skip to main content

How do I level a floor over vinyl tile?

14 years ago

I want to install some engineered wood flooring over the vinyl tile (on a concrete slab, above grade) in my 1950's house. The vinyl flooring likely has asbestos, so I don't want to pull it up, but it is not level enough to just go over. I was planning on levelling with some self-levelling compound, but I don't think it will bond well to the tile (I even tried stripping the finish and priming the tile with a recommended primer, but the primer just beads on the floor). Does anyone have another suggestion? I'm thinking about putting down more of the underlayment in the low points of the floor, but that is going to be painful...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

glennsfc
14 years ago
You don't say who manufactures the self-leveler. Although some underlayment manufacturers don't recommend their products installed over VAT, it can be done successfully.

You have to use the primer that will stick to the VAT. If this was Ardex K15, you would first apply their P-82 primer (P-82 will stick to almost anything).

Another way to approach your job is to use Ardex Feather Finish (or the Armstrong-branded equivalent). This product is mixed with water and then applied to the floor with a straight edge trowel and levelled (screeded) as you would regular cement. Yes, that method it quite a deal more work than straight self-leveler. Feather Finish also will stick to almost anything.

It is peculiar that the primer you are using is beading up...this leads me to believe that there is floor wax on the VAT, not just acrylic floor polish. Perhaps another round of cleaning with a wax remover might be in order.
proinstallpa
14 years ago
I'm with glenn up here only I have one difference in opinion. I say accept no substitutions to the best, use either ArdexK15 with P-82, or even their EP-2000 if you don't mind working with epoxy, or you could try their Feather Finish, but if you're not used to concrete finishing style work, I would suggest self leveling. If you must substitute Ardex, go to Home Depot and buy Henry (you'll notice an Ardex logo below their name) because Ardex makes that brand as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ardex product listing
Related Discussions
vinyl tile over composite floor ... how? An $$ mess!!
Q
Comments (6)
glennsfc: No, I did not first glue the tarpaper to the particle board. I also tried a piece of the unused sheet vinyl with just some glue but that did not curl ... so it may not have been just the glue but maybe the vinyl/glue/tarpaper/particle board combination ...? The vinyl squares that were on the floor originally were just glued to the particle board by previous occupants. Some of the square tiles adhered good but most did not when I removed them. So tarpaper had been used in the past? That must have been what the people that suggested it to me were thinking then ... what is 'natural' linoleum? Growing up I always remember my folks talking about 'linoleum'& 'oilcloth' ... terms I don't hear anymore nor do I know what they were really! Our old house had not asbestos but what was called 'asphalt' tiles on the floor.
...See More
Vinyl Tile over old vinyl?
Q
Comments (1)
What do you mean by "level" the floor?
...See More
Vinyl flooring over existing ceramic tile? Is this possible?
Q
Comments (7)
Thanks for your answers! glennsfc, Sorry I don't know the technical word for that. But with the word "peeling" ceramic, I meant the top coat of the ceramic tile is peeling off in a few spots on the tiles. There're not a lot of those but I just know they're there... I read on this blog that a lady installed vinyl tile on top of the existing ceramic tiles. I wonder if anyone has that experience? The ceramic tiles I have right now is not in extremely bad condition, just a few "peeling" spots, very light color and stained yucky stained grout. http://www.sasinteriors.net/2012/10/installing-groutable-vinyl-tile-lowes/ So I wonder if there's anyway to work this out... with a baby in the house, I don't really want to make a big mess. Plus I don't have a lot of time to do that... :( .
...See More
Carpeting over tiles - how to deal with different floor levels?
Q
Comments (5)
Remove the tile. You will never regret it. Once the tile is gone, you NEVER have to deal with it again. If you go over it, you will always have to "deal" with it in the future. Removing carpet, adding another layer of underlayment and then re-installing the old carpet is probably going to be MORE expensive than if you just remove the darn tiles. A nicely installed carpet can sit between 1/2" and 3/4". An engineered hardwood will be between 1/2" and 3/4". Tah Dah! Same height. Simply remove tile and install hardwood. Done like dinner. And go ahead and install the hardwood in the hallways. The bedroom doors are the natural "border" between hardwood and carpet. And BTW...to get hardwood over the tile...you have to do a LOT of leveling. That can include "grinding" the tiles down to get them flat and even. And then the grout lines have to "disappear" which means you have to do MORE work to get them to disappear. And then you have to pay someone to do all the work on the carpeted areas. Whew! You will have "laid" 3 floors because you don't want to remove the tiles. When it is all spelled out, it sounds a bit odd that you would TRIPLE the amount of work done (and double the cost) simply because you don't want to remove tile. Remove the tile and you are free to do whatever you want - whenever you want. For ever and ever. Keep the tile and you keep the headache - forever and ever.
...See More
Joyce_L
12 years ago
I also need to level a floor of the same type as mimiandalex. Another question ...this is for a kitchen and hallway, which have several doors to other rooms, and a stairway leading down to a basement. One of the rooms off the hall is a bathroom which has a tile floor lower than the floor that needs leveling, 4 other rooms off the hallway are carpeted. Would not the self leveling material run onto carpet, down to the bathroom tile, and down the stairwell? Can you use self-leveling for certain parts of a space, eg the very lowest parts, while avoiding other areas,eg under kitchen cabinets, top of stairwell, and transition areas (carpeted rooms, etc.)

Related Stories

REMODELING GUIDES The Case for Linoleum and Vinyl Floors

Have pets, kids and a tight budget? Easy-care resilient floors may be the choice for you

FLOORS 5 Reasons Vinyl Flooring Might Be Right for You

This increasingly popular flooring material has some very real benefits

KITCHEN DESIGN The Kitchen Storage Space That Hides at Floor Level

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Cabinet toe kicks can cleverly house a bank of wide drawers — or be dressed up to add a flourish to your kitchen design

MOST POPULAR A Fine Mess: How to Have a Clean-Enough Home Over Summer Break

By Alison Hodgson

Don't have an 'I'd rather be cleaning' bumper sticker? To keep your home bearably tidy when the kids are around more, try these strategies

REMODELING GUIDES Transition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors

By By Any Design Ltd.

Plan ahead to prevent unsightly or unsafe transitions between floor surfaces. Here's what you need to know

KITCHEN DESIGN So Over Stainless in the Kitchen? 14 Reasons to Give In to Color

By Becky Harris

Colorful kitchen appliances are popular again, and now you've got more choices than ever. Which would you choose?

REMODELING GUIDES From the Pros: 8 Reasons Kitchen Renovations Go Over Budget

By Erin Carlyle

We asked kitchen designers to tell us the most common budget-busters they see

KITCHEN CABINETS Colorful Ways to Make Over Your Kitchen Cabinetry

By Twinkle and Whistle

Try these inspiring color updates to spice up your kitchen a little — or a lot

TILE Porcelain vs. Ceramic Tile: A Five-Scenario Showdown

Explore where and why one of these popular tile choices makes more sense than the other

FLOORS How to Get a Tile Floor Installed

Inventive options and durability make tile a good choice for floors. Here’s what to expect

Sponsored

More Discussions

Help with floor colors

4

how to prevent water from the bathroom damaging the wood floor outside

2

New wood floors procedure

12

Which way would you lay the tile in our bathroom in our medical office

6

Villa borghese / california classics

0