Vinyl and Linoleum Flooring - Saving the floor......before starting over

A guy installed vinyl flooring in a high traffic area (the kitchen) for a relative. An adhesive was used and needless to say it has started oozing to the top between the tiles. Having a little knowledge in this area, either the wrong adhesive was used or he didn’t let the adhesive dry properly. :wall:

Without ripping it all up and starting over again which may cause complications (I believe the guy is just a handyman trying to make a buck and things may go sour in more ways than one) …….. Can I suggest that he clean the entire floor with and acetone and apply a thin coat of polyurethane? Are the two chemicals compatible (acetone and polyurethane)

Thanks in advance,

It's possible the installer used the wrong adhesive or too much of the right. Unfortunately, the fix is in removing the vinyl tile and trying to scrape up the adhesive. You won't fix it by cleaning the ooze - it will continue to ooze. Polyurethane won't stick very well either, unless you remove any wax or cleaners, including the factory finish. Even then you may be creating more problems.

I would ask the guy to come back and remove what he installed, including the adhesive. Then get rid of him. Anyone who can't read the directions on a container of adhesive has no business installing your relative's new floor.

R'gards,

Jim

Hey..Jim may be a first poster (and welcome to you both), but that sounds right on track. probably used a notched trowel that was too big, or no notches at all, and he guessed at it.

Poly on any sort of vinyl/VCT floor is not a good idea.

Hey Jim..whats " the real Northern CA"...50 miles north of NAPA and above? Or starting at Eureka?

Hey..Jim may be a first poster (and welcome to you both), but that sounds right on track. probably used a notched trowel that was too big, or no notches at all, and he guessed at it.
No guessing allowed. ;) I did floors for 35 years and fixed plenty of those kinds of problems left behind by well-meaning DIYers or inept handymen/women. :eek:

Hey Jim..whats " the real Northern CA"...50 miles north of NAPA and above? Or starting at Eureka?
Napa??? That's still in the Bay Area and nowhere close to Northern California. Sacramento would be considered near the center of California, so rightfully, anything North of that would be Northern California. However, there has to be a Central of everything and between Sac and Fresno would be the Central Valley. South of that valley would be Southern California, West of that would be The Bay Area. Marysville would be the beginning of Northern California, but the coastal area would be North Coast area. I don't know where so many Californians learned geography, but it wasn't from me. ;) :p

I live in Quincy - 80 miles North-West of Reno, NV, in the Sierra-Nevadas. Beautiful country.

Thanks for the welcome.

Jim

You guys are great and thanks. I was really hoping there was another way but deep I knew what had to be done. Just trying to save some time and money (the guy is not bonded and I'll probally be the one fixing this stuff)

Again, thanks fellas

Well, let's hope he is at least conscientious. Ask him to remove what he did and call it good. You can install new tile the right way - either hire a bonafide flooring professional or DIY.

Jim