| Repairing Vinyl Floors |
| Repairing Vinyl Floors |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-704 |
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Home-repair expert Brad Staggs provides some basic information about repairing damaged vinyl floors. - Repairing small nicks and scratches in vinyl flooring is fairly simple. Simply use a putty knife to force some sheet-floor adhesive (available at home centers) underneath the edge or flap of the nick (figure A).
- Use a brick or heavy book as a weight to hold the flap down until the adhesive has hardened. You may want to use some painter's masking tape to prevent the adhesive from adhering to the weight.
- A more substantial repair is a seam that has begun to lift and curl up along the edge (figure B).
- To repair a seam, use a putty knife to scrape away any excess adhesive or dirt that's underneath the edge (figure C).
- Use the same putty knife to apply sheet-floor adhesive beneath the seam (figure D).
- Press the seam down (figure E) and use a seam roller to smooth out the edge.
- Again, use a brick or heavy object to hold the edge down as the adhesive hardens.
- For a badly damaged area, or a cigarette burn (figure F), it may be simplest to cut out the effected area and replace it with a patch. A repair like this will be easiest to conceal if there is a pattern -- such as grid squares -- to your vinyl floor.
- If you didn't happen to save some extra vinyl flooring from when your floor was installed, you may need to "steal" a patch from an inconspicuous area, such as beneath a refrigerator or at the back of a pantry or closet.
- Place the patch piece over the damaged area, and use a straight-edge and utility knife to cut through both pieces simultaneously (figure G).
- Use a putty knife to lift and scrape up the damaged piece (figure H), removing it from the sub-floor. Scrape away as much adhesive residue as you can, as well.
- Apply adhesive to the back of your cut patch, and carefully position it in place where the old piece was removed (figure I).
- Use bricks to hold the patch down until the adhesive sets.
Recap: - Sheet-floor adhesive will repair small tears and loose seams.
- Tape off a brick with masking tape to use as a weight. The tape will protect the floor.
- Match your pattern carefully when making large patch repairs.
RESOURCES :
Ortho's All About Floors and Flooring
Model: 0897214463
Author: Martin Miller
(2002)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Ortho Books
Columbus, OH 43216
Laying Floors (DIY Essentials)
Model: 1842154117
Author: Mike Lawrence
(2001)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Southwater Publishing (The Manning Partnership Ltd.-- Imprint of Anness Pub)
Phone: 0-1225-852727
Fax: 0-1225-85282
Flooring: Furnish Your Floors: 25 Stunning Surface Solutions
Model: 1842154974
Author: Catherine Tully
(2001)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Southwater Publishing (The Manning Partnership Ltd.-- Imprint of Anness Pub)
Phone: 0-1225-852727
Fax: 0-1225-85282
Creating Beautiful Floors
Model: 0376011475
Author: Sunset Books Editor
(1996)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
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