Commercial Vinyl tiles were popular flooring choice because it was cheap and easy to put down. However, it wears down quickly and, because it was cheap to install, now has a “cheap” reputation. Most building owners and homeowners want a better personality for their flooring and many of them are wondering how they can cover their vinyl tile with concrete topping.

If a building contains asbestos vinyl tile, it can’t be removed, so covering, or encapsulating, vinyl tile with a concrete topping is a great alternative. To begin, prepare the surface so the concrete topping can adhere to it. Cover any seams with a skim coat like Duraamen’s Skraffino to make it level. If the vinyl is no longer adhering to its substrate, this would also need to be repaired first.

As with any flooring installation, installing a concrete floor topping over vinyl tile or any other flooring requires surface preparation. If there are any dips, cracks, seams or screws, these must be patched over. If this doesn’t happen, the imperfections might be mirrored in your concrete floor topping.

The experts at Duraamen can evaluate your situation and make the recommendations for what product and approach would be best in your particular project of covering vinyl tile with concrete topping. Typically, after the Skraffino, you will install a primer such as CP1000.

Duraamen’s Param SSL (semi-self leveling) is a cementitious powder that is mixed with water before application. It can be tinted to match your home decor or building color scheme so your concrete floor can match the feel of the vinyl tile you had before, or it can be a totally new color. You don’t have to worry about your concrete topping floor being stark white!