# Kitchen vinyl under cabinets



## audaceblue (Jun 26, 2006)

We have been redoing our older kitchen (1960s) - swapped oven and cooktop for range, new countertop, moved some cabinets, new sink. We are doing the majority of the project ourselves, except for the Corian countertop installation tomorrow.

My dilemma - our dogs used to live in our kitchen, including a recently housebroken puppy who decided one area of the kitchen was his toilet. Since our kitchen floor isn't level (really, nothing in the house is), at one point urine made it under the cabinets and under the vinyl floor. Last night I began lifting a bit of the vinyl to try and clean it and remove the smell. However, I found subflooring the equivalent of cardboard (between the original vinyl and the top layer of vinyl) that had permanently soaked in the urine. The only thing I could do was rip up the affected vinyl and cardboard, scrub underneath, and let it sit with baking soda on it and some odor-eating gel thing in the room.

We live in a one-level rambler style house on a concrete slab. I'm betting that the only layers of floor above concrete are those 3 - top vinyl, cardboard subfloor, original vinyl.

I had bought underlayment, the brand and type escapes me now, but it looks like very strong Hefty bag material (black rubber/plastic?). I was planning on using this only in patches, but now I have about a 5 foot area to cover. In addition, the countertop people are coming tomorrow to install the countertop, so I have to get the floor in place and range and cabinets installed on top of it tonight. We plan on getting new vinyl flooring soon, but not before cabinets etc are installed.

My questions are:
Given the above scenario, what do I need to do to secure this underlayment? Liquid nails, glue, duct tape? Staples/ screws/ nails won't penetrate the concrete floor below.

Will not having vinyl underneath the cabinets cause any problems for me, assuming I don't move them again?


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## glennjanie (Jun 26, 2006)

Hello Audaceblue:
The floor covering people probably have a glue that can be spread on concrete; my opinion would be to get a glue rated for "below grade". If they don't give you any satisfaction Contech PL 400 will hold anything. I would spread it with the smaller notched side of the trowell.
I see no problem with not putting the vinyl under the cabinets. That is pretty much standard procedure. 
Glenn


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## asbestos (Jun 27, 2006)

A word of caution- 
Old vinyl flooring can have a backing of asbestos, often quite a high percentage. The Floor in out kitchen is 86% chrysotile. The problem comes when you peel it off the floor you are seperating the asbestos paper from itself and releasing fibers. 

If the pee smellis still there try either 
1 bottle 12-16oz of Hydrogen peroxide (the everyday kind)
mix it with 
1/4 cup baking soda
a few drops of dish soap. 
pour it on the area right after you mix it, let it sit for a while and then towel it up. Don't try to save the mix, it won't work and it will pop any jar you put it in 
As far as the pee stink.


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