VCT prep ?
- Thread starter 370z
- Start date
Busted_Knuckles
Well-known member
Ive never done VCT over concrete, but would expect it to "telegraph" any cracks or gaps, so yes, fill them. Not sure on cleaners. I guess that depends on what the floor is contaminated with.
rwhite692
Well-known member
You really do not need to bother with filling hairline cracks unless there is some "chipout" or pieces of concrete which are missing here and there where it has broken off the edge of the crack. I had a few, and just filled them with Quickrete brand elastomeric crack filler (it's available at Lowe's, in the aisle where they sell all of the concrete-related stuff).
I also used that same material to fill all of my 1/8" saw cut control joints, prior to laying VCT. I stuffed 1/8" weatherstripping down into the saw cuts, about 3/4" from the surface.
To date, I have absolutely no "telegraphing" of the saw cuts visible in the tile surface.
To prep, all I did was to damp mop, and vacuum. You really don't need to fret too much over it. Just make sure everything is smooth and clean. The VCT adhesive (I used Henry 430, from Lowe's) sticks like crazy.
I would use a cleaner like Castrol Super Clean and a stiff bristle brush to address any oily spots. As long as they are good and dry, although still stained by oil, you should not have any adhesion problems.
There are some pics of laying VCT in the build thread at the link below (towards the end)
I also used that same material to fill all of my 1/8" saw cut control joints, prior to laying VCT. I stuffed 1/8" weatherstripping down into the saw cuts, about 3/4" from the surface.
To date, I have absolutely no "telegraphing" of the saw cuts visible in the tile surface.
To prep, all I did was to damp mop, and vacuum. You really don't need to fret too much over it. Just make sure everything is smooth and clean. The VCT adhesive (I used Henry 430, from Lowe's) sticks like crazy.
I would use a cleaner like Castrol Super Clean and a stiff bristle brush to address any oily spots. As long as they are good and dry, although still stained by oil, you should not have any adhesion problems.
There are some pics of laying VCT in the build thread at the link below (towards the end)
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Cool, thanks guys. I just got back from HD and i got all my stuff (almost). I went ahead and got the beahr cleaner/etcher to prep the floor. the rental at HD said they dont have a VCT cutter, are there any alternatives to useing a specific VCT cutter? they want me to use a manual tile (ceramic) cutter.
admactanium
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2008
- Messages
- 77
Can't you score VCT with a boxcutter and snap it on the score? That's how I thought it was done.
foss
Well-known member
definitely, that's what I did ....... worked fine.
foss
Well-known member
broke clean every time......wasn't very difficult .
rwhite692
Well-known member
For tiles which end at your walls, where there will be a baseboard or other molding covering the cut edge, the score-and-snap method works just fine. VCT tile is extremely easy to cut using score-and-snap. A VCT tile cutter is not necessary.
If you are doing critical cuts (like say, around a doorjamb, or making an inlaid design) then, you want to use a table saw to get perfect, razor sharp, clean cuts.
Rob
If you are doing critical cuts (like say, around a doorjamb, or making an inlaid design) then, you want to use a table saw to get perfect, razor sharp, clean cuts.
Rob
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370z, are you going to be taking before and after shots? We're a bunch of voyeurs here and love to see how the projects come out.
What about a clear epoxy coating over the VCT, are you planning on doing that? I'm 90% sure I'm going with a VCT next Spring/Summer in our new garage, so I'm very interested to see how you do here.
What about a clear epoxy coating over the VCT, are you planning on doing that? I'm 90% sure I'm going with a VCT next Spring/Summer in our new garage, so I'm very interested to see how you do here.