Image default
Home Improvement

The Importance Of The Subfloor In The World Of Vinyl Flooring.

They are much easier to clean, quicker to install, resistant to scratches, stains and impact and offer acoustic and thermal comfort to keep all rooms in the house cosy throughout the year.

But what you may not know is that, for everything to go smoothly in the installation and your vinyl floor to be perfect the way you always dreamed of, it is necessary to pay attention, first of all, to the subfloor.

Subfloor and vinyl flooring installation

The success of your vinyl flooring installation is directly related to the quality of the subfloor. To do this, it is necessary to certify that your subfloor is:

  • Cleansed

Before installation begins, it is recommended that the subfloor be thoroughly cleaned.

Removes the remains of mass, plaster, loose pieces, paint or pen marks and eliminates fats, oils and all other types of dirt.

You can use an electric sander or manual sandpaper to remove these remains.

  • dry and cured

Moisture content must be ascertained before installation.

If the flooring is installed over a wet subfloor, the water will not be able to evaporate and can form bubbles and even shift the flooring.

For a safe installation, a maximum of 2.5% moisture in the subfloor is recommended.

  • Sign

So that the vinyl does not move, the subfloor must not have loose parts or a detachment of particles.

In addition, a weak subfloor will not support the weight of furniture and other objects and will begin to sag, causing the vinyl flooring above it to crack.

We recommend mechanical compressive strength of the subfloor greater than or equal to 15 MPa for use classes 21, 22 and 23, which include residential areas with moderate, general and heavy traffic and a minimum compressive strength of 20 MPa for use classes. Use above 31 commercial and industrial environments with general, medium, rich and heavy traffic.

  • waterproofed

Problems with moisture in the subfloor are not exclusive to vinyl flooring. Any other covering, such as wood, stone or ceramic, over time, water will loosen. Thus, it is necessary that before starting the installation, certify that there is no humidity greater than 2.5% in the subfloor.

As practical and quick as vinyl flooring installation may be, if the subfloor is not in ideal condition, the entire project can be lost.

What are the subfloors allowed for the installation of vinyl flooring?

Subfloors over which vinyl flooring can be installed are:

  • Cement: straightened or concrete plate
  • Ceramic floor: with joints less than 5mm
  • Stone: polished marble and granite, with well-adhered and level vessels and joints less than 5mm
  • High resistance floor: sand the entire surface or apply an acrylic primer to give more adhesion
  • Paviflex®: only for the installation of another layer of Paviflex ®
  • Subfloor with heating systems: ensure that the system is turned off 48 hours before the installation of the vinyl floor and that it is kept off for 48 hours after the end.
  • Blocked mezzanine or balcony: wholly blocked, with panel wall, cementitious plate or concrete plate
  • Raised floor: locked and level

And what are the subfloors not allowed?

Underlayments that must be removed before the installation of vinyl flooring are:

  • Burnt cement: the burnt cement floor must be chipped, and a new base must be prepared
  • Any wood flooring: studs, boards, parquet, laminate, and other types of wood flooring must be removed and a new base prepared.
  • Stones and ceramics with joints more significant than 5mm: must be removed, and a new base must be prepared.
  • Paviflex® with bituminous adhesive (black glue): the floor must be removed entirely, and the bond must be sanded with wet sand, an electric sander, and a diamond disc so that no trace remains. If this procedure is not carried out, the flooring installed above this surface may come unstuck.
  • Other vinyl floors (blankets and LVT): must be removed, and a new base must be prepared
  • Acrylic or epoxy paint: the surface must be sanded with an electric sander or sandpaper nº 60 to create porosity. Otherwise, there will be no adherence to the preparation or self-levelling mass.
  • Industrial kitchen and external areas: we do not recommend the application of vinyl flooring in industrial kitchens and shallow areas

How to level the subfloor before vinyl installation?

  • To correct undulations and unevenness in the subfloor, it is necessary to use a self-levelling agent.
  • A high-quality floor goes far beyond its benefits and the material used.
  • The skill and professionalism of the installer also have a significant influence on the final result.

Related posts

What are the essential carpet cleaning equipment

Antonio Martinez

Kitchen Renovation: Basic Guidelines

Joshua Jones

Storage War Stories: The Improvised Mortician

admin