Real Estate South West

Three Top Reasons NOT to Tile over Vinyl Flooring

Though more and more people are tiling right over their existing flooring, there are many disadvantages to this. Though you may think that this will save you time, tiling right over vinyl can compromise the stability and look of your ceramic tile. Here are the top three reasons not to tile directly over vinyl flooring.
1. It wont stick well.
The top layer of vinyl is similar to plastic and it is very difficult to adhere anything to it. Vinyl is shining with an artificial shine and as your base it isnt porous which means a good bond is very difficult to achieve. No matter what kind of glue you try to apply to the vinyl, your tiles will not bond well to the vinyl. There are some who recommend roughing up the surface of the vinyl for a better bond, but this really isnt an effective method.
Because the tile and vinyl will not adhere well to one another, there might be lifting after you lay the floor. If the vinyl begins lifting and pushing the tile up, you may have to replace a section or the entire floor. If you do tile directly over vinyl or linoleum flooring, you may find at a later date that you need to remove the new tile floor to get to the old vinyl because of lifting and instability. It is probably better to save yourself the time, money and hassle by removing it now.
It is important that your new tile floor is secure and stable and direct adhesion to vinyl flooring will not ensure that. There isnt a mortar on the market that will stick to the surface of vinyl at the level needed for tile installation.
2. It wont be level.
It is much more difficult to get the floor level if you tile right over vinyl. You wont be able to figure out the anchoring pattern when you tile on top of vinyl and this is one of the key factors in a stable and level floor surface. It will also be difficult when trying to insert transitions where the floor rises or where spaces must be filled. If you start with a fresh or existing sub-floor you will have a much more stable and level end result.
3. The sub-surface under the vinyl isnt suitable for tile.
Vinyl flooring is usually installed on 1/4 plywood or particleboard. These substrates are not approved for tile because of a different material make-up. If you lay tile right over vinyl or linoleum the safety of your floor will be compromised. Tile on top of a cushioned floor is very unstable and you can develop cracks in the tiles or the grout. Because vinyl flexes, it can crack the tile. It is nearly impossible to replace a tile with a chip or a crack once it is adhered so you may end up having to replace the entire floor in the future because of the vinyl lifting and flexing.
If you do want to leave your vinyl down, then you need to prepare the floor structurally for the tiling. You will need to screw down the old vinyl and then create a mortar base using mesh and concrete. If you dont want to get into pouring cement, you can lay down a plywood sub-floor. There are products on the market now that increase the crack resistance of tiles placed on wooden sub-floors. This method isnt really much different from lifting the vinyl up. It may seem like a lot of work right now, but taking your time and doing it properly now will save you a lot of time and money down the road.
If you are still determined to keep your vinyl down, then you might consider talking to a professional tile installer. They can go over all of the pros and cons with you and look at your specific situation.
Before you proceed with your plans to tile directly over vinyl flooring, keep all of this information in mind. Not only will you have difficulty with bonding and leveling, but you will also end up with a floor that is unstable and in some cases unsafe. This money-saving and timesaving route could end up costing you a lot in the future.

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Clogged Gutters


The seasons turn and your house takes a beating from all of the wind and rain hitting your home. Your gutters can quickly get clogged with all of the debris hurled through the air. There are steps that you can do to keep your gutters in good shape, and it wont take too long to do it. Regular home maintenance is the key to keeping your gutters like new. Read on about 5 tips that will help you keep the clog out of your guttering system.

If youre old enough to remember the inside ritual of spring and fall cleaning by Grandma, youll remember that it happened every year. Even if it didnt look like it needed it. Grandma was smart and Grandpa was just as smart too. Outside maintenance was important then, just like it is today. So get into the habit of cleaning those gutters before stuff starts growing in them!

Here are a few tips on how to get safely up to clean your gutters in the spring and fall. Read over them and take them to heart when climbing on a ladder and roof.

Before you go up on top of the roof put on a tool belt with handy pockets and secure it tightly around your waist. Check out your ladder too. Make sure the rubberized foot pads are securely in tack, and no bent places in the frame are seen.
Wear good fitting foot wear and tuck shoelaces into the shoe before climbing. Wear and take along an extra pair of gloves that are snug but not to tight fitting.
Its advisable to have someone on the ground with you when climbing up. If an accident occurs, or even if you just need some tools, its good to have an extra pair of hands.

Before you start climbing up on the roof hook up your hose, and check for any leaks in the line. You want to be sure that youve got full water pressure in the line, so you can clean your gutters efficiently. Also make sure to add extensions so your water hose will reach all gutters on the house. Having a ground person is handy with the hose here because knots and twists will limit water pressure when moving the hose around from the roof.

On your modified tool belt youll need some tools to clean your gutters. Peek at these to see what youll need.

Trowel. Use your trowel to scoop out mud from your gutter.
Bucket. If there is excess mud scoop it into the bucket and lower or dispose of it nearby.
Wire Hanger. Straighten out a wire hanger, and use to poke debris through the downspout if clogged.
Salad Tongs. This can be used to clean out the connection called an outlook, or as some call it the gooseneck. This extra piece is connected at the top of the gutter to the downspout. Itll often become clogged with leaves, and a salad tong will pull out the muck.
Rag. Take two or three of them. Slippery muddy hands could cause an accident.

Now that you know how to be safe when cleaning out your gutters, and what tools youll need to clean them out, lets look at 5 ways that you can prevent clogging of your gutters.

1. Clean Routinely. Clean out your gutters every spring and fall. When done regularly it will sometimes only require you to run a power spray nozzle into the gutters and downspouts.
2. Install Wire Mesh. The wire mesh will keep most of the larger debris from entering into your gutter and causing clogs. You can find kits at most hardware stores. Use the correct mesh to keep debris out.
3. Adjust Gutters. Gutters need to be checked for the correct pitch to them. Without correct pitch the gutters will clog, and catch more leaves and other types of debris.
4. Coating and Seal. Apply a coating inside to help flush the debris down your gutters. A good coating will also prevent rust and damage to your fascia board.
5. Flush Fixture. There are new products on the market that attach to the under side and top of the board that will collect debris, but the water will run smoothly, and eventually will push the debris through the down spout.

Take care of your gutters and they will last a life time. Its worth the extra time and effort.