Installing Vinyl Tile Over Concrete

The concrete floor must also be free of cracks or the vinyl tile will eventually sag into the gap.

Installing vinyl tile over concrete.

Sheet vinyl can be installed over concrete if the surface of the concrete is clean smooth and dry. You can lower high spots with a grinder. So technically if you are installing vinyl plank flooring onto concrete you already have a subfloor. For these same reasons many people choose to install vinyl plank flooring in bathrooms and basements but you can also install vinyl plank flooring in your kitchen or bedroom.

Ceramic tile over wood tile concrete or vinyl should be installed by using appropriate products that will allow the right adhesion between surfaces. Tape a large piece of plastic over the concrete floor securing all edges with duct tape. Although vinyl flooring is flexible it will separate if you install it over an uneven surface so if the concrete has high spots you need to grind them down and if it has low spots or cracks you need to fill them with concrete patching compound. The strength of the product is similar to concrete.

Cracks in concrete immediately become cracks in the tile. While you can install tile directly on concrete problems erupt when the concrete cracks or shifts. You can easily install it over any rigid and level surface including concrete wood or even up to one layer of other vinyl. Any minor bumps can be removed with a masonry chisel and small sledgehammer.

If you were to remove a cracked tile from concrete undoubtedly you would see the same crack pattern below. Use a self leveler on low spots and or sand high spots of wood or concrete. However some people prefer to add another thin layer of subflooring between the concrete and vinyl. Don t sand vinyl flooring as it may contain asbestos.

Then use a level to find any spots where the ground is uneven and apply concrete self leveling compound to even it out. Always be sure the existing surface has been cleaned and leveled. Repair any holes or cracks. Installing self adhesive vinyl tiles over concrete is not always easy especially if you remove carpets from the concrete base.

All of the movement in concrete is transferred to the tile. This additional layer can improve insulation and should make your vinyl plank flooring warmer and less resonant. Self leveler is available in powder and pre mixed form and is used to create a flat smooth surface in flooring projects.