Sun Damage to Vinyl Flooring

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Things You'll Need

  • Duct tape

  • Replacement vinyl

  • Straightedge

  • Utility knife

  • Putty knife

  • Scraper

  • Mastic compound

  • Trowel

  • Wax paper

  • Heavy books

Direct sunlight will damage most types of flooring.

Most types of flooring are susceptible to damage from the sun, according to distributor Empire Today. Vinyl floors are durable and resilient, but direct sun light can fade sections of the color, leaving one part with a washed out appearance. Unfortunately, once fading occurs, you are left with few choices. Covering up the fade with an area rug will take the damage out of eye sight, but to fix it, you need to replace that section of vinyl.

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Step 1

Tape a replacement patch of matching vinyl over the stain with duct tape. Select vinyl that is an exact match for the pattern of the floor and line it up to blend. Make the replacement patch larger than the faded area, so you can cut through both pieces of vinyl at once. This will ensure the patch is the right size to fill the space in the floor.

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Step 2

Lay a straightedge, such as a yard stitch or square, on the taped patch. Cut though the replacement patch and original flooring with a utility knife, using the straightedge as your guide. If your flooring has a pattern, make your cut along one of the lines in the pattern.

Step 3

Remove the tape around the patch and lift it off. You should see clear cut lines in the flooring underneath.

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Step 4

Peel off the damaged section of floor. Perimeter-bonded vinyl sheeting will come up easily. If the vinyl has an adhesive base directly under the damaged area, you may have to work at it. Slide a putty knife or a scraper under one of the seams in the cut area. Push it under as far as possible and pull up on the tool until the adhesive breaks.

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Step 5

Scrape the exposed section in the floor with a putty knife to remove any adhesive residue.

Step 6

Spread a thin layer of mastic over the exposed subflooring with a trowel. Mastic is paste that will help the replacement vinyl adhere to the flooring underneath. If your original floor is bonded at the perimeter only, lift up the area the flooring around the patch site and spread mastic under the existing vinyl. You only need to lift approximately 6 inches of floor on all sides of the hole.

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Step 7

Press the vinyl patch over the mastic. Use your hands to apply even pressure over the top of the replacement vinyl.

Step 8

Cover the patched area with wax paper and lay heavy books on top. This will keep pressure on the patch until the mastic cures. Leave the books in place for at least 24 hours.

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Step 9

Apply liquid joint sealer around the seams in the patch. Follow the instructions on the sealer for proper application. This will blend the vinyl to the existing flooring.

Tip

To protect your vinyl flooring from sun damage, cover all windows with shades, curtains or blinds.

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