vinyl tile floor
Can I put new vinyl tiles over my exisiting ones or do I have to take them and the mastik beneath them up first?
Does anyone have any of the yellowish sandy colored beige speckeled 9 by 9 inch original floor tiles? I'd like to repair my exisiting floor. I'm the original owner and my house is all original.
You'll have to take out the original tiles before putting new ones down. If not, the lines and cracks of the originals will quickly telegraph through the new ones. Vinyl needs a very smooth surface for installation. Note too that the originals often contain asbestoes in both the tile and even more so in the mastic that was used to hold them down.
You might be able to get away with slate or some other heavier material down over the originals, but even then, whenever the originals come loose, the new tiles will also come loose. This is less than ideal, especially considering what these materials will cost installed.
New vinyl tiles are likely the most affordable way to go. They have the added benefit of looking very original (which should add value to a house that is in original condition).
We also live in an Eichler that is in fairly original shape. The original tile was mostly gone so we pulled everything up and replaced with new industrial VCT that looks rather like the original.
I'll agree with the previous post that replacing means pulling up everything for a nice installation. Additionally, having but one layer of flooring between the radiant heat and our toes made for a cozier Winter. :)
--Janet
A lot of these tiles from the 50's contain asbestos. You can get them tested, and if they do contain asbestos, you can find qualified removers.
