Maintenance How-To’s: Fix Vinyl
April 1, 2011
Fixing Damaged Spots in Vinyl
Get a matching piece, if you don’t have some left over from when you installed it, and it is simple to replace worn or damaged spots.
The piece must be slightly larger than and match the pattern of the area to be repaired.
Put the patch down over the damaged area so that the pattern matches. Tape it to the existing vinyl. Any kind of tape that holds it securely and is easily removed will work.
You need a steel straight edge and either a linoleum or utility knife. Cut the square or rectangular patch through both layers of the vinyl. If you don’t get both layers the first time, make a second pass.
Remove the worn or damaged, under square. You may have to use some kind of blade to get it up, as it may be stuck with mastic to the floor. Once the piece is out, you may also have to get rid of old mastic stuck on the floor where the new patch will go.
Before you put any glue on the patch piece, test it for size. If you did everything right, it should fit exactly into the space you cut for it.
Now you are ready to install the patch. With a mastic spreader, put new mastic either on the floor or the vinyl. One last check to see that the pattern matches, and you’re ready to press it into place. Weight it down until the mastic is dry.
About the Author: Bob Cain
Some 30 years ago Bob Cain went to a no-money-down seminar and got the notion that owning rental property would be just the best idea there is for making money. He bought some. Trouble was, what he learned at the seminar didn’t tell him how to make money on his rental property. He went looking for help in the form of a magazine or newsletter about the business. He couldn't find any.
Always ready to jump at a great idea, he decided he could put his speaking and writing skills to work and perform a valuable service for other investors who needed more information about property management. So Bob ferreted out the secrets, tricks and techniques of property management wherever he found them; then he passed them along to other landlords.
For over 25 years now, Bob has been publishing information, giving speeches, putting on seminars and workshops, and consulting for landlords on how to buy, rent and manage property more effectively.