Vinyl flooring over linoleum

I am looking at laying down the "new" vinyl sticky flooring over top of my old linoleum flooring (or it maybe old vinyl tile flooring). I have a few dips and cracks in the current flooring. I've had my sub-flooring looked at twice. First time by the inspector of my home when I bought the house and the 2nd time by a contractor. They both said the sub-flooring is fine; however the contractor said it looks more like they just put the flooring down incorrectly as there is a small knot/hole where you can see the wood underneath, he said it looks like they forgot to place down the hardie board. So instead of tearing it all up, I want to just place the vinyl flooring over top but needing something to fill in those dips so I don't have it with the new flooring. I know the best solution is to just rip up all the flooring and start again, but I cannot do that on my own nor have the time and funds to pay for someone to do it for me. So what would ya'll suggest?? Thank you for your time and help.

 

Anything you put down will just telegraph the imperfections, to do it right you need to remove the floor and put down a layer of Luan to get it flat!

Sorry, no short cuts for doing it right!

 

"hardie board" under vinyl? You never use hardie board under vinyl, but you don't use luan either. If you are going to put down an underlayment, use underlayment plywood. luan has voids which can collapse when walked on. What kind of "sticky vinyl" are you thinking of using, "peel and stick tiles, LVT, or what?

 

Just confirming, I have never heard the term "underlayment plywood", are they the same? Luan is the only item I have seen used under vinyl products!

Resilient (Vinyl) Flooring: Use 1/8" - 1/4" tropical hardwood plywood panel (luan) underlayment. Make sure that the smooth side of the plywood is facing up.

 

 

Sorry but putting something on top of crap does not sound like a good idea to me.

 

Agreed, was hoping for a "quick fix" but yea best I just replace it all and not have problems in the future

 

Underlayment grade plywood is made to be put under vinyl products. Luan can have interior voids that can collapse over time. I have seen high heel shoes punch right through it.

 

good to know, thank you Sam

 

Basically, it depends on what you want the finished product to look like. The mechanical condition of the old flooring will definitely be reflected in the new and you don't want to attach adhesive flooring to a surface that isn't well fastened down. There are always ways to make do if you are on a limited budget. A common practice is to use a floor leveler which is cement like in the cracks and dips covered with a layer of 1/4 inch underlayment. If you can't afford that, you can go cheaper by using other, more permanent type fillers. But, they can be hard to remove if you ever decide to strip the entire floor down. The redneck fix is Bondo body filler. It's used to fill auto bodies. But, it's also handy to fill various other holes and it's pretty strong after it dries. It works well for holes and dips as long as they aren't to big. You can get it in tubes and can according to how much you need. You will need some plastic scrapers to level it. You scoop or squeeze some into the hole and smooth it level. Then let it dry. It may shrink some in a large hole. So, you might have apply another layer if you need it perfect. You shouldn't need to sand it if you do a good job smoothing it. But, you can if you need to. Make sure it is completely dry and hard before putting down the linoleum. If you want something faster, some fellows use fiberglass patch. But, it has to be mixed with a resin and has a short working time and is generally more messy.

You can find small dips by using a long straight edge like a yard stick. Move it on edge across the floor and look for gaps that need leveled.

 

None of those fillers will work unless the floor is already stable and does not have any movement.

 

If you are still reading, I have a suggestion, ive done this work in my rentals.