VINYL ON TILES: TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SELF-LAYING

A new flooring gives the apartment a pleasing appearance. A particularly easy way is to lay vinyl on tiles. Here you will find out what you need to consider.

VINYL ON TILES: IN WHICH SITUATIONS DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

Tiles are a very robust floor covering. They are designed to last several decades. Although this is actually very positive, but see many people after a few years on their floor tired and want change - although the previous tile floor is actually still in good condition. In other cases, the surface of the tiles has worn off a bit, so that the signs of wear are already clearly visible.

Apart from this visual impairment, however, the tiles have no further damage. Even when moving into a new apartment, it may happen that the residents want to replace the floor covering, although this is still in good condition. In these cases, optical aspects usually play a decisive role: Often the design chosen by the previous inhabitants for the tiled floor does not correspond to the ideas of their successors.

If the tiled floor is still intact, it is usually not necessary to remove it to apply a new topping. In these situations, it may be useful to simply attach it to the tiles. This significantly reduces the effort of the measure. Removing the old tiled floor brings a lot of work. In addition, dirt and dust, under which the quality of living during the renovation significantly suffers. The costs are considerable. If you have to approve such measures in a rented apartment live , you must also note that the landlord . If this does not agree, you must not remove the tiles. For these reasons, it is advisable, if possible, to apply the new flooring directly to the tiles. Vinyl is particularly suitable for this.

VINYL FLOORING FOR A HIGH LEVEL OF LIVING COMFORT

Vinyl is a floor covering made of plastic. From a chemical point of view, it is closely related to the well-known PVC. Already the resolution of this abbreviation - poly vinyl chloride - shows this similarity. However, PVC is a very hard material that is only partially suitable as flooring for the floor. Therefore, this material for the production of vinyl, various additives are added, which make it a little more elastic. As a result, vinyl has excellent properties for use as a floor covering.

In the past, vinyl or PVC floors did not have a particularly good reputation. The chemical substances that were added to the materials led to unpleasant odors and were suspected to be harmful to health. However, you do not have to be deterred by this anymore. Modern vinyl floors undergo an intensive testing process that ensures they contain no harmful substances.

A vinyl floor offers many advantages. If you have previously used a tiled floor, then you certainly appreciate the comfort and easy care of this material. You can wipe these floors damp and therefore clean quickly and thoroughly. You also do not need to oil or polish the surface. If you choose vinyl as a topping, you benefit from the same advantages. Also, this material is easy to clean and resistant to moisture. In comparison to the tile, it also offers some other advantages. Most residents appreciate that vinyl is warm to the feet.

This ensures especially in winter for a pleasant climate in the apartment. In addition, the material is very quiet, so there are no problems with the neighbors. The design possibilities of this floor covering convince many users. There are versions that imitate wood or natural stone. In addition, it can create interesting design floors that give your apartment a very special charm. In addition, it has a positive effect that the installation brings only a small amount of work.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF VINYL FLOORS

Anyone who chooses vinyl as the material for the floor can choose from several product types. For one thing, there are offers that are made entirely of vinyl. These are slightly flexible and have a low strength. But there are still some differences in the field of solid vinyl flooring. Many offers are suitable for floating installation - without the use of adhesives. These products have a click system. This allows you to attach the individual plates or strips firmly together. On the other hand, you must glue other versions to the floor in a wet bed. These are suitable, for example, for use in damp rooms, since floating vinyl floors are not recommended here. Another alternative is self-adhesive vinyl plates. You just have to remove the protective film on the underside and then stick the plate to the surface. These products have a very low thickness - usually it is a maximum of 2 mm.

In addition, there are floor coverings where only the top layer is vinyl. Underneath is a carrier layer made of HDF. This makes the plates particularly stable and stiff. Vinyl floors with HDF backing are usually laid floating. Therefore, they are also equipped with a click system. Their thickness is usually much higher than with full vinyl floors.

WHICH VINYL FLOOR CAN BE ATTACHED TO TILES?

Due to the different types of vinyl floors, the question arises, which of them can be attached directly to the tiles. In the process, self-adhesive products are eliminated. Due to the flexibility of the material and the low strength, the joints of the tiles would still be clearly visible even under the new flooring. That would significantly affect the appearance. Even models that are suitable for sticking in a wet bed, are out of the question. The adhesives used require an absorbent surface that absorbs the moisture. This is not the case with tiles. Therefore, this does not create the required adhesive force.

Accordingly, only floating vinyl floors are suitable for mounting on tiles. These can easily be laid out on the flat surface without the need for further preparatory measures. Small bumps, such as occur in the joints, are simply covered and are no longer visible after laying out.

If you just put the new flooring on the old tiles, you have to keep in mind that the new floor will be slightly higher. This can cause problems - especially in the door area. If you perform this measure only in some areas of the apartment, you must also note that this may cause height differences between the different areas. This leads to the fact that a coating with the lowest possible thickness is recommended. This will reduce the effects of this effect. Since solid vinyl floors are generally much thinner than models with HDF support, they are often laid directly on tiles.

WHICH PROPERTIES MUST THE OLD TILE FLOOR HAVE?

Before you can start working, it is necessary to take a close look at the old tiled floor. Because it is not always guaranteed that you can apply the new vinyl flooring without any problems. The first step is always to check if the existing height is sufficient for the new floor. Especially in the field of doors, it is necessary to measure exactly how much leeway there is. In addition, you should find out whether the position of the door can be adjusted to gain the required height. If it turns out that there is not enough free space, unfortunately, there is nothing left but to remove the old tiles.

In addition, you should use a yardstick to check for any unevenness in the ground. In general, the measurement is made with a bar with a length of two meters. The height differences on this route should not exceed 6 mm. When using a full-thickness, low-strength vinyl floor, increased requirements apply, so that the unevenness should not exceed 5 mm. In addition, you need to check if there are height differences between adjacent plates. These should be a maximum of 2 mm. Even textured tiles can cause problems, as these patterns can also affect the new floor covering.

In structured tiles and larger differences in height between adjacent plates are basically two options. Either you use vinyl with a backing layer. These products are not quite as prone to these bumps. You can also attach a soft insulation material under the floor covering. In this way, the differences in height can even better compensate. However, if you want to use full vinyl, it is necessary to apply putty to remove the bumps.

WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN USING UNDERFLOOR HEATING?

Many tiled floors are equipped with underfloor heating. This eliminates the unpleasant cold feeling that this material brings with it and provides comforting warmth. However, if you cover the tiles with vinyl, the question arises whether this affects the function of the underfloor heating.

For this heating system to have its full effect, it is important that the floor covering passes the heat well. Tiles have a very high thermal conductivity, so they are ideal for this task. When using vinyl, this conductivity is somewhat lower, but still sufficient. However, it should be noted that there are great differences between full vinyl and products with a carrier layer. Full vinyl is characterized by a very high thermal conductivity, so you will probably hardly notice the difference. The material of the carrier layer, on the other hand, insulates the heat significantly more. Although the thermal conductivity is usually within the legal requirements, you must expect that the effect of underfloor heating will be reduced somewhat.

Vinyl floors are also sensitive to heat. For this reason, it is important that the heat output of the floor heating can be limited. The surface temperature should be a maximum of 28 degrees. For most water-bearing underfloor heating, this is not a problem. For many electrical systems, however, this possibility does not exist. Therefore, the combination of electric underfloor heating and vinyl flooring is generally not recommended. In addition, it is important to note that the product used must be approved for use with underfloor heating. This information should be indicated on the packaging.

PREPARE THE UNDERGROUND PROPERLY

Before laying the vinyl in your home, it is important to prepare the ground. As already mentioned, it is important to compensate for larger differences in height with putty. Even with very wide joints, this can be recommended. In addition, you must make sure that all tiles are tight.

If this is not the case, you must remove the individual plates and re-gluing. To check the tiles for cavities, you can tap them with a broomstick. You will hear it immediately if a plate is not properly attached. After that a thorough cleaning is necessary. You must remove all foreign objects carefully. Even a small object can be felt when it is below the vinyl floor.

Source: Indecortrends.com