How to prepare floor for vinyl flooring?

ruhguitars

Hello community,

I started renovating my kitchen and when I removed the vinyl flooring some of the old tiles from underneath came off as well. So I decided to take all the old tiles out and start from a clean base. Unfortunately, I found a lot of areas in the 'concrete' just crumbled and wanted to come off in big chunks and I'm not sure what I'm looking at here. It seems like that the black patches are the concrete and the stuff that crumbled is another sort of concrete layer on top? Is there a product that I can use to fill these patches and even out the floor in preparation for the new flooring? Is this a job for mortar?

Cheers,
Seb

 

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @ruhguitars. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about preparing a floor.

That appears to be faux slate tiles or perhaps it's a thin layer of cement screed that has been stained to look like slate tiles. Given the age of your property I'd be a bit concerned about the darker layer under this coating being an adhesive that could potentially contain asbestos. 

There's a risk of asbestos exposure from homes built or renovated before 1990. Before starting any work, determine if asbestos is present by having your home assessed and taking necessary precautions to protect yourself and others. Access resources from the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency for guidance on safe practices. Prioritise safety by educating yourself and seeking professional assistance when needed.

Given this fracturing surface and the underlying surface is unknown, I'd suggest that installing masonite underlay would be the best way to cover and level this area, ready for your new vinyl. Before doing so, it's important to have your property assessed for the presence of asbestos so you know what you're working with.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell