Would like vinyl flooring, suitability of existing concrete floor base in doubt

We recently had a water escape hence are in the position now that we have to replace the flooring.We'd really like vinyl - but I'm wondering if this is really an option...

We received a quote from a reputable fitter, but it came with a caution due to the fact a loose patch was found in the screed, and also because they believed there is a "small chance" the existing water(?) based screed may not react well with new screed that would be put on top before laying the vinyl with the risk the screed could break up.

The loose patch was in fact dinner plate sized, and we've checked over the rest of the floor and have found a number of very small patches which sounded hollow and we've chipped at those, but I feel that the only way to guarantee a sound base would be to remove the whole lot, and that would take forever unless we got a builder in to do it (expensive maybe!).

Any advice from experts on way forward would be much appreciated - at the moment I'm close to pulling the plug on the whole vinyl idea but don't want to dismiss it if there is a good solution. (laminate is not an option)

 

As spacey said your better off taking it up back to the sub floor. You'll probably find once you get going on it , it might come up quite easy. No good floorlayer would apply a smoothing compound over a weak existing compound.

 

Thanks all... am I correct in saying a scraper and hammer is the best method then? the screed is about 2mm thick maximum, and very very thin in places so I guess I'd need to sand those thin areas.

It's a Karndean floor we're hoping to put down - what sort of "guarantees" should we expect from a fitter?

 

We are all fitters on here. I personally give a years guarantee on my fitting and as I have a direct account with Karndean I'm also able to give my customers the transferable purchase guarantee. That's what i personally offer.

 

If it is stuck in places it will be easier to grind the old back, a hammer a chisel will take a while if it's bonded. If not a scraper will get it up. But everything will need to be removed. All decent companies will offer the manufacturers guarantee, and their own on fitting.

Would be best to get some1 off here to come out and do a site visit, and let you know exactly what needs to be done.

 

What about floating over it with a jumpax board or similar?

 

Out of interest cornflake (great name by the way) where abouts you based and why karndean?

 

Have you heard of distinctive. Everybody is raving about it.

 

We're based in Wiltshire. Amtico was too expensive and the Karndean van gogh came in on budget at £45 per m2 fitted. We liked the Van Gogh because the tile was a bit thicker than the Knight tile so we thought it would be more durable.

I'll look up Distinctive NK1, thanks for the tip. Whatever we go for would need to be suitable in a Kitchen as well as living area

 

£45 a metre fitted thats cheap that is, is that a +vat price

 

Hi, yes that includes vat and was with insurance recommended company. We contacted three other places, two roughly quoted £60 per m2 and the other approximately £50 per m2... neither of these have visited yet (or know about the concrete problem), but there seems a huge variance on prices for this product.

 

Does the £45 include floor prep. If it does then that's silly cheap.

 

Hi yes, it includes an amount for the screed.

 

Based on everything said here it will be wise for us get more quotes and we've decided the existing screed needs to come up - thank you for all your advice.

We'd rather pay a little more for a floor that lasts, although we have a budget which may now not stretch to Van Gogh.

Any other comments on Distinctive flooring would be appreciated, and also Knight tiles (which we have disregarded up until now) including how much to fit we should expect.

Thank you

 

Try Project Floors and Moduleo too. :thumbs

 

Knight tile is ok, but Van Gogh is better, distinctive is erm superb ;-)

 

Where in Wiltshire. I used to live that way and I know a few fitters from chippenham who may do the job for you.

 

Vusta
Colonia or Camaro (Polyflor)
Spacia Xtra