One way that is increasingly becoming more popular is to have a concrete floor underneath a vinyl acrylic tile covering. Once the concrete has been poured and cured for at least thirty days, vinyl acrylic tiling can be glued to the concrete floor. This way, the floor is structurally made from concrete, giving it strength, durability, and longevity. However, it also has that aesthetic appeal, with regard to the vinyl covering that can be customized in any way you want it.
The biggest potential problem with concrete subfloors is that the concrete can be prone to damage, especially from water underneath. While it depends on the environmental conditions in your area, concrete has the potential to allow water to seep through. It is a very porous material by nature of its mixing process, which leaves it prone to the passage of water and moisture. While this can be a problem for normal concrete floors and surfaces, it can be an absolute disaster for someone with a vinyl floor covering a concrete one.
Luckily, there is an easy preventative fix. Instead of forgoing the fashionable and inexpensive process of having a concrete floor covered by a vinyl acrylic tile covering, you simply have to seal the concrete with a waterproofing concrete sealer before adding the vinyl tiling. Once the concrete has been cured properly, use the Vapor-Tek 440 which will coat the concrete to lock out water. With the water locked out, there is no way for it to get to the surface and cause the nasty bubbling and flaking of your vinyl tiling. Your floor, at both the concrete and vinyl tiling levels, will be protected.
