On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:13:04 -0500, mcp6453 wrote:

The floor covering in my kitchen is vinyl. It's past time to replace it. While
the modern trend is to put hardwood floors in kitchens, we have an elderly dog
that would destroy those floors. Therefore, we have pretty much decided to
install a "felt-backed" Linoleum-type product.

The salesman said that if our subfloor is 3/4" tongue and groove, we have to
install some wood is the same as or is similar to 1/4" plywood. Whatever the
material is, the cost is $19 per sheet at Lowes. Adding that wood doubles the
cost of the new floor. Since we are only going to have the floor for a few
years, I want to spend no more than is necessary. Unfortunately, the existing
floor has to be replaced. It's tearing.

He said that the present vinyl should be removed since it's floating. The new
vinyl will be glued. Lowes will not remove and dispose of our vinyl. We have to
do it or have it done.

Why does the new vinyl have to have the 1/4" wood addition? Can someone help me
understand what the correct process is here? Don't beat up on the sales guy as I
could have repeated some of what he said incorrectly.

Any irregularity of the floor under the vinyl will eventually show
through. May not be the case with some thick vinyl, but those are
expensive. If the tongue and groove is tight with no ridges or gaps
you don't need anything else under the vinyl.
I've done 2 of my kitchens with sheet vinyl. Mid-range price, which
is pretty thin. The floors were tongue and groove but with minor gaps
and ridges.
I put this down first, using 8 flooring nails (spiral) per sheet.
Sheets are just butted against one another.
http://www.menards.com/main/building.../p-1470088.htm
Years ago and it was cheaper, but it was 1/4" hardboard. Not wood.
I'm not a "professional" vinyl installer, but I'll tell you right now
IMO gluing down sheet seamless vinyl is just crazy - unless you need
seams.
I used 12' rolls, and no seams. If the installer uses heat to connect
seams, you still don't need glue.
If you have a flat floor the vinyl ain't going anywhere and will lay
flat on flat with no air space between. You pull the quarter round or
cove around the room perimeter, cut the vinyl in leaving 1/4-3/8'
space for expansion. The vinyl should be completely flat a few hours
after laying it down. That's how it worked for me, and the vinyl was
fine many years later.
I will say the mid and lower range vinyls nick easily if you drop
something sharp, like a knife. A few nicks aren't very noticeable if
they're in a darker part of the pattern, and didn't detract from
appearance. The price difference can make it worth using.
OTOH, the vinyl floor the previous owners put in my current house is a
thick vinyl.
Seems too thick, hard and tough to roll well. Maybe it's rolled less
and in larger diameter. Not like the cheaper stuff I used.
It's probably at least 20-25 years old and shows very little nicking
I can't recommend any brand of vinyl. I went with one of major
companies.
That's about all I know. It's pretty dated info, but I don't think
vinyl flooring has changed much.