Question from Barb in PA
I have a vinyl tile floor in my basement. If I cover it with ceramic tile (glued, not wet-bed), will that eliminate any harmful emissions, or do I have to have it completely removed? Are there any cheaper alternatives to ceramic?
Debra’s Answer
If you cover a vinyl floor with ceramic tile and grout, it will block any outgassing from the vinyl. However, I’m concerned about glue adhering to the vinyl. I have always removed flooring down to the subfloor before installing new flooring
You can get ceramic tile flooring most of the time at Home Depot and Lowe’s for $1.50 a square foot, often even less. Not a lot of choices of color, but for a basement…
Also check out architectural salvage yards and second hand building materials stores run by Habitat for Humanity. You can get ceramic tile very cheap at these places.
