Laying Timber Flooring Over Existing Vinyl

Renovations uncover things. In mid-century New Zealand homes that is very often vinyl or lino laid directly onto concrete or fibre cement with an adhesive that will not let go without taking the substrate with it.

Removing it can be slow, expensive and damaging. Leaving it in place is frequently the better decision, provided the preparation is done properly. Substrate preparation is a condition of our warranty, so this is not a corner worth cutting.

Step 1: assess what is there

Not all vinyl is suitable to overlay. Try lifting it first. If it will not come up cleanly, confirm that:

• The vinyl is well bonded and stable, with no lifting, bubbling or moisture issues
• There is no sign of moisture ingress, mould or soft patches beneath it
• The floor is structurally sound with no movement

Any loose, damaged or contaminated areas must be removed before levelling. A levelling compound bonded to failing vinyl fails with it.

Step 2: grind and sand the exposed areas

Where vinyl has already lifted in patches, or at edges and corners where the substrate is exposed, mechanically sand or grind those areas to remove old adhesive residue and create a clean, sound surface.

Feather the edges where vinyl meets bare substrate to reduce the height variation. This step is what allows the levelling compound to bond evenly across two different surfaces, and skipping it produces a visible line months later.

Step 3: vacuum thoroughly

Before priming, vacuum the entire floor with a high-powered industrial vacuum. All dust, grit, debris and loose particles need to be gone. Primer over dust is primer over nothing.

Step 4: prime everything

All substrates must be primed, including the existing vinyl and any exposed concrete. Apply the primer evenly across the whole floor and allow it to dry fully in accordance with the technical data sheet before going further.

Step 5: level

Where the vinyl stays, a high-performance smoothing compound such as Stopgap 1200, or a fast-track equivalent, creates the uniform, stable surface the flooring needs.

The tolerance to work to is a height deviation of no more than 2mm over 2 metres, which is the substrate requirement in our Installation Instructions.

Once poured, use a spiked roller to de-aerate the compound and achieve the best surface finish, then allow it to cure per the manufacturer's data sheet before installing. Fast-track products cure quickly but they are not instant, and installing early is a false economy.

Then install as normal

With a properly prepared and levelled surface, the flooring installation proceeds exactly as it would on any prepared substrate: acclimatisation, adhesive selection, set-out and lay. That sequence is covered in can I lay my own oak flooring, and the wider substrate options in choosing the right substrate.

If the old covering is lino rather than vinyl, the comparison worth reading first is linoleum versus oak.

When to remove instead

Overlaying is the right call when the vinyl is sound and well bonded. It is the wrong call when there is any sign of moisture beneath it, when the vinyl is lifting across an area rather than at an edge, or when the resulting build-up would compromise a threshold or a door swing.

Full requirements, tolerances and product specifications are in the Installation Instructions. If you have a renovation substrate you are unsure about, book a design consultation and we will work through it.