Rolled Vinyl Flooring Moisture

[kingofbeer]

We have the Rolled Vinyl Flooring product in the main bathroom and most of the house. Not something that we are happy with of course. We noticed that some caulk on the outside of the shower was cracked. We removed all of the caulk and pulled up some of the vinyl. The concrete floor underneath the vinyl was damp. Yesterday we purchased a moisture meter to test. We lifted up a good part of the vinyl and are using a fan to dry out the floor. We will see after the concrete dries out, if the moisture is gone for good. Have anyone of you had this problem before?

[Topspinmo]

IMO If caulking deteriorated/cracked water going to get in. Another problem water getting out of shower all over floor. Which regardless on material on floor if caulking deteriorated water going get in. IMO any wood produce will eventually warp. Tile when wet slick and constant grout problems.Seems you’ve fixed the floor problems now see what can do about water getting out on the floor? I would be looking at caulking in shower also? My house has tile through out living room and Kitchen. It loud and hard, drop anything heavy on it and it will crack. We put large rugs down to muffler the noise and easier walking. I which I had vinyl product down, Easy to clean softer than tile less noise reverberation IMO

Probably lots has his problem they just don’t know it?

[Pugchief]

The floor will never look right again. Suggest you start pricing out LVP replacement.

[Topspinmo]

If water problem not fixed. Even with LVP flooring you could have problems?

“Quote from Google”

Can moisture get under vinyl plank flooring?
While waterproof vinyl flooring is resistant to water, if water manages to seep underneath, it can lead to various issues. It may cause the floor to warp, swell, or create mold and mildew problems. Promptly addressing water infiltration is crucial to prevent long-term damage.Jul

[kingofbeer]

If water problem not fixed. Even with LVP flooring you could have problems?

“Quote from Google”

Can moisture get under vinyl plank flooring?
While waterproof vinyl flooring is resistant to water, if water manages to seep underneath, it can lead to various issues. It may cause the floor to warp, swell, or create mold and mildew problems. Promptly addressing water infiltration is crucial to prevent long-term damage.Jul
Might be leaking from shower floor. Also thinking water splashing outside of shower could have caused problem. A little bit of water sitting can cause problems. Also, we have a bath rug on top of the vinyl which may get damp. Maybe the initial install had water trapped in there. We are going to dry up the area and see if the water comes back. For bathrooms, I would only install tile. Plus install moisture barrier protection to keep things dry. Of course, The Villages just slaps their flooring products including LVP right on top of concrete. They probably do the same thing on shower floors.

[retiredguy123]

Rolled vinyl flooring is glued down to the concrete, so it is difficult for water to get in. However, over time, the glue fails and air bubbles form under the vinyl flooring and water can get under the vinyl.

[asianthree]

IMO If caulking deteriorated/cracked water going to get in. Another problem water getting out of shower all over floor. Which regardless on material on floor if caulking deteriorated water going get in. IMO any wood produce will eventually warp. Tile when wet slick and constant grout problems.Seems you’ve fixed the floor problems now see what can do about water getting out on the floor? I would be looking at caulking in shower also? My house has tile through out living room and Kitchen. It loud and hard, drop anything heavy on it and it will crack. We put large rugs down to muffler the noise and easier walking. I which I had vinyl product down, Easy to clean softer than tile less noise reverberation IMO

Probably lots has his problem they just don’t know it?

We ripped up the LV flooring in our bathroom, not only was there moisture, mold was present. Just not a fan of LV.
I disagree agree about tile. True Our other 3 homes tile was indeed slink when wet, but grout aged but didn’t get that discolored look for 10 years.

However the hand scraped or flat finish newer tile when wet isn’t slippery.
Our tile guy said the newer grout has an additive, no longer attracts dirt or needs to be sealed. We have 3,000sf of tile, so far looks exactly the same as day one. I dripped fresh cooked beet juice on the tile and grout without knowing it. 4 hours later I just wet paper towel, cleaned it. No stains to the grout. Even I was amazed

[Pugchief]

If water problem not fixed. Even with LVP flooring you could have problems?

“Quote from Google”

Can moisture get under vinyl plank flooring?
While waterproof vinyl flooring is resistant to water, if water manages to seep underneath, it can lead to various issues. It may cause the floor to warp, swell, or create mold and mildew problems. Promptly addressing water infiltration is crucial to prevent long-term damage.

Properly installed LVP is waterproof, except at the edges. All edges should be caulked to seal the joint. They typically also apply a leveling compound and/or a sealer over concrete prior to installation.

[Pugchief]

We ripped up the LV flooring in our bathroom, not only was there moisture, mold was present. Just not a fan of LV.
I disagree agree about tile. True Our other 3 homes tile was indeed slick when wet, but grout aged but didn’t get that discolored look for 10 years.

However the hand scraped or flat finish newer tile when wet isn’t slippery.
Our tile guy said the newer grout has an additive, no longer attracts dirt or needs to be sealed. We have 3,000sf of tile, so far looks exactly the same as day one. I dripped fresh cooked beet juice on the tile and grout without knowing it. 4 hours later I just wet paper towel, cleaned it. No stains to the grout. Even I was amazed

Ceramic tile looks nice and is very durable. Unfortunately, it is also extremely hard on your feet, knees, hips and lower back. And when you need to replace it, removal is expensive and it's a colossal mess. YMMV

[asianthree]

Ceramic tile looks nice and is very durable. Unfortunately, it is also extremely hard on your feet, knees, hips and lower back. And when you need to replace it, removal is expensive and it's a colossal mess. YMMV

One of our homes has ceramic tile that is 90 years old, with proper care looks better than a new floor. I don’t know why one would change ceramic unless you just didn’t like the color.
We both worked 40 plus years on concrete floors slick with blood, guts, and just plain fat. Therapist, encouraged full ceramic tile, in this build, due to strength, water sits on top, not an issue being slick. Safer later in life for motility.

If one falls in TV, carpet, or LV isn’t going to stop any serious injury, due to concrete foundation. Even a home with a basement, plywood, layered with best padding, and thick carpet a fall can have serious consequences

How do I know, 40 years of orthopedic trauma, when old people falls on carpet that foundation can still cause deep bruising, sprain, fracture, or brain bleed. In fact since carpet has a tendency to wrinkle in Florida, which creates a great environment for a fall.

[MicRoDrafting]

AGREE with the
Majority of Responses,

AND the need to
“Solve the Problem at the Root Source”

That is why I preferred to install Bypass Glass Shower Doors.

And also add a Stop to prevent house guests from switching the panels - which will allow the water to get through … with the inside panel set closest to the shower head.

I myself open the inside panel to turn on the shower, and after temp warms up, climb in from outside panel at the opposite side

New Vinyl Flooring
Best Choice … as Tile is always
“Ice Cold” and “Hard as Rock”

[asianthree]

Rolled vinyl flooring is glued down to the concrete, so it is difficult for water to get in. However, over time, the glue fails and air bubbles form under the vinyl flooring and water can get under the vinyl.

Our 2nd home in TV we wanted to replace vinyl for ceramic. I asked installer how messy this would be. He grabbed cut down the middle and pulled up. Spots of glue every couple of feet, not close to how it should have been glued. Top it off the amount of debris that the flooring was installed over was unbelievable. He smiled, not messy at all, I just have to sweep and vacuum all the junk left on the floor.

I always wondered why you got a hollow foot step with a crunchy sound in some areas.

[Triker]

Welcome to the villages where you buy or build a new fixer upper.

[asianthree]

Welcome to the villages where you buy or build a new fixer upper.

Buy sure, one will get some models with builder grade. When you build here you have the option to be on site every day. If there is an issue it’s fixed by next day. Or hire Goldwing to monitor the build.

I guess one could build and use builders grade, to make a fixer upper.

[Switter]

We have the Rolled Vinyl Flooring product in the main bathroom and most of the house. Not something that we are happy with of course. We noticed that some caulk on the outside of the shower was cracked. We removed all of the caulk and pulled up some of the vinyl. The concrete floor underneath the vinyl was damp. Yesterday we purchased a moisture meter to test. We lifted up a good part of the vinyl and are using a fan to dry out the floor. We will see after the concrete dries out, if the moisture is gone for good. Have anyone of you had this problem before?

It'll dry out. Leave a fan blowing on it for a day or two to speed the process. If you have one, you could even throw a dehumidifier in the bathroom and shut the door, although I wouldn't go out and buy one just for that purpose. Water doesn't really affect concrete. In fact, when they install vinyl plank flooring on a concrete floor, they put down 6 mil poly to protect the vinyl plank from moisture coming up through the concrete. I think it's more important to determine the source of the water. Is it coming from underneath your shower floor? Like is there a leak in your drain or shower floor? Or is it just from getting in and out of the shower? I'd be surprised it would be the last thing unless you come out of the shower dripping wet.

[Wondering]

We have the Rolled Vinyl Flooring product in the main bathroom and most of the house. Not something that we are happy with of course. We noticed that some caulk on the outside of the shower was cracked. We removed all of the caulk and pulled up some of the vinyl. The concrete floor underneath the vinyl was damp. Yesterday we purchased a moisture meter to test. We lifted up a good part of the vinyl and are using a fan to dry out the floor. We will see after the concrete dries out, if the moisture is gone for good. Have anyone of you had this problem before?
Do you have gutters all around the house? If not. the concrete act as a sponge and that is why your floor is damp.

[vintageogauge]

It's amazing how they have cheapened flooring. It used to be carpet or tile, 12", 16", 20" then 24", hardwood, then rectangular tile, then wood look tile, then engineered hardwood, then LVP flooring and now rolled vinyl, next will be good old fashion linoleum.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

We ripped up the LV flooring in our bathroom, not only was there moisture, mold was present. Just not a fan of LV.
I disagree agree about tile. True Our other 3 homes tile was indeed slink when wet, but grout aged but didn’t get that discolored look for 10 years.

However the hand scraped or flat finish newer tile when wet isn’t slippery.
Our tile guy said the newer grout has an additive, no longer attracts dirt or needs to be sealed. We have 3,000sf of tile, so far looks exactly the same as day one. I dripped fresh cooked beet juice on the tile and grout without knowing it. 4 hours later I just wet paper towel, cleaned it. No stains to the grout. Even I was amazed

tile is the way to go. Our tile in the shower had a few cracks at the corners, and I sealed them with identical color silicone caulk right away, making sure that it was very dry prior to applying. . and the new grouts are very stain resistant and color is very permanent.

[kingofbeer]

It'll dry out. Leave a fan blowing on it for a day or two to speed the process. If you have one, you could even throw a dehumidifier in the bathroom and shut the door, although I wouldn't go out and buy one just for that purpose. Water doesn't really affect concrete. In fact, when they install vinyl plank flooring on a concrete floor, they put down 6 mil poly to protect the vinyl plank from moisture coming up through the concrete. I think it's more important to determine the source of the water. Is it coming from underneath your shower floor? Like is there a leak in your drain or shower floor? Or is it just from getting in and out of the shower? I'd be surprised it would be the last thing unless you come out of the shower dripping wet.
i suspect this --- getting in and out of the shower.

[kingofbeer]

Do you have gutters all around the house? If not. the concrete act as a sponge and that is why your floor is damp.
Yes. We have gutters all around the house.

[mraines]

We have the Rolled Vinyl Flooring product in the main bathroom and most of the house. Not something that we are happy with of course. We noticed that some caulk on the outside of the shower was cracked. We removed all of the caulk and pulled up some of the vinyl. The concrete floor underneath the vinyl was damp. Yesterday we purchased a moisture meter to test. We lifted up a good part of the vinyl and are using a fan to dry out the floor. We will see after the concrete dries out, if the moisture is gone for good. Have anyone of you had this problem before?
I had vinyl in my entire home. After a hurricane, (I think it was Irma) I had water leak into the house. Then I started noticing black spots in the linoleum. I eventually called my insurance company who sent people out to look for leaks, which apparently, I had. They put holes in my walls and found mold. I had to have it all ripped up and have replaced it with tile. Good luck.

[FredMitchell]

First find the source of water, which is most likely a leak. We had this problem. One clue might be wet molding. The other clue is that the LVP seems to have water under it and you can feel that it presses down to the concrete when you walk on it. If it is not a drain issue, the floor of the shower itself will be fine.

The cause of the problem was a leak in the plastic pipe to the shower. Somehow it had been nicked during the build. It eventually failed with a miniscule leak. Since the leak was between the valve and the head, it only leaked, and slowly, while the shower was running.

Lots of flooring needed to be replaced. Also a heater and fan was used for about 48 hours to dry out the drywall before closing it up and replacing the flooring.

[Fastskiguy]

Properly installed LVP is waterproof, except at the edges. All edges should be caulked to seal the joint. They typically also apply a leveling compound and/or a sealer over concrete prior to installation.

Our 2nd home in TV we wanted to replace vinyl for ceramic. I asked installer how messy this would be. He grabbed cut down the middle and pulled up. Spots of glue every couple of feet, not close to how it should have been glued. Top it off the amount of debris that the flooring was installed over was unbelievable. He smiled, not messy at all, I just have to sweep and vacuum all the junk left on the floor.

I always wondered why you got a hollow foot step with a crunchy sound in some areas.

I kinda like the appearance of our rolled vinyl but as far as durability or installation....not so much. For some reason I couldn't post a picture but it's fragile and pulling up in places. I'm not particularly upset, some of the stuff going into these houses is pretty cheap and a replacement with something nice is in the budget for someday.

Joe

[PugMom]

Ceramic tile looks nice and is very durable. Unfortunately, it is also extremely hard on your feet, knees, hips and lower back. And when you need to replace it, removal is expensive and it's a colossal mess. YMMV

we went with the ceramic tile because of this pictured Pug, LOL. the vinyl flooring was becoming discolored from the accident spots as well as the cleaners i used, so tile was a no-brainer

[molddude]

I must admit I find these threads interesting because I used to be a mold and moisture inspector and investigator in my previous life in Maryland. Finding the water source is the most important thing. Vinyl flooring is always been interesting to me because we would consider that an inappropriately located moisture barrier which you can't have one concrete. If the vapor barrier insulation by the builder has any breaches or problems moisture will move into the concrete via capillarity and when it touches air conditioning which tends to sit on the floor you get condensation thanks to the dew point. Why more people don't have this problem is beyond me. When I had the luxury vinyl plank installed in my Village's home I made sure that it floated so there was an opportunity from moisture to vent via the gap between the vinyl and the wall.

[kingofbeer]

I like to take hot showers which creates a lot of steam. Sometimes we close the door leading to the bathroom in the winter when the house is cold inside. Thinking that the humidity in the room may have caused this problem.