Q: The university I work at has a very small TV studio. It has vinyl floor over 9 inch tile over a concrete slab. The vinyl has a small texture to it that makes it difficult to roll our cameras over it without getting minor bumps. We’re looking for an inexpensive solution to smooth out the floor. Removal of these floorings is not economically feasible. Our theater department suggested laying 4×8 sheets of hardboard Masonite over the vinyl. If we glued these boards down onto the vinyl, what difficulties might we encounter should we need to remove the panels later on? If we wanted to unroll an eighth inch soundproofing foam, what method might we use to anchor the floor to the concrete to leave the floor floating on the sound foam or vinyl? Can we then paint the Masonite, what could I paint over that to give it a nice, durable, epoxy-like sheen? Finally, how much gap should we leave on the edges of the floor for expansion of the boards with humidity?
A: You can use double stick carpet tape for both the foam and the Masonite. It comes in different grades with different levels of adhesive. Obviously, you want a durable one with thick adhesive designed for the materials you are using. Expect to pay more for it, and make sure you go to a tape company that has good support advice. I’d choose 3M or Henkel (they make Duck brand, and are at www.duckproducts.com) Removal will be tedious, but most tapes release with mineral spirits, and that won’t harm the vinyl. You can paint the Masonite with any floor paint, and yes, there are epoxy based floor paints made for this if you need that durability. However, since painting one side only can cause warping, I’d seal both sides before laying the boards. As for the gap, 5% is more than enough, and for a room that does not get extreme swings in humidity, much less will do. Since you did not tell me the size of the room or the humidity ranges, you will have to do the math yourself.
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