Vinyl or linoleum flooring has bubbles under

Causes

Moisture evaporation in the concrete floor slab due to insufficient curing of slab before flooring was laid

Moisture evaporation in the concrete floor slab due to damaged or non-existent damp-proof membrane under slab

High subfloor moisture level infiltrating through a suspended timber floor

Loss of adhesion due to incompatible solvents and flooring

Listed under: Interior, adhesives and sealants, adhesives, finishes, vinyl, floor coverings, vinyl flooring, Subfloor, floors, moisture

Cause

Moisture evaporation in the concrete floor slab due to insufficient curing of slab before flooring was laid

Repair

  • lift vinyl/linoleum and allow concrete floor slab to fully dry - a newly poured concrete floor slab dries at a rate of approximately 25 mm per month, so a 100 mm thick floor slab requires at least 4 months to fully dry
  • if the floor has recently been laid, contact the floor layer 

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Cause

Moisture evaporation in the concrete floor slab due to damaged or non-existent damp-proof membrane under slab

Repair

  • lift vinyl/linoleum and apply a specialist damp-proofing coating such  as a water-based epoxy coating to the concrete; lay new flooring
  • this may not be successful if the hydrostatic pressure under the slab is high; for example, where the water table is high.
  • if the floor has recently been laid, contact the floor layer 

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Cause

High subfloor moisture level infiltrating through a suspended timber floor

Repair

  • address inadequate subfloor ventilation
  • if the moisture source is from the ground, lay polythene over the ground
  • if the floor has recently been laid, contact the floor layer 
  • it is possible that very old linoleum or floor tiles may contain asbestos. Removal of more than 10m2 of flooring containing asbestos must be carried out by a licensed asbestos removalist. You can find a registry of licensed removalists on the WorkSafe New Zealand website. You can also find an information sheet about removing asbestos-containing flooring on the WorkSafe site here.

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Cause

Loss of adhesion due to incompatible solvents and flooring

Repair

  • if the floor has recently been laid, contact the floor layer 

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