Help!, bitumen DPM on vinyl tiles

Hello any advice appreciated please.

We decided to glue a solid wood floor onto existing vinyl tiles. I know there are varying opinions about doing this.

We decided to use a liquid DPM first (on top of the tiles). Unfortunately our fitter was misinformed and used a bitumen emulsion (Sika Prufe) instead of polyurethane. He intended to stick the floor to the bitumen DPM.

Now we realise this cannot be done and are trying to get out of a fix. We have a few options:

1. We could scrape up the tiles and start again. This will leave bitumen (ironically) glue residue behind which is a problem to remove I believe - and must be completely gone.
2. We could use an easyfix solution (the stickyfoam type) so the floor becomes floating. I presume the sticky underlay could sit straight on top of the bitumen DPM?

I'm sure option 1 is the right thing to do but option 2 seems much easier. I notice after a few days that the bitumen still has an unpleasant smell. Will that go away?

Interested in any opinions please. Note that the room will be used as a yoga studio.

Many thanks

 

Was your fitter "a fitter" or someone just prepared to have a go.Who misinformed him?It sounds to me that you were misinformed by him as to his ability to do the job.A certain responsibility must lie with yourself in going with this guy what sold you on this guy .Was he recommended or did he sell himself that well.
Sorry if i sound like i'm going in a bit heavy but i lose jobs to people who mis spec with cheaper& as in this case the wrong products all the time because they have little or no flooring knowledge.
If i f##k up i put it right.Make him do the same.
PS I've had a s##t day.

 

All boils down to, how long do you want it to last? Are you willing to pay someone else to do it properly in 6 weeks or whenever it DOES fail.

 

Its a chippy/builder always is, rip it up to bare concrete then start again, its not a matter of opinion of if its right or wrong to go over marley tiles its fact that it is wrong to go over marley tiles.

Personally id consider not using real wood and get a decent engineered and float it, id still rip it up to the slab then skim it with 1200pro or na though, if you want to persist with real wood then the only option I can think of is to get down to the slab grind the bitumen away then dpm the slab then a high strength screed on top.

 

Thanks for the replies. He's a professional joiner, 30 years in the business.

He's a good guy with a good reputation - but was advised that the Sika Prufe was the right product by Beers Timber in Liverpool. This is not the first time he's used it and he has said that he has had no problem before. He thought because it is water based it wasn't the same as pure Bitumen. When I realised it was Bitumen based it raised alarm bells and I checked and found that Sika Prufe is intended for under screed only. But the floor was already covered. I'm sure he will put the situation right.

As advised, probably the right thing to do is remove the tiles and grind the bitumen off (with what?)

Out of interest, could I float it on the bitumen base putting the Easyfix stuff straight onto the bitumen DPM?

I already have the solid wood flooring - so I'll stick with that. I did the job myself in a different room floating it using Easyfix and it looks good. I wanted to have this one glued because the room will be used as a fitness studio (including a 'Power Plate' which vibrates ... a lot).

I appreciate the advice, I must admit I thought a joiner was the right person for wooden floors.

TonyA - have a beer, put your feet up and relax.

 

How old is the building?
The chances are the floor wont have a dpm under it.
Did the joiner take a moisture reading?

 

Any advice for getting the tiles off? I saw a guy on youtube http://youtu.be/XkJYrXO4g0o using a breaker fitted with a huge stripper (like a Hamilton stripper but much bigger)

Sorry, I'm sure it's been covered many times before. Thanks

 

1980's. No he didn't. Under the floating floor I used DPM sheeting. Thanks

 

You could hire a tile stripper from HSS

http://www.hss.com/g/58411/Floor-Tile-Stripper.html

There is one in bootle an Wavertree

All depends how hard they are to take up.

But to do it right I'd take them up, remove adhesive as well.

Then get a moisture test done

 

Hi,
I presume the studio is just for yourself? These power plates are 150kg and vibrate so not best on a floating floor...

 

No, it's my wife's business. That's what I figured.

 

OK thanks. How would you get the adhesive up?

I'm also on the Wirral BTW.

 

As I thought THINK..... Liabilities...

 

Using a grinding machine mate. You can hire them with the right disc for taking adhesive up. I don't have one or would come and have a look as live in Wallasey.

 

Thanks dazlight. What sort of grinding machine do you mean? Do you mean a scrabbler? - if so is there a cheaper alternative? Cheers

 

This sort of thing mate.

http://youtu.be/NZAq20poGNY

 

I think you're nearing a solution rulloyd and to add information for your knowledge. The reason why wood can't be glued over marley tiles is due to the shear expansion forces of a timber floor that will pop/debond the tiles with obvious consequences. That's the main reason, but there may be other reasons in relation to chemistry but that's the main one that counts IMO.

As others have guided, crack on and get the floor grinder out I'd strongly suggest that a moisture test be done, after the grinding stage, of the slab regardless of the properties age. If the readings show higher than 65% RH, then a relevant moisture suppression system should be used. This would generally come in the form of an epoxy liquid dpm and a finishing levelling compound. Although, I'm aware that some direct bond adhesives can be glued directly to a dpm but that's not the way I personally do it. The lads here may have a solution.

 

Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated. The room will only be used for light exercise (mainly Yoga!) so I think it will be OK and they will put down a proper DPM this time.

It turns out that the adhesive under the tiles is not bitumen based - more evostick type (laid 1981). Is it Ok to leave this glue under a leveling compound? Is it best to level first then DPM or the other way around?

Thanks

edit: now removing the glue with a grinder (this one http://www.blackdiamondinternational.co.uk/p/bgd180-double-row-diamond-cup-wheel-10179.php. But what comes first, liquid DPM or leveller? Thanks