When I purchased my second home after outgrowing my starter home, I was absolutely in love with it. However, after moving in, I quickly realized how much I missed having a master bathroom. I didn't think I would miss it, since the nearest bathroom is right down the hall, but since I frequently have guests over for long weekends, I realized that we were "fighting" for much-needed bathroom space. I then looked into my remodeling options and a contractor told me that adding a master bath would be a very easy task to complete. The remodeling process didn't take long, and my home is now perfect. I am very eager to share what I learned about home remodeling with others who need the tips on my new blog!
Vinyl flooring is one of the most convenient and attractive surfaces that can be installed in a home or a place of business. If you're preparing to install it, though, there are several things you can do to make sure the room is ready to receive vinyl materials. Let's take a look at four issues you should address prior to installation.
Moisture
Whether you're using a concrete or wood base as the subfloor for putting down vinyl, it has to be able to stick to the surface. Even if you're highly confident the surface is dry enough, everything is going to be pulled up anyhow. This makes it a good time to search for any signs of crumbling, rot, mold or other problems that can occur when a vapor barrier forms or high humidity hits.
Place several small pieces of the stickiest packing tape you can buy on the floor. Apply them to points near the corners and a couple of spots around the middle. Leave the tape in place for 24 hours. If the packing tape comes up with little or no trouble, then you're dealing with a level of moisture that's going to compromise your new vinyl floor. In extreme cases, you may need to get moisture or mold remediation specialists to fix these problems before hiring vinyl flooring services contractors.
Levelness
Nobody wants bubbles or craters in their vinyl flooring. Take a level that's at least 18 inches in length and place it on the floor. Anywhere you find spots that are off by more than a couple of degrees, mark them. Low spots can be addressed using floor or concrete patching compounds. High spots can be sanded or planed down. Sand the spots when you're done to ensure the surface is as smooth as possible, and then vacuum the area.
Adding a Subfloor
Some folks deal with defects in their floors by putting in plywood to provide a new surface. Do not use rougher materials like OSB because they can create more problems than they solve. While the underlying surface doesn't have to be perfect when using this approach, you still will need to verify that there aren't crumbling or moisture collection issues before putting in a fresh subfloor.
Clear Adjoining Rooms
When installers come into your home, try to give them a clear path. It's also a good idea to take down any hanging items like picture frames to avoid damage due to vibrations.