Preparing concrete bathroom floor for... vinyl?

[smp50]

Hi. I've just taken the tiles up from a bathroom floor. Some parts (under the old bath) were never tiled and the "concrete" floor is nice and smooth. The rest is covered in adhesive. Example of both here:

There are also a few patches of damage where tiles pulled up some of the floor:

I'm currently looking at putting vinyl tiles down, so on top of ply (4 or 6mm, right?).

This room passes into a hallway with the same tiles that were on this floor, so I have about a tile's depth to play with and hopefully not end up with much of a step between the rooms. When laying ply, how important is it that all the adhesive is removed first? Do I need to bother at all? It seems like a hell of a job.

And, to fill up small holes as shown above, must I use some particular kind of compound or could I get away with anything like some kind of plaster or plasterboard adhesive? Will they be completely unsuitable for small repairs to floor?


Thanks

 

[ree]

Perhaps what you call a "concrete floor" is actually self levelling compound (SLC).

You could scrape off the adhesive ridges, vac the surface, and apply a primer for SLC.

Then pour a very tight flow of SLC, and leave to set. Any swirls left in the surface could be erased while the SLC is still green.

Use that surface to lay your vinyl tile.

 

[smp50]

Perhaps what you call a "concrete floor" is actually self levelling compound (SLC).

You could scrape off the adhesive ridges, vac the surface, and apply a primer for SLC.

Then pour a very tight flow of SLC, and leave to set. Any swirls left in the surface could be erased while the SLC is still green.

Use that surface to lay your vinyl tile.

Thanks - I just read from one SLC product that it shouldn't be applied to old tile adhesive (I don't know why).

Is the ply option acceptable? If I used this stuff: http://www.diy.com/nav/build/timber...d/WPB-Exterior-Plywood-2440x1220x6mm-13368694

I'd certainly end up with a flat surface and I'd be confident of doing it right myself. Any issues with that?

 

[ree]

No need - you can do it as i said above. There are other ways but if you go for ply then go for 10mm ply and screw it down on 150mm centres with 25mm screws. (no need for WBP ply).

Depending on the shape of the room, maybe you'd best make a template for cutting the ply in one piece - two, or more pieces, will mean perhaps further difficulties for you.

 

[smp50]

No need - you can do it as i said above.

There are complications such as a sunk manhole cover which mean SLC may be a problem, hence my preference for ply.

 

[ree]

Then posting pics of total bathroom and details might help.

 

[smp50]

Then posting pics of total bathroom and details might help.

Things just get off track when I include too many details and I end up with no conclusive answers and more confused than when I started.

I'd like to just deal with the ply option here, let's assume that for one reason or another SLC won't be suitable.



It's occurred to me that cheap 2mm foam underlay between the floor and the ply could be good to prevent noise from any movement that does occur. Is there any reason not to do that? And do I or do I not need a DPM?

no need for WBP ply

It's all they sell - is it OK indoors or no good due to chems used in treatment?

Depending on the shape of the room, maybe you'd best make a template for cutting the ply in one piece - two, or more pieces, will mean perhaps further difficulties for you.

The room is about 3x2m, not sure I can do it in one piece! There'll have to be joins, unfortunately (including a cover for the manhole, anyway.

 

[ree]

I dont want to go off page but i dont quite understand, i cant visualise, what i'm dealing with. Back in the day i've encountered man hole covers in bathroom extn doorways and soil pipe clean outs under bath tubs.

What kind of MH cover do you have? Are you going to have to raise the cover?

WBP can be used anywhere gives no advantages - its just a sales scam for more money. There's no chemicals issue.

The foam option wont fly.

No membrane is req'd.

 

[smp50]

I dont want to go off page but i dont quite understand, i cant visualise, what i'm dealing with. Back in the day i've encountered man hole covers in bathroom extn doorways and soil pipe clean outs under bath tubs.

What kind of MH cover do you have? Are you going to have to raise the cover?

Go through this thread if you're interested: //www.diynot.com/forums/plumbing/drain-cover-in-middle-of-bathroom-floor.401216/

WBP can be used anywhere gives no advantages - its just a sales scam for more money. There's no chemicals issue.

The foam option wont fly.

No membrane is req'd.

Thanks - but what's wrong with the foam, will it cause problems?

 

[smp50]

Another complication - there are a number of water hot/cold water pipes set into the concrete floor only about 15mm deep. Could I safely avoid them with a metal detector of some kind, not sure that works with copper, though...? I couldn't fix ply down without knowing where they were.