Can you still buy vinyl sheet flooring

[panpete]

Presumably this is rented accommodation? Can you not take up the carpet, roll it up and stick it somewhere out of the way until you leave, at which time you put it back?

Hi

It's a purchased flat.
The horrible felt carpet is stuck to a rough concrete floor.
It's ex local authority.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts on not putting lino ontop of a carpet.
I was thinking about a really thick lino to stick ontop of my very thin felt carpet. Thanks to felix for speaking to your carpet fitter son. I appreciate that.

I would have to pull the carpet up with a scraper, which would be laborious but then i would have rid of this dreadful carpet.
My original plans were to use the old carpet as underlay. That is what my next door neighbour has done, but he installed plank laminate flooring in his place.
I've managed to look under the corners of the carpet and there is loads of dust so I would have to get busy with a sweeping brush.

The main idea was money, I am watching the pennies, and couldn't really afford a new carpet/laminate flooring/floor covering and underlay, but I might have to delay it.
I'm on benefits, and like all other benefit claimants, daren't spend what money they have, in case the government change the rules, or do something that stops their income, but also wanted to cheer up my living space by giving it a lick of paint.
I've got workmen coming in over the next few weeks but was planning on buying some paint to make the walls look nice and a cheap floor covering. I didn't want carpet again, as I am clumsy and spill stuff all the time, so a smooth floor which is wipeable would be better.
I'm happy to delay things, if lino ontop of carpet is bad, until I feel more stable financially though, as keeping a roof over my head is the most important thing.

 

[panpete]

Why is it "presumably rented accommodation" (I happen to know that it isn't) ?

It's probably because some landlords don't like tenants to take up the original carpets.

 

[Celyn]

...
I dunno why shops are stocking tiles more than roll, as tiles are much more difficult and time consuming to lay, plus they look horrible when the edges curl up.

Oh rats, if I might piggyback on your thread, panpete, why are tiles more difficult? I ask because I have moved into a new flat, need* to put something on the floor (concretey sort of floor) and I thought getting tiles would be the easiest way for one person to do it, just shifting stuff as I go. I wouldn't care if it takes me ages, but if there's a hidden difficulty, I'd like to know about it.

I didn't want carpet again, as I am clumsy and spill stuff all the time, so a smooth floor which is wipeable would be better.

.

I suppose whatever ever you end up having, you could get cheap little rugs to put on the areas most prone to spillage and mess - that's sort of my plan (such as it is).

* "need" because I think the Housing Association has rules about it in case of noise or something.

 

[Boudicca]

Oh rats, if I might piggyback on your thread, panpete, why are tiles more difficult? I ask because I have moved into a new flat, need* to put something on the floor (concretey sort of floor) and I thought getting tiles would be the easiest way for one person to do it, just shifting stuff as I go. I wouldn't care if it takes me ages, but if there's a hidden difficulty, I'd like to know about it.

I've done bathroom floors with both methods and I would say that tiles are easier. The last one I did the tiles were shaped liked planks with a walnut wood effect and it did look good when finished. You can lay the bulk of it really quickly then make paper templates to cut the fiddly ones. It was this I think, and it's still OK 8 years on.

For the vinyl sheeting, I made a template using magazine pages and a Pritt stick. This works ok with a small space but you'd have to find a more sensible method for a larger room.

 

[Celyn]

Thanks! I'm in favour of "easier".

Magazine pages and a Pritt stick sounds about my level of DIY! I'm still trying to get out of the habit of measuring things in terms of A4 pages.

 

[campanula]

Panpete,
I would have suggested you persevered scraping the carpet up...lifting old foam off concrete is a horrible task but is doable using a sharp plasterer's trowel. Any other method which involves leaving the carpet also has possible obstacles as the floor level would be raised so opening doors can be an issue (will usually need planing off)...otherwise, it would be worth considering laying chipboard or veneer faced ply, and either painting or staining. Done well, this can look really good and at a cost of less than £8 a square metre, it is easily comparable with vinyl or laminate. How big is your gaff?
Timber merchants will cut to size and deliver.

 

[panpete]

Oh rats, if I might piggyback on your thread, panpete, why are tiles more difficult? I ask because I have moved into a new flat, need* to put something on the floor (concretey sort of floor) and I thought getting tiles would be the easiest way for one person to do it, just shifting stuff as I go. I wouldn't care if it takes me ages, but if there's a hidden difficulty, I'd like to know about it.

.

I suppose whatever ever you end up having, you could get cheap little rugs to put on the areas most prone to spillage and mess - that's sort of my plan (such as it is).

* "need" because I think the Housing Association has rules about it in case of noise or something.

If the concrete floor is that rough sort, it can be dusty and I would imagine the tiles might not stick very well.

 

[panpete]

Panpete,
I would have suggested you persevered scraping the carpet up...lifting old foam off concrete is a horrible task but is doable using a sharp plasterer's trowel. Any other method which involves leaving the carpet also has possible obstacles as the floor level would be raised so opening doors can be an issue (will usually need planing off)...otherwise, it would be worth considering laying chipboard or veneer faced ply, and either painting or staining. Done well, this can look really good and at a cost of less than £8 a square metre, it is easily comparable with vinyl or laminate. How big is your gaff?
Timber merchants will cut to size and deliver.

Hi Campanula

My carpet is felt backed and has been glued to an un-screeded concrete floor, and the glue has got really dry and dusty.
I was also thinking of using an old trowel to scrape the carpet up.
My room is about 7m x 5.5m but that's a very rough guesstimate.
How would I keep plywood flat on my floor, as I cannot nail it to the floor as it's concrete.I'd rather not have to face planing doors off, as I don't have the equipment or anyone to help. thanks

thanks

 

[campanula]

Are you staying awake thinking(worrying) about this Panpete? (3.22am!)
I am putting my thinking cap on right away and will get back with revolutionary ideas for hiding skanky carpet which costs nowt. However, the first stumbling block is going to be lifting the carpet and removing the glued on felt. Have you actually done a test corner? Although this can be a bit soul destroying, if the felt backing had gone dry and crumbly, you might find it lifts with less effort than you imagined. There are solvents but, in an enclosed space, I wouldn't advise the use of industrial chemicals. If the trowel is not working well, you might also try a stiff plastic brush which attaches to a power drill-these can be bought in any ironmongers and look like the dust removal brush on a vacuum cleaner but are stiff and have a shank which fits into the drill chuck - this will make a lot of dust and you will need to wear a mask- which can also be bought for around 80p - £1.50 each. Which leads me to wondering what tools might be available to either hire or pay someone - some sort of industrial floor finishing machine? Next step would be to seal the concrete with a floor paint - an industrial one which can more or less be poured on (a self-leveling substance - will try and find details for you). There are going to be issues with warmth though - a concrete floor, even a sealed one, is a cold substrate to have to live with and I would be fairly tempted to simply buy the cheapest industrial cord carpet to lay over the whole thing (it can be tucked under the skirting and the door thresholds and maybe keep an eye out for a couple of cheerful rugs (I have my eyes on those cheap but bright woven plastic things which are made in Nigeria or Ghana or somewhere and imported by hippy merchants at festivals). I know this is just kicking the can further down the road but the obvious solutions (Click laminate or engineered flooring) is costly and can be tricky to lay well and vinyl sheeting is not really the budget option it used to be. If you do decide to go ahead and attempt to remove the carpet, another possible option might be to lay cork tiles - these are warm, easy and can be laid by an idiot (such as myself) and moreover, the remaining stuck felt particles will not really affect the look (flatness) of a fully glued cork floor (although you will still have to seal/varnish the cork. 35square metres is a substantial area and will cost around £300 with any sort of additional covering so it might be best to simply persevere, doing a quarter of the room at a time, and sealing the dusty concrete with a basic universal floor paint and putting rugs down. The main thing is not to throw good money after bad by doing a half-arsed job which still needs to be remedied further along. Am consulting with some of my builder friends.

 

[panpete]

Are you staying awake thinking(worrying) about this Panpete? (3.22am!)
I am putting my thinking cap on right away and will get back with revolutionary ideas for hiding skanky carpet which costs nowt. However, the first stumbling block is going to be lifting the carpet and removing the glued on felt. Have you actually done a test corner? Although this can be a bit soul destroying, if the felt backing had gone dry and crumbly, you might find it lifts with less effort than you imagined. There are solvents but, in an enclosed space, I wouldn't advise the use of industrial chemicals. If the trowel is not working well, you might also try a stiff plastic brush which attaches to a power drill-these can be bought in any ironmongers and look like the dust removal brush on a vacuum cleaner but are stiff and have a shank which fits into the drill chuck - this will make a lot of dust and you will need to wear a mask- which can also be bought for around 80p - £1.50 each. Which leads me to wondering what tools might be available to either hire or pay someone - some sort of industrial floor finishing machine? Next step would be to seal the concrete with a floor paint - an industrial one which can more or less be poured on (a self-leveling substance - will try and find details for you). There are going to be issues with warmth though - a concrete floor, even a sealed one, is a cold substrate to have to live with and I would be fairly tempted to simply buy the cheapest industrial cord carpet to lay over the whole thing (it can be tucked under the skirting and the door thresholds and maybe keep an eye out for a couple of cheerful rugs (I have my eyes on those cheap but bright woven plastic things which are made in Nigeria or Ghana or somewhere and imported by hippy merchants at festivals). I know this is just kicking the can further down the road but the obvious solutions (Click laminate or engineered flooring) is costly and can be tricky to lay well and vinyl sheeting is not really the budget option it used to be. If you do decide to go ahead and attempt to remove the carpet, another possible option might be to lay cork tiles - these are warm, easy and can be laid by an idiot (such as myself) and moreover, the remaining stuck felt particles will not really affect the look (flatness) of a fully glued cork floor (although you will still have to seal/varnish the cork. 35square metres is a substantial area and will cost around £300 with any sort of additional covering so it might be best to simply persevere, doing a quarter of the room at a time, and sealing the dusty concrete with a basic universal floor paint and putting rugs down. The main thing is not to throw good money after bad by doing a half-arsed job which still needs to be remedied further along. Am consulting with some of my builder friends.

Hi Campanula

I stay awake late a lot of nights, not particularly worried about this, and I don't have the money anyway at the moment, as I am getting some plastering work done and have to pay some more money towards double glazing that I am getting, which is funded by a home improvement agency.
I've lifted up small corners of a carpet and with the aid of a trowel scraper thing, the carpet itself will most probably be scraped up ok, but the glue is another matter.
With it being a rough un-screeded concrete floor, I don't think there is any way I will get all the dried in glue up.
I have a fear of some hand tools, I once tried using a hand sander on another job, and it was too uncomfortable, same with a jigsaw.
I know I won't need these tools, I just mentioned them as I find these types of things really uncomfortable, it's the vibration, I fear I will lose control of them.
My room is really large, so commonly used sized rugs tend to look a bit like a pea on a drum, I would need pretty large ones.
I don't know if I am allowed to put any paint on the floor, I have my lease document, and i will have a look.
I know that they are funny about non carpeted floors due to noise nuiscance, but my next door neighbour has put laminate floor straight onto the idential old felt backed carpet that I have. He said it acts as underlay, but I would have thought it would be a bit thin.
I appreciate all the ideas, I have never come across the hippy plastic rugs and don't know how much they would cost, or how big they are.
I did have a rectangle shaped rug and a circular one, but the room is so big they looked lost.
Cork tiles sounds a good idea. I don't know how well they would stick on a rough concrete floor with dried in glue on, maybe the roughness would provide a key.
Once again, I really appreciate your help campanula.
I would rather wait and get a better solution than rushing into something that will get on my nerves later on down the line, through poor wear and tear etc

 

[campanula]

Yep, there is no easy or obvious solution to this Panpete. Your neighbour is right - laminate is rigid(ish) but thin and can benefit from having a thin felt carpet underneath and it also doesn't raise the floor level that much (so avoids all the faffing with doors...although the laminate has to be fairly good quality - usually engineered to click together and hold a rigidity across the area). I have a feeling that it is not much of a budget option though. I sympathise, I truly do - I find having a reasonably clear floor to have a great psychological value (especially if you live, as I do, in a clutter strewn house - 35 years of being in one place means shitloads of...stuff). Against my advice, sweetheart insisted on one of those oatmeal woolly carpets to put in our horsebox...which being as it is a horsebox and is in the woods got filthy almost immediately...I couldn't overstate how annoying it was. Anyway, I had to adopt the same position as I do in the garden (and most rooms in the house tbf) - a selective vision with areas to be ignored. Not much help to you but fwiw, I think you are right to wait till you can do this properly (you could while away a few nights with a sharp trowel in the meantime but...).
Still racking my brains...or is it wracking?
Oh yeah, if you did consider cork, the adhesive is more like tile adhesive and needs a fairly thick and gluey spread - I am certain it will stick to the concrete as long as it has been well swept for loose dust. They are a bit more forgiving than vinyl when fixing to a less than optimum surface.

 

[StoneRoad]

When my bro and I refurbished my dad's kitchen last year - the floorboards were uneven and a bit gappy, solution was to lay thin plywood then the flooring went down.
Screeding with self levelling compound over concrete, or just painting it, to seal in the dust is the best, if very expensive solution.

 

[panpete]

Yep, there is no easy or obvious solution to this Panpete. Your neighbour is right - laminate is rigid(ish) but thin and can benefit from having a thin felt carpet underneath and it also doesn't raise the floor level that much (so avoids all the faffing with doors...although the laminate has to be fairly good quality - usually engineered to click together and hold a rigidity across the area). I have a feeling that it is not much of a budget option though. I sympathise, I truly do - I find having a reasonably clear floor to have a great psychological value (especially if you live, as I do, in a clutter strewn house - 35 years of being in one place means shitloads of...stuff). Against my advice, sweetheart insisted on one of those oatmeal woolly carpets to put in our horsebox...which being as it is a horsebox and is in the woods got filthy almost immediately...I couldn't overstate how annoying it was. Anyway, I had to adopt the same position as I do in the garden (and most rooms in the house tbf) - a selective vision with areas to be ignored. Not much help to you but fwiw, I think you are right to wait till you can do this properly (you could while away a few nights with a sharp trowel in the meantime but...).
Still racking my brains...or is it wracking?
Oh yeah, if you did consider cork, the adhesive is more like tile adhesive and needs a fairly thick and gluey spread - I am certain it will stick to the concrete as long as it has been well swept for loose dust. They are a bit more forgiving than vinyl when fixing to a less than optimum surface.

Hi Campanula and thanks for your reply. Please may I ask,
When you say, hold a rigidity over a large area, are the click planks likely to come undone?
I noticed in my neighbours, he has a couple of areas in his hall where there are three or four tiles, all lined up together instead of alternately, like you are supposed to do them.
I wouldn't like the job of laminating a a floor myself. I don't know how much it will cost, and like every other benefit claimant, have been forced to also consider the fact that my income could be cut in the future, making it even more difficult to save for a decent floor.

 

[panpete]

When my bro and I refurbished my dad's kitchen last year - the floorboards were uneven and a bit gappy, solution was to lay thin plywood then the flooring went down.
Screeding with self levelling compound over concrete, or just painting it, to seal in the dust is the best, if very expensive solution.

How much is expensive, if my room is about 7m x 5m (rough guesstimate) Thanks.
E2A I just looked at some quickly, and it's £21 for 5m squared so that's £147 which isn't so bad, and I am sure prices vary, not that I would be fittting it myself. I've seen it being done before in my old house, but it wasn't latex, still it didn't take the bloke very long and the floor was much smoother and less dusty.

 

[adidaswoody]

Hi

I want to look online at some vinyl sheet flooring.
I am struggling with my search, because I keep coming up with click-flooring, or tile flooring, but I want sheet flooring.
I know it sounds unusual but I would like wood effect sheet flooring for my living room.
I live in a second floor flat, laminate flooring is not allowed, because it can be noisy underfoot, but I want to do what my neighbour did and have the flooring installed on top of the existing thin felt carpet, so the carpet acts as an underlay and protects against noise without the expense of buying acoustic underlays.
I also think vinyl flooring would be easier to keep clean than carpet, but I dunno if it would be dearer.
My lounge is big about 6-7 meters long by about 4 -4.5m wide, (rough guess by eyeballing)
When I am searching sites like B&Q etc though, I cannot find sheet vinyl flooring.
Is sheet flooring going out of fashion?
If I was successful in buying sheet flooring, would a fitter install it ontop of my felt carpet?
thanks, this is the type of thing I want in sheet flooring

I literally JUST fit vinyl sheet flooring in my new house yesterday!
They sell it in carpet right and floors to go, it's not THAT cheap for a nice design that's thick and comfy
But a lot cheaper than decent wooden flooring!
I'll take a picture tomorrow after work and show you mine cost me 100 and underlay was a tenner, and my rooms 4.2 x 3.6 metres
My mom and auntie thought I was stupid and crazy for doing it, but I really like it and it's ideal with the littl'un!


Edit: just read all posts, and if the carpets thin then it shouldn't be a problem! I fit mine myself too and yeah it did take a long time and was very difficult in the sides and corners, I'd recommend getting it fitted! By me there are three shops on the high street that sell carpets, all stacking the end rolls out on the street and there all cheap, they do vinyl on the roll in those shops if you have any discount carpet stores near you!
And the ones by me are all happy to fit in any condition for an extra 30 quid

 

[Celt]

https://www.carpetright.co.uk/vinyl/room-type/bathroom

I had vinyl floor laid throughout from here and I'm really pleased with it, its sold like carpet from a roll they will arrange a fitter or you can get your own.

 

[adidaswoody]

Hi Campanula

I stay awake late a lot of nights, not particularly worried about this, and I don't have the money anyway at the moment, as I am getting some plastering work done and have to pay some more money towards double glazing that I am getting, which is funded by a home improvement agency.
I've lifted up small corners of a carpet and with the aid of a trowel scraper thing, the carpet itself will most probably be scraped up ok, but the glue is another matter.
With it being a rough un-screeded concrete floor, I don't think there is any way I will get all the dried in glue up.
I have a fear of some hand tools, I once tried using a hand sander on another job, and it was too uncomfortable, same with a jigsaw.
I know I won't need these tools, I just mentioned them as I find these types of things really uncomfortable, it's the vibration, I fear I will lose control of them.
My room is really large, so commonly used sized rugs tend to look a bit like a pea on a drum, I would need pretty large ones.
I don't know if I am allowed to put any paint on the floor, I have my lease document, and i will have a look.
I know that they are funny about non carpeted floors due to noise nuiscance, but my next door neighbour has put laminate floor straight onto the idential old felt backed carpet that I have. He said it acts as underlay, but I would have thought it would be a bit thin.
I appreciate all the ideas, I have never come across the hippy plastic rugs and don't know how much they would cost, or how big they are.
I did have a rectangle shaped rug and a circular one, but the room is so big they looked lost.
Cork tiles sounds a good idea. I don't know how well they would stick on a rough concrete floor with dried in glue on, maybe the roughness would provide a key.
Once again, I really appreciate your help campanula.
I would rather wait and get a better solution than rushing into something that will get on my nerves later on down the line, through poor wear and tear etc

Are you local to me? My new place needed all re plastering and filling and sanding and some hardwall fitted too as I had a huge hole in my wall haha it's what I've been doing the last few days to ready the walls for painting or papering
If your local I can help you out too! I already have all the tools and equipment ready
I know it's a long shot as most of you are more southern but it's worth a shot ^.^

 

[adidaswoody]

It'll also most probably need some sort of trim around the edge along the floor by the walls, scotia wooden trims are between 4 and 8 pound each from wickes or bnq, a little cheaper from a Timber shop that might be on a local industrial estate, but they are only 2 metres long so you'd need a lot, I used PVC trims for mine, again a little odd and unorthodox, but I got 7 x 2.5metres long for 14 pounds! Just stuck them down with silicone!

 

[adidaswoody]

it's sideways but dunno what I'm doing when it comes to Internet on a phone!

 

[Epona]

I'm in the same situation, ex-council flat, concrete floor, carpet that has been here since the flat was first built in 1975 - only it is on top of council tiles (you know the ones) which are glued to the concrete with what has to be the strongest adhesive known to man.

One day I will get it sorted

Yes you can still get vinyl flooring, but if you are googling for vinyl sheet it probably thinks you mean something different than what you actually want, try vinyl flooring instead, should get a ton of results.