How to fix a defect in the installation of a PVC tile on a concrete base?
A year ago, he laid PVC tiles on a concrete floor. I know for sure that the craftsmen poured the final concrete screed and primed the surface. However, over the course of a year, under the tiles, crackling was heard and it seems that the concrete base has crumbled because fine dust penetrates through the joints. How can I fix the situation?
Vinyl tile has relatively recently appeared on the domestic market, but has already established itself as a presentable, practical, wear-resistant, easy to install and operate floor covering. Among the advantages of this material is the possibility of re-laying it even in another room, as well as a relatively simple repair in case of unsuccessful installation. Despite the simplicity of working with PVC tiles, the surface for its laying must be properly and thoroughly prepared. In your case, this probably has not been done.
To correct the situation, you will have to completely or partially dismantle the floor covering and repair the concrete base. The scale and degree of complexity of floor repair depends on whether the concrete base completely or in separate fragments has collapsed and which of the three types of vinyl tiles you used:
- PVC tile laid on special glue;
- self-adhesive vinyl tile with adhesive edge;
- modular PVC tile with a locking system
Perhaps the repair of the cover from the tiles of the first type will cause the most trouble. Destroyed concrete screed must be completely removed, and for a new one, use modern self-leveling ready-mix. It contains polymer additives that provide the necessary coating strength. After complete hardening, the concrete surface must be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner from dust, bumps and cracks, if any, putty and strengthen with masking tape, and then apply a primer. After the primer dries, glue can be applied and tiles laid. When buying glue, be sure to make sure that it is intended for laying vinyl flooring on a concrete base.
The proposed video will help you easily master all the stages of preparing a concrete base, applying glue, laying PVC tiles and inserting a fragment from it:
For the installation of self-adhesive or modular PVC tiles, glue is not needed, but a perfectly flat surface is required. This condition is usually provided by firmly screwing sheets of plywood or chipboard to concrete. Joints, like on a concrete screed, must be puttied and strengthened with masking tape, and only then lay the vinyl tile coating.
