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tlbean2004

Why did water get under the glued down vct tile so easily

tlbean2004
9 years ago

Last night my washing machine overflowed. As i was cleaning the water up, all the pieces of tile that the washer and dryer set on had water under them from the overflow and i was able to just lift them up. I know that one piece of tile was already lifted a little bit before it happened. anyways, they wood is not damaged since i got the water up but why and how did the water get under the tile so easily? It seems as if they were glued down and i caught the overflow not long after it started?

Also, will i be able to glue back down the tiles that i pulled up? most of them came up in full sheets?

Comments (10)

  • glennsfc
    9 years ago

    How was the vct adhered? Was the correct adhesive used? Was the correct trowel used? Lots of reasons why spilled water could easily get under the vct.

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    Capillary action ... it's a strong force of nature.

  • glennsfc
    9 years ago

    Capillary action cannot account for loosening the adhesive bond. I bet if the floor was inspected the cause of the disbonding would be revealed. Vct tile is found in many a commercial venue, such as supermarkets and other retail establishments, and yet they don't exhibit disbonding when subjected to spilled liquid events or when they are washed. This is an installation related failure.

  • live_wire_oak
    9 years ago

    Most commercial installations are over concrete slab, not wood. (Plywood, I hope, not individual boards.) And they probably don't use the consumer grade water based adhesive that is reactivated in the presence of water.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    9 years ago

    Water: the universal solvent.
    Casey

  • glennsfc
    9 years ago

    Water will act as a solvent only to substances that are water soluble. As you say (live wire oak), perhaps a water soluble adhesive was used to adhere the tile to the substrate. Bad practice if true.

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    "but the wood absorbed some water"

    And expanded and loosened the adhesive which let more water in ...

  • Marty
    2 years ago

    VCT in schools and hospitals is sealed with a clear sealer creating a waterproof layer over the VCT. If the floor wasn't sealed than water will make its way threw any small openings between the tiles, especially if any tiles are loos. VCT glue is water soluble. To make a VCT floor impervious to water it needs to be sealed.

  • SJ McCarthy
    2 years ago

    All of the above...water is a solvent. Today's INDOOR adhesives are often water based or water soluble. That's to keep the VOC's down and in accordance to CARB regulations.


    Now imagine the water got to the wood TOO....yes...you have TWO actions happening here. The wood grabs the water and HOLDS IT like a sponge. Have you ever tried to 'glue' something to a wet sponge? Well it is hopeless.


    The THIRD action where the wood became SWOLLEN. Wood can puff to 50% it's normal size...Especially with plywood. Now IMAGINE that VCT does NOT move that much.


    The puffing of the wood itself is enough to break the bond. Which means you have the adhesive letting go because of THREE (3) factors:

    1. Liquified or reactivated the adhesive (most of these glues never fully cure/harden)

    2. The wet wood prevented the adhesive from staying 'stuck'

    3. The PUFFED wood was too much movement for the VCT tile = bond breaker.