Do I need to fully level this or chip away or patch it in?

[Dande]

Hi guys,

Basically I moved house and I have sheet vinyl ready to go in the downstairs hallway but I am not happy with the floor.

I wanted to show a few pictures for an example. The floor is not really dusty or crumbly at all even though it looks a mess. The whole floor is not this bad, there are just a few spots, like the pictures show.

So what's best? Should I chip away the bumps, fill the holes or level the whole lot please?

 

[tell80]

If you can absorb a few extra mm's in height then simply brush off all loose material - damp down to take up suction - or use a cheap litre of primer - then pour SLC.
You can remove skirtings and mess with any thresholds or just butt the vinyl sheet up to them.
You can also chip off but if its well stuck down just go over it.

FWIW: you spread adhesive from left to right ie in one direction - dont go applying swirls and higgly piggly strokes.

 

[opps]

I think you need to skim over those sections with some kind of screed.

 

[Dande]

If you can absorb a few extra mm's in height then simply brush off all loose material - damp down to take up suction - or use a cheap litre of primer - then pour SLC.
You can remove skirtings and mess with any thresholds or just butt the vinyl sheet up to them.
You can also chip off but if its well stuck down just go over it.

FWIW: you spread adhesive from left to right ie in one direction - dont go applying swirls and higgly piggly strokes.

I probably can absorb a few mm's but I don't really want to pull the skirtings unless it is easy because it's an housing association place and I am renting and cost is an issue because they don't leave you with any flooring when you move in so I am working my way through the rooms with flooring as I earn the money.

Do you mean just level the bad areas or the whole lot?

I think you need to skim over those sections with some kind of screed.

Yeah that was my thought as well. I just want the vinyl to not look crap when it's laid. I think probably 80% of the floor is ok.

 

[tell80]

Using a SLC you cover the whole floor.
Depending on the quality of the Vinyl but cheap Vinyl will grin thro & show every discrepancy in the floor as it is.
You could always experiment with loose laying the sheet with double sided tape & see how it goes?

 

[Dande]

Using a SLC you cover the whole floor.
Depending on the quality of the Vinyl but cheap Vinyl will grin thro & show every discrepancy in the floor as it is.
You could always experiment with loose laying the sheet with double sided tape & see how it goes?

Ok thanks. The sheet vinyl is only about 2-3mm thick but it is good quality. Is there any way I could use some sort of foam underlay to help absorb the imperfections a bit?

 

[tell80]

Keep it simple - simply do the easiest, most straightforward method with what you already have.

 

[dazlight]

You can’t use underlay with vinyl unless it’s like Jumpax.
Prime and 3mm coat of a latex screed

 

[Dande]

I decided to do it properly with slc. I have a problem with my gf's cat peeing by the front door so I have gotta address that first and get rid of smell. Gonna buy slc today. Thanks for the advice.