Applying a vinyl floor

[Mark Freudenberg]

The house is built on a concrete slab and has a vinyl floor in the bath that needs to be replaced. Is it ok to lay new vinyl over the existing floor? What is the easiest way of putting down a new vinyl floor – must you first lay 1/4″ plywood subflooring?

[Dan B]

The easiest way is to use an “embossing leveler” sometimes called “trowelable underlayment”
available from your local home improvment center or floor covering supplier.(I prefer portland based products).
Armstrong makes an excellent trowelable underlay available at Menards as well as many other places.
This is the best way if your existing floor is in reasonable good shape,( not loose or curling ect.) If the existing floor is not in good enough shape to go over you really need to scrape out the old vinyl (provided it contains no asbestos).
You can nail down underlayment but it’s not esp. easy over concrete.
Just remember that the key to a good vinyl installation is a very smooth and stable surface to go over.
Feel free to email me if you need further help….

Dan B.

[JT]

Mark, the 1/4″ plywood underlayment is just a (usualy)
easy way to get a smooth surface for new vinyl; every
little defect (including the pattern of old vinyl)
will telegraph through the new vinyl. Dan’s solution
is a better one for a concrete floor, and can be
done with the old vinyl in place or after removing it.

[Author]

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