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2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 271

Chapter 11, Floors and Tile

Some types of floor cover are more durable than others. Vinyl lasts longer than carpet. Ceramic tile
lasts longer than wood block or strip flooring. But no floor material has a life expectancy equal to that of
the house itself. That makes flooring a popular focus in home improvement work.

All floor cover requires a base that’s structurally sound, clean, level (to 1/4” per 10’ span) and dry
(moisture content of the subfloor should not exceed 13 percent). Concrete makes a good base,
assuming the surface is smooth and incorporates a good vapor barrier. Untempered hardboard, plywood,
and particleboard also make a good base for flooring. Use either 1/4”- or 3/8”-thick sheets.
Underlayment needs a 1/32” gap at the edges and the ends to allow for expansion. Underlayment-grade
plywood has a sanded, C-plugged or better face. If moisture isn’t a problem, use interior type plywood.
Otherwise use either exterior or interior grade plywood with exterior glue. Trowel on a smooth coat of
cement-based underlay to prepare nearly any floor surface for resilient flooring.

Repair, Recover or Remove?
Adhesive used to secure resilient flooring tends to deteriorate when moisture comes up through the
subfloor. If resilient tile comes loose, try resetting the tile in new adhesive that’s designed for use below
grade. If the resilient tile is cracked, broken or has chipped edges, it’s usually better to install new
flooring. Matching new tile with old tile isn’t practical. Resilient tile changes color with age. But it may
not be necessary to remove the old surface when installing new. If the old surface is scarred, stained,
abraded or has been embossed by the weight of furniture, apply a liquid leveler, or trowel on a
cement-based underlayment to smooth the surface. Then install the new floor cover. If unevenness in
the underlayment is showing through, remove the old surface and do some leveling before installing the
new floor cover. Remove resilient tile if the new floor cover is also to be resilient tile.

If a wood floor is smooth and free of large cracks, refinishing may put the floor back in like-new
condition. Most wood flooring can be sanded and refinished several times. Softwood flooring with no
subfloor is an exception. Even one sanding might weaken the floor too much. Plywood block flooring
can sometimes be sanded and refinished. Thin wood flooring and wood flooring with wide cracks usually
has to be replaced – any patch would be obvious.