mobile homes and cheap vinyl floors - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

dacusvillegirl · 02-24-2006, 12:31 AM

In our remodeling of a double wide mobile home is it best to lay the new kitchen floor right on top of the old one?
Is the roll out vinyl better than those new peal and stick (fake looking) tiles? If you use those peal and stick squares and then you mop doesn't the water get in between them and cause the sticky stuff the weaken?

Donedat · 02-24-2006, 10:49 AM

You should be able to peel up the old vinyl floor. Might have to scrape the residue just abit. You probably can lay new over old but as soon as you set your fridge down on the "new" floor the fridge feet will punch through and ruin all your work.

So, if it were me I'd get up all the old stuff, properly prep the floor, and then put the new stuff down. Your vinyl is probably attached directly to the subfloor which means you have too options

1.) Clean off the old and install the new right on the subfloor again
2.) Slap 3/8" AC plywood down over the old and then put the new vinyl on that.

I like vinyl over squares but have used both.

PrecisionFloors · 02-24-2006, 10:24 PM

If you want to use peel n stick just send your money to me via next day air. I will give you nothing in return. It would still be a better deal than that crap. At least you wouldn't be out the labor time.

Donedat · 02-25-2006, 11:33 AM

The only reason I commented on this was I did a trailer house remodel where I used the peel-n-stick tiles for the master bath and utility hallway. They look really nice and made the home easier to sell. I was told that I would have to seal them regularly to maintain their water resistance.

soxfan · 02-26-2006, 12:22 AM

If you're going over a nice smooth, clean and flat vinal floor the peel and stick tiles will hold like iron. They're annoying to cut with compared to regular vinal tiles but its not the end of the world. Particularly so if you have existing cove base that you can pull down and replace after the tile is in.

BTW its always 'best' to remove the existing floor and any underlayment before installing new underlayment and vinal; but some situations allow for an excellent finished product when installing vinal over the existing floor. If the existing floor is much like a clean sheet of glass, you're likely to get great results.

Mike Costello · 02-27-2006, 04:22 PM

The key to this whole schmere is mobile home. If it is the origional vinyl floor it is not glued down. Chances are it was stapled around the perimeter under the walls.
Go ahead and cut it out and remove it. You are probably gonna find that the subfloor is a nice smooth particle board. Resist the urge to try to glue anything to this and install a proper subfloor like Multi Ply or Halex.

I would steer clear of the peel and stick tiles unless you are just trying to make it look good for sale. The will always shrink over time .