Can sheet vinyl flooring be PROPERLY installed without adhesive?

Question

I recently purchased a home that had been involved in a fire restoration. As part of the restoration, the kitchen & foyer floor was laid w/ new vinyl flooring. However, there is a noticable "buckle" in the vinyl that runs the length of the kitchen floor & is about 10" wide. Same story in the foyer. I also noticed the entire perimeter of the floor was caulked around the baseboards. I decided to pull back the vinyl in the foyer & discovered that there was little to NO adhesive; rather, the new vinyl was attached directly to the old linoleum floor with double sided sticky tape (looks like that clear packing tape)!! I was stunned...all of the other homes that we have installed vinyl in had new plywood subfloors installed & the vinyl laid over that with adhesive.

When I contacted the restoration company to complain, they told me it buckled because the house had been vacant & I just needed to walk on it & it would adhere. I think it's substandard work & insurance fraud. Comments?

Answer 1

There are some "loose-lay" vinyl floors that are designed to be installed without adhesive. If your floor has a white foam or hard slippery backing it may one of these. When installing loose-lay, the tape you mentioned should be installed only in doorways, along seams, and underneath appliances. Also it should have a 1/4" gap around the perimeter so that the contraction of your walls in the wintertime does not cause the floor to wrinkle. If the floor has a grey felt back it must be glued. And this means the entire surface. Vinyl can also be acceptably installed over old vinyl but the old must be prepped with cementatious floor patch to prevent the pattern of the old floor from showing. Definitely sounds like bad work.

Answer 2

Some vinyl can be laid using a loose lay or modified loose lay method. However it will tend to stretch and develop buckles over time. If you don't want to glue it down you can buy some inexpensive self adhesive vinyl tiles to put down. That's just a temporary cheap fix. To properly do the job the toilet should be removed, the old vinyl should be removed, lauan or other underlayment be put down, and then vinyl installed /glued down and trimmed out with shoe molding.

Answer 3

Going over the old is not quality. Usually 1/4 luann is laid down then glued to that.
Adhesive should always be used.
I would guess it's fraud if they told the ins. co. that they did the work but didn't do it at all. Other than that, In my opinion, it's just sub standard workmanship and fightable
Botton line, if it buckles due to their installation, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE

Answer 4

It has been several years since my new homes or remodeled homes used sheet vinyl, but I do recall one product that was adhered along the perimeter. Besides that one possibility, I am not aware of any sheet goods that do not require comprehensive adhesion. I think that I'd definitely investigate further into the matter.

Answer 5

Vinyl flooring is sometimes laid over thin carpet padding. However, I would say the old vinyl should have been removed prior to installing new vinyl and it should not be buckled in the middle. It was probably buckled the day they laid it.

Answer 6

I agree with you 100%. Thats substandard work. That project cannot be done without the use of some type of adhesive. I would take action.

Answer 7

Just to be sure, contact the manufacturer of the flooring. Its funny because we were just talking earlier today about something similar to yours. I dont know if its proper or not but I would have to say its not good. You cant use it and plan on moving major appliances around, the floor wont take the wear.

Answer 8

of course it can..i`ve laid a couple of them without the adhesive..that`s just an added cost..i mean really..if properly measured ..where`s it gonna` go??