I laid commercial vinyl tile over hardboard which I now know was a mistake. There are a few spots that are lifting. I knew it wasn’t the best choice, but I didn’t have room for 1/4″ ply.
I may be able to get by without replacing the entire floor, but to do so, I would need 1/8″ underlayment that is moisture resistant. Any ideas what I can use?
And if anyone needs to chastise me for using the wrong material in the first place… well, I already know that, but don’t hold back. I deserve it.
This 654-sq.-ft. ADU combines vaulted ceilings, reclaimed materials, and efficient design, offering a flexible guest suite and home office above a new garage.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
on commercial jobs they always used dash patch. They mixed it with asphalt cutback adhesive.
What lifted ? the masonite or the tile from the masonite?
Rich
What lifted ? the masonite or the tile from the masonite?
I haven't seen it yet, but from the description, I'm pretty sure it's the masonite. If it were the tiles, they would be cracking and they're not.
I used 1" narrow crown staples every 6 - 8 inches and even closer on the seams so however unlikely it seems, they must have pulled through.
You'd want wide crown every 4" on 1/8" masonite and glue would help too.The pattern you describe is fine for normal 3/8" underlayment but way tooo far apart for 1/8" and masonite is famous for wrinkles and puckers with changes in environment
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
in one of the BB's I saw sheets of what looked like Baltic Birch stamped "underlayment"...
Maybe???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
float in a floor leveling compound?
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Here's an update:
I removed a 4' X 8' section in the middle of the room. It was the only place where tiles were lifting. As I suspected, the narrow crown staples had pulled through the hardboard.
I found a place where they carry 1/8" luan and that's what I used as a replacement. It's still not the right underlayment, but as I said earlier, I didn't have room for 1/4". This time, I used staples just about every inch. I pity the next guy (which just might be me) who has to replace the floor. At least I didn't glue it down, which I was considering.
It took me most of the day just for this one section, but at least it's done... for now...
Hey, Don-
I figgered it was you when I read the thread title <G>
Now that its too late- could you just have hand nailed the masonite with some 4D ring shank nails? The heads on those nails would pull the masonite down tight.
I also wonder if we had the pressure on the compressor set just a little too high. Obviously, there isn't a lot of room for error when using 1/8" material. It may have been better to leave the staples a little proud, and hammer them down.
Aa much of a PITA it is to re-do work, at least you're done.
I know, hindsight is great. LOL
If I could have removed the tiles from the underlayment without destroying the underlayment, then yes, ring shank nails would have worked.
What I did was to remove a large section of tiles/underlayment slightly smaller than the next full tile. That left me with about 3" of tile still adhered to underlayment. I was able to remove 3" pretty cleanly with a large putty knife, but I wouldn't have been able to remove a 12" tile cleanly.
Overall, I probably wouldn't have had any problems if I had used about 3 times as many staples as I did. A wide crown stapler would have been added insurance.
The lesson I take from this is to be even more leery of deviating from tried and true practices.
Oh yeah, I learned one more thing... hardboard is just a convenient method of getting rid of excess recycled paper by dumping it back on the consumer. The only practical use for the stuff I that I can think of is protecting floors on demolition projects where it doesn't need to last longer than the project itself and is immediately disposable.
My house was sided with it, and my garage doors have panels made from it. I tend to agree that paper is a poor building product for a wet environment.