.
