DIY Installation

Can You Install Vinyl Flooring Over Carpet?

Rentals and other temporary accommodation often come equipped with carpet. Carpet that may or may not be to your taste, and it’s often old and not particularly nice. Or carpet that looks like it will get dirty if you look at it wrong… taking your security deposit with it. So you may be wondering, can I change the floor on my rental without throwing away the old carpet? Can I install vinyl flooring over carpet?

Vinyl Flooring Over Carpet: What You Must Know

If you got here, you are aware of the goodness of vinyl tile squares or LVT and how practical, water resistant, dirt resistant and noise cancelling it is. Very much unlike carpet. And you know you can install vinyl flooring yourself, which is a great way to save some money. But can you install it over an existing carpet, without ruining the carpet? After all, once your tenancy is over you want to get your security deposit back. The answer is yes… with more or less difficulty.

The main issue with having carpet under vinyl flooring is that is doesn’t really work as a proper underlay. Unless the vinyl floor is installed properly moisture could accumulate underneath and ruin the carpet. At the same time, a high pile carpet won’t offer enough support for the vinyl planks and they will wobble and bend, resulting on a very unappealing floor. So if you are installing vinyl flooring over carpet you must be very careful with the installation, and in the case of high pile carpets you need to cover them with a hard surface so you can install the vinyl properly.

Also, it’s very important to keep in mind that if you install vinyl flooring over carpet it is unlikely to age as well as if you did it over a proper hard wood and underlay. Which is fine if you’re looking to rent for a few years and just return the property to its original status afterwards. But if you actually intend to live there for a long time, you are better off removing the carpet. If you have a choice, get rid of the carpet and start your vinyl flooring installation on clean, flat wood subfloor.

Installing Vinyl Flooring Straight Over Carpet

If you are looking at a hard, low pile carpet that is correctly installed (so no wrinkles and no folds) you may be able to install LVT vinyl planks straight on top of it. This will only work with a hard low pile carpet that is properly level. To see if the carpet is level, lay down in the floor on one side of the room, and look at the carpet from the side. Then move to another wall, and look again. Can you see dips or buckles? If no, you are in luck and the carpet was properly installed on an even subfloor and you can install vinyl flooring over it.

If the carpet is not smooth and level chances are the vinyl planks won’t have the required support and won’t click properly together, or they may squeak and make noises when you walk on it. Using vinyl tile squares instead of planks may help with it, provided the carpet is mostly even. However, trying to install a flat hard floor over a bumpy surface is never going to end well.

Provided you are satisfied with the status of the carpet, you should be able to install vinyl planks or tiles straight on top of it. In order to be able to remove the vinyl flooring when you are ready to get the carpet back, you need to use a vinyl click system, and not one that requires being glued down. Think of the carpet as an underlay.

However, in order to avoid a disgusting surprise when you remove the vinyl after a few years, steam clean the carpet first and let it dry perfectly. Otherwise dirt and moisture will get trapped under the plastic underlay of the vinyl, and that can lead to mould growth and stains that are impossible to remove as they have been there for too long. This can also happen if a spill is not cleaned immediately and liquid seeps under the vinyl, so be very careful if you install vinyl flooring over carpet.

The instructions to install click vinyl planks vary slightly by manufacturer, but they are usually very similar. If you intend to re-use the vinyl in the future, it pays to be careful and not force the planks into place. This way it will be easier to disassemble the floor when you want to remove it. However, don’t expect all the planks to survive the removal process. If you choose vinyl planks with a good UV resistance rating the color will remain as new for several years.

Installing Vinyl Floor Over Thick or Uneven Carpet

If the carpet is not perfectly level, or you have a high pile fluffy carpet, you won’t be able to successfully install vinyl flooring over it without some more effort. In the case of high pile “luxury” carpet you may permanently damage the textile if you install another floor on top of it, so I would really re-consider the idea unless that’s a risk you are happy to take.

As with low pile carpets, start with steam cleaning the carpet and making sure all stains are removed and the carpet is perfectly dry. This is even more important with this sort of carpets, as you can end up with a disgusting mess of mould and bacteria growing in the dust stuck on the high pile.

In order to install vinyl floor over high pile carpet you will need to put plywood planks (they don’t need to be very thick) on top of it, to create a suitable surface to install vinyl flooring. This can increase the cost, and often makes it not worth doing it unless you have a real problem with carpet.

After securing the plywood planks on top of the carpet you should be able to install vinyl flooring as usual. If you are using several plywood planks to cover the entire room make sure the seams are attached together (you can use tape for this) and as flat as possible. If there are spaces in between the plywood planks the vinyl won’t sit right and it will move as you walk on it.

If you use this system, you can use any kind of vinyl, not only vinyl planks. You can use peel and stick vinyl flooring or even roll vinyl but if you are going through this problem I would go for something that looks nice and luxurious, such as hardwood vinyl flooring. However, only click vinyl has a chance to be re-usable after you remove it so it’s the most rental friendly option.

You can install vinyl floor over carpet, and depending on the carpet it may even be a quick affair. But if you have a choice, it’s must easier and durable to remove the carpet and install vinyl floor over the wood subflooring instead. Depending on how long you keep the flooring and the quality and status of the carpets before, they will be fine afterwards. You will most likely need to steam clean them again to help a high pile carpet recover its plushness and to remove any remaining odour.

The Secret To Laying Vinyl Floor Over Old Vinyl Floor

Filed Under: DIY Installation

Vinyl flooring is cheap, cost effective and perfect for areas such as kitchen or bathroom that have to deal with high levels of humidity. However, after a few years it is likely that you will need to replace your old flooring… if you choose to try your hand at laying vinyl floor over old vinyl read this article first so you get the best results possible from your new floor.

Problems When Installing Vinyl On Vinyl Substrate

There are two common issues when installing new vinyl flooring on top of old one:

The texture of the old vinyl is still visible on the newly installed one
Marks, pokes and bubbles from the old flooring show up instead of being covered by the new vinyl layer.

These two common problems with installing vinyl are caused by the same reason: vinyl sheets or tiles are very thin and will show any imperfections in the substrate, no matter how small they are.

How To Install Vinyl on Vinyl Substrate Like A Professional

The first thing you need to do when installing vinyl flooring over old vinyl is preparing the substrate. Remove all the furniture and the base board moulding, and make sure there is nothing in the way.

Once you have cleaned the area it’s time to check the old vinyl flooring for bubbles, holes, dents and areas that are loose or loosening up from the substrate. Use a razor blade to cut out and remove all these areas. Don’t worry, the next step will fill in any holes or gaps.

Vacuum the floor and remove all dirt and debris, so you are ready for the next step: applying a skim coat. Skim coating is often used in walls, before painting, in order to achieve a perfectly smooth surface. But you can do the same to prepare your floor so the new vinyl flooring will have a perfectly even surface to adhere to. A thin layer of joint compound suitable for indoor use spread over the old vinyl floor, will patch up any gaps or dents and the holes left by removing the broken bits of the old vinyl floor.

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Follow the instructions of your chose skim coat product and mix it with water, and use a masonry trowel to spread it all over the entire floor. This will ensure the texture of the previous vinyl cannot be transferred to your new flooring. In areas where there are deeper gaps or dents use a thicker mixture of skim coat and water. Pay attention to this bit and make sure to do it right: skim coating the old vinyl floor is the secret to install vinyl on vinyl flooring like a professional.

You will need your skim coat to be as perfectly flat and even as possible, so after waiting for it to dry (which can be 14 or 18 hours, particularly if the room has poor ventilation) go through it with the trowel and gently scrape off any drips or lines left when spreading it. Some people even suggest lightly sanding any imperfection, particularly if you are installing the flooring on a room with very intense lighting. Spend time doing this, and your new floor will be perfect.

Once this step is complete, you can continue installing vinyl flooring as with any other substrate. While there are different types of flooring you can choose (vinyl planks, luxury vinyl, vinyl tiles or even wrap vinyl) using a skim coat to even the floor surface is the secret to laying vinyl floor over old vinyl successfully.

How to Install Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Flooring

Filed Under: DIY Installation

Learning how to install ceramic or porcelain tile flooring can save you a lot of money if you decide to remodel your home yourself, and the results can be as good as if a professional installed it. However, it’s a project that requires a certain amount of preparation, some tools and time to get everything perfect. The complexity of the project will depend on how you want to lay the tiles (traditionally or diagonally across the room) and whether you need to cut out holes to accommodate radiator pipes, or other integrated furniture.

Things You’ll Need

Besides a generous assortment of tiles (always buy some spare in case some get broken or damaged while cutting them) you will also need:

Tile adhesive
A notched trowel
A tile scored and a diamond hole saw
Grout (and optionally, grout sealer)
A rubber float
A tape measure
A level
Chalk and pencil, or other washable media to mark the floor and tiles
In order to clean the tiles afterwards you will need a bucket of warm water and a sponge.

Preparing the Floor To Lay Ceramic Tiles

You can lay ceramic tiles on concrete or over timber deck. In order to lay ceramic tiles on concrete, you will need to make sure the floor is perfectly even, clean and dry. If the floor is uneven, you will need to apply a self-levelling compound to fill in gaps and holes, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure you leave it to dry for as long as required, which is usually overnight. Use a coarse sandpaper block to smooth any remaining ridges.

If you are laying porcelain tiles over timber floorboards you will need to first fix a layer of plywood to the floor of at least 12mm thickness. You can just screw it down to the timber before you lay your tiles.

If any doors to the room open inwards you will need to remove them and may need to adjust their height as tiling will change the height of the floor, and the door may not fit anymore.

Do A Practice Tiling Run

If you want your new floor to look as professional as possible, you will need to carefully plan the layout so the rows are straight and evening spaced. Start at the room’s door, as that first row of tiles is the most visible. To get your new ceramic tiles to align perfectly, draw a perpendicular line to the doorstep using chalk, and starting laying your tiles (without adhesive!) following that line to the other side of the room. A spacer can be used to ensure the tiles are evenly spaced.

When you reach the other side of the room, you will find yourself with space for less than a whole tile. Draw a chalk line perpendicular to the tiles and check that the space between the chalk line and the wall is the same at both ends of the room. If that’s not the case, your room is not perfectly square, and you should adjust the line so the ending tiles on both ends of the room are of the same size.

Place all the tiles without gluing them, and check that you are happy with the pattern.

Laying Ceramic Tiles

You can start laying the ceramic tiles on the floor at the point where the two chalk lines intercept. Using a notched spreader apply adhesive to a square area of the floor of about 3×3 tiles wide (though as you get quicker at laying tiles you may want to increase this to 4×4 tiles). Fix the tiles to the adhesive, using spacers to make sure the space between tiles is the same.

With a spirit level check that the tiles are level (check each row across and diagonally). You can lower tiles that are too high placing a bit of wood and hammering softly on it, but tiles than are lower than the others will need to be removed, and reinstalled with extra adhesive.

Leave the adhesive to set and do not step on the tiles. You will need about 24 hours for the tile adhesive to cure enough for grouting.

Preparing Tiles For The Border

You will most likely need to cut some tiles to size so they fit snuggly against the walls. You can measure tiles exactly by laying them upside down over your last full tile row, and marking them. Then you can cut them with a tile cutter or saw.’

Grouting

Mix the grout following the pack instructions. Depending on the effect you are after, you can choose a grout mixture that dries on a contrasting colour to your tiles, or one that blends with them. This process is very similar to installing vinyl floor grout.

Using a rubber-edged squeegee held at 45-degree angle fill the spaces between tiles with the grout, after removing the spacers. You can use a damp sponge to remove any stray grout that falls on the surface of a tile, but be really careful not to remove the grout you just applied in between the tiles!

Once the grout has cured you can use warm soapy water to clean up the floor, just make sure to use products suitable for the type of grout and ceramic tile you installed. Some people prefer to use a grout sealer at this point to make sure bacteria and dirt can’t enter the porous grout. If you are installing ceramic tiles on kitchen or bathroom surfaces this step is advisable for hygiene reasons.

Tips For Laying Ceramic Tiles On Uneven Surfaces

How to Remove Floor Tiles

Filed Under: DIY Installation

Before you can install your new flooring, you need to get rid of the old one. Learning how to remove floor tiles quickly and efficiently will save you lots of time and money, even if you choose to have the floor installed by somebody else. Depending on the type of tile, this process can take from a few hours of light work to over a day of hard work, lots of noise and dust if you need to remove ceramic tiles attached to concrete.

Removing Vinyl Floor Tile

If you are removing a vinyl floor, whether it is made of self adhesive vinyl floor tiles or vinyl planks, the job is usually relatively easy. In many cases, you can use a utility knife to cut the tiles into strips, and cut the adhesive below to separate the vinyl sheet from the floor. However, this won’t get rid of the adhesive glue and if you want to install a new type of flooring on top of it you’ll need to clean it up scrapping, or using chemical solvents to remove old vinyl.

Removing Vinyl Adhesive Video

Removing Ceramic Floor Tile

Depending on the base to which the tiles are glued, the process will be more or less difficult, but keep in mind that invariably you will produce lots of noise, dust and flying particles, so make sure you wear the right protective gear and warn your neighbours before they call the police to complain.

Recommended Protective Gear

Don’t leave anything to chance and protect yourself from damage when removing porcelain or ceramic floor tiles.

Leather gloves, thick long pants and a thick long-sleeve shirt that will protect your body from flying bits of porcelain (which are very similar to glass and can cause deep cuts).
Wraparound safety googles
Ear protection if you are using power tools (and you should).

Ceramic Tiles On Concrete Slab

This is the most difficult type of floor tiles to remove, as the tiles need to be broken in order to remove them from the concrete slab. You can do that with a small sledgehammer, or rent a power scrapper or chipping hammer to pulverise the tiles in a fraction of the time.

To remove ceramic tiles on concrete slab start with breaking up the tile using one of the above tools. Then loosen any remaining tile fragments with a hand-held scrapper on a long pole or with a putty knife, using a hammer to hit the handle. The result will be sharp shards of tile everywhere (particularly with porcelain, which reacts pretty much like glass when struck), which you will need to either sweep using a broom or vacuum.

Watch This Video To See How To Remove Ceramic Floor Tiles

Ceramic Tiles On Cement Board

If the ceramic flooring you are trying to remove is attached to a cement board, the best and quickest option is to remove both at the same time. To do so, you will need to start removing the flooring at the place where it ends and a different type of flooring (carpet, wood) starts, and you will be able to use a spade to separate the cement from the wood substrate by lifting it.

Start by using the hammer to pulverise the tiles on an area that is as wide as your shovel and a few inches into the vinyl floor. You can try to use a putty knife and a hammer to chip out the grout, and prying up the tile by wedging the knife under it. Once the tile and tile fragments are removed, you will need a hammer to pulverise the cement board.

Once you have enough room to push the spade under the board, you can use a pry bar or a flat spade to pry up the cement board. If the board was installed with screws, you may need to remove them separately.

20 Must-Have Tools For Common Home Repairs

Filed Under: DIY Installation

Having a set of tools at home is very important especially in cases when something goes wrong and needs a repair. Making home repairs means having the right materials and tools on hand to get the job done correctly and quickly. Even if you do not consider yourself a pro or skilled enough in fixing things, you still need a few essential tools at home. Below is a short rundown on the 20 must-have tools for common home repairs.

1. Hammer

This tool is used for prying up old nails, nailing up pictures, and knocking off old gutters in the garage, among many others.

2. Pliers

These tool come in various shapes and sizes. These are used for many different task applications such as cutting wires and gripping on something that the hands or fingers can’t grip. The most commonly used types of pliers include locking, needle-nose, groove-joint, and slip joint.

3. Wrench

This tool is used for tightening or loosening most nuts and bolts. It comes in various types which include Allen, adjustable, combination, socket, and open end. An adjustable type of wrench comes in handy when installing or uninstalling items at home.

4. Measuring tape

This tool is used to measure the size of doorways and openings to make sure that there is enough room to fit furniture or appliances through. It is also used to center pictures or any wall decor.

5. Cordless Drill

This tool is battery-operated and can be used to make assembling and disassembling things easier. It is used to screw and unscrew nails and make holes in metal, wood, or concrete. Typically, it comes with a bunch of various insertable bits such as a bore or flat-head.

6. Circular Saw

This tool is indispensable for cutting plywood sheets and lumber. It comes in various blades which include plastic, metal, masonry, rip, and crosscut. A 15-amp circular saw is recommended for various home repair projects.

7. Level

This tool is used to determine the horizontal and vertical leveling needs. It comes in various sizes, shapes, and lengths ranging from 6 feet to 30 inches. For home repair or renovation projects, a 2 or 4 feet level is most useful.

8. Screwdriver

This tool is used to tighten and loosen screws. This tool comes in handy when doing air conditioning maintenance at home as it helps you unscrew and open the AC cover. It comes in various types, which are designed to fit various screw heads like the standard head, Philips head, and torx head.

9. Pry bar

Also known as “cat’s paw”, this tool is used to pull nails or remove moldings. It is an essential tool for any home renovation or repair jobs.

10. Combination square

This tool is used to measure and mark different angles, depths, and heights.

11. Clamp

This tool is used to hold parts together while the glue dries or any clamping jobs such as gluing veneers to a core material.

12. Electrical tester

This tool is used to check if there is any electric current running through the electrical circuit before working on it.

13. Chalk Line

This tool is used to mark straight lines on plywood sheets, flooring tiles, or wallpapers for accurate cutting.

14. Stud finder

This tool is used for mounting or hanging heavy items on the wall.

15. Random Orbital sander

This tool is used for refinishing or finishing wood projects.

16. Auger

This tool is used for plumbing maintenance and repairs. It is used to unclog pipes, showers, bathtubs, toilets, and sinks.

17. Pipe wrenches

This tool is used to loosen and tighten pipes or any other plumping connection.

18. Propane torch

This tool is used to weld pipes and copper fitting. Torch with self-ignition head works best for various plumping pipe repairs.

19. Teflon tape

This thin, white tape is used to seal the pipe threads before connecting it with another pipe. This ensures that the air, gas, or water inside the pipe does not leak out.

20. Utility knife

A versatile tool that can be used for various cutting needs at home. It comes with replaceable and retractable blades.

Rachel is a blogger for Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Minneapolis who has a team of plumbers in Brooklyn Park, MN that specialize in common household repairs such as plumbing. You can follow Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Minneapolis @MPLSplumber.