Many people continue to keep placing tiles on their existing floors. There are several disadvantages on doing this. While most people tend to think that such a procedure will save on time, fact is that putting tiles on top of vinyl can jeopardize the appearance and durability of the ceramic tile itself. Here are the 3 main reasons why you should not put tiles on vinyl floors directly.
1. Sticking is a problem
The surface of vinyl is quite similar to the surface of plastic. That's why sticking anything to it becomes problematic. Since the surface of vinyl has an artificial shine it also means that achieving bonding because of non-porosity can be difficult. Irrespective of the type of glue you use on the vinyl surface, the tiles will not stick to the vinyl. Some people might suggest you to roughen the vinyl surface to ensure better adherence but it is not a very effective plan.
Since the vinyl surface will not stick to the tile, you might even experience lifting, even after laying the floor. Sometimes the vinyl might push or lift the tiles upwards. This can cause you to replace either the entire flooring or a certain section as well. It is critical to ensure that the newly tiles flooring is securely fastened. It needs to possess stability and directly adhering the tile to vinyl floor will not achieve this. You will not find mortar which can be used to stick the tile to the vinyl surface which will be needed for installing the tile.
2. Not in level
Tiling right on the vinyl surface will not ensure a smooth and level surface of the floor. Estimation of anchoring patterns becomes very difficult and redious when you place tiles directly on top of the vinyl surface. Determining the anchoring pattern is a crucial stage in ensuring a level and stable flooring surface.
3. The next layer of vinyl isn't conducive for direct tiling
Usually all vinyl flooring is placed over a particleboard or plywood which has a thickness of one-fourth inch. Such a sub-layer is not suitable for tiling, as it constitutes a different material altogether from vinyl. Placing the tiling directly over linoleum or vinyl surface will affect the safety and stability of the flooring. Placing tiles over a cushioned floor can jeopardize the stability of the flooring and many cracks can be caused in the grout or the tile areas. Especially since vinyl has a tendency to flex, it can develop cracks on the tile.
If you want to cover up the vinyl surface with tiles, make sure to perform adequate preparations on the vinyl surface for making it structurally conducive for tiling. Make sure to screw the old vinyl down followed by establishing a base made of mortar with the help of concrete and mesh. If pouring cement is not your cup of tea, you could place a sub floor comprised of plywood. You'll find many products available in the markets these days which provide more crack resistance to tiles which are placed on sub floors made of wood. However this procedure is similar to lifting of the vinyl upwards. While the process may appear to be time consuming, doing it with attention to detail will ensure you save on the money in future.
Linden Walhard's detailed reports are published on large numbers of web sites associated with what is the best kitchen flooring. With his writings, he demonstrated his capability on areas similar to vinyl kitchen flooring and what is the best kitchen flooring.
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