Membrane Under VCT

[Darol Wester]

I went to look at a job today in a local post office where some of the tiles were coming up. Most of it looks like efflorescence causing the problem. But, after looking closer, I noticed that there was a membrane under the VCT that looks like aluminum foil on top and the bottom is white. There's about a 1/4 webbing in it too. (I'm assuming it's to encapsulate the asbestos beneath it.) It was fastened somehow to the older VAT, then that was gone over with VCT. It's now coming lose in several places. I've never seen this before and was curious what a guy would do here. I'm sure when pulling up the tiles that need replacing, I'm gonna be damaging the membrane in the process. Anybody have any experience with this setup?

 

[Floorist]

Maybe, "Run Forrest, Run". Seriously, I have never heard of anything like that.

 

[Incognito]

There's been moisture barrier membranes over the years like what you describe but they're not for VCT. Someone may have improvised a solution.

Scrape it all up, match the thickness of the membrane you're scraping with felt paper or anything you can find. You'll have to improvise. Worst case scenario you use patch. That's tough to make perfect but sometimes it's all you can do.

 

[Darol Wester]

There's been moisture barrier membranes over the years like what you describe but they're not for VCT. Someone may have improvised a solution.

Scrape it all up, match the thickness of the membrane you're scraping with felt paper or anything you can find. You'll have to improvise. Worst case scenario you use patch. That's tough to make perfect but sometimes it's all you can do.

That's pretty much what I had in mind if nothing better popped up. I'll get some pictures so you can see better what I'm looking at.

"Run Forest" also crossed my mind. But the guy that owns the building is good friend and we'll work something out.

 

[highup]

Saber construction ring a bell? They installed that stuff in a local post office a loong, loong time ago. My brother said they used a Taylor adhesive on top of it.

 

[Ernesto]

Thats got "No paper trail" written all over it. Lucky you! Upcharge just to touch it.

 

[Darol Wester]

Saber construction ring a bell? They installed that stuff in a local post office a loong, loong time ago. My brother said they used a Taylor adhesive on top of it.

Never heard of them High. Sure seems like a risky technique to me though and it's coming apart at the seeeeeaams.

Thats got "No paper trail" written all over it. Lucky you! Upcharge just to touch it.

It'll be interesting to see just what they (the subs) did under there. Can't ding'em too much. It's a small, small town here.

 

[Darol Wester]

OK. Here's a shot of what's under the VCT. Ever seen this before? This membrane was put down on the 9x9 VAT. It doesn't seem to have anything holding it to the VAT. It's just moist under it and peels up fairly easy???? This is stuck to the bottom of the VCT. After drying out the moister, I went ahead and glued the new down and it looks good to go. We'll see.

 

[highup]

So you replaced the entire floor?

 

[Darol Wester]

They only wanted to replace the ones that were coming loose. Every couple years I'll be back in there working on a few more no doubt.

 

[Ernesto]

Pretty bizarre. But a neat trick if you ask me. Are those trowel marks in that grey piece that looks flexible hanging down? Some sort of glass backed fiber reinforced material or sumpin.

 

[Darol Wester]

Are those trowel marks in that grey piece that looks flexible hanging down? .

That's the bottom side of the membrane and the lines you see is a telegraph of the fiber that's in it. The top side looks like aluminum foil. No one left around that has a clue what it is.