Only then can the most beautiful colors and patterns unfold their full effect, when the surface is perfect. Laying PVC sheets is not a big problem even for the average do-it-yourselfer. We say, what matters.
Handling PVC
Polyvinylchlorid, as PVC's full name is, is a rather hard and brittle plastic in its original state. The floor coverings are only created in rolls through the use of plasticizers- or tile shape, that you know from the specialist markets. This soft (with CV coverings additionally foamed) condition makes PVC not only an extremely warm and comfortable covering, but also very easy to work with.
1 The 1,5 to 3 mm thick webs can be cut lengthways with a simple cutter- and crosswise cut easily and cleanly.
2 Kleine geometrische Ausschnitte können ebenfalls mit dem Cutter oder mit einem Stanzeisen ausführen.
PVC coverings also need some time, in order to adapt to the respective room climate conditions, at least 24 hours. If the membranes are laid loosely without fixing, you must use a circumferential, 2 mm wide edge gap, to avoid dent formation in the surface. Because PVC is waterproof from both sides, it can only be glued or fixed to absorbent substrates such as screed or filler, no way does PVC work on PVC. This is only guaranteed with absorbent materials, that the water from the adhesives/fixers (anyway good 40 percent of the adhesive mass) disappears and the glue sets.
Glue PVC or not?
That depends on the room size.
1 In Räumen bis zu einer Größe von 20 square meters, good double-sided adhesive tape is sufficient to fix the edges. However, the result is not optimal and is therefore only announced for rooms of secondary importance. In the event of temperature fluctuations or heavy use of the room, dents in the floor are almost inevitable. In rented apartments, on the other hand, adhesive tapes are recommended - they can be easily removed again with solvents and scrapers. But beware: Not all commercially available PVC coverings may be fixed with adhesive tape, the tapes must be resistant to plasticizers.
2 Der bessere Weg, and at rooms off 20 sqm size is essential, is the full-surface fixing or gluing of the PVC strips. A ready-to-use mass is spread directly from the bucket onto the floor and combed through with a toothed spatula. Important: You must not immediately press the covering into the adhesive bed, but must take into account the drying time of the adhesive. The size of the notched trowel is decisive for the adhesive result, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. by the way: Glued or fixed first, if the PVC covering is completely and precisely tailored to the room size and geometry, so it is already perfect. Then just fold up one half, spread the glue/fixer or tape on the back and then carefully press the rubber onto the floor - the second half in the same way.
The seams
For rooms with a wall length of more than 4 m you can't avoid it, laying two lanes next to each other, because the PVC rolls maximum 4 measure m.
1 Hier gilt: Roughly roll out the strips, at the shock about 5 cm overlap and cut along a rail with a double cut. If you start after the double cut, trim the edges, you should first fix the floor covering with a few heavy objects distributed in the room, to avoid accidental slipping.
2 Die Nahtstellen zwischen den PVC-Bahnen dürfen auf gar keinen Fall offen bleiben, they must be glued together watertight with a cold welding agent. That sounds more complicated, than it is. You get this cold welding agent in a tube, with a thin tip. Using this tip, simply press the agent evenly into the seam – that's it. Important: Before doing this, tape the adjacent surfaces of the strips with adhesive tape, so that they are not attacked by any escaping welding agent. After welding, you must remove the tape immediately.
3 Grundsätzlich müssen beide Bahnen am Stoß auch auf dem Boden fixiert sein. If the goods are laid loosely, stick double-sided adhesive tape under both strips on the floor, into which you press the two. Only then can you weld. You can only get cold welding agent in a few hardware stores, but everywhere in specialist shops.
PVC and ecology
The soft PVC used for floor coverings does contain chemical softeners, which can also outgas in the long term. However, modern PVC floors are set up that way, that, according to measurements by the Federal Environment Agency, no harmful quantities can be detected in the room air. Solvent-based adhesives are more problematic, with which PVC coverings are fixed.
You should avoid them completely. So-called water-based dispersion adhesives are better. The water moves into the subsoil as it sets, what remains is the pure adhesive film.