When you have a bump or dip in your subfloor, the uneven surface can cause vinyl planks click-lock-systems to become uneven. This will cause creaking or “popping” every time you walk over the floor. An underlayment can help fill in subfloor imperfections and leave your flooring a smooth surface to lay on.
Moisture Barrier
Even though vinyl flooring is waterproof, your subfloor isn't. That's why an underlayment acting as a moisture barrier is essential.
Underlayment is needed if you're going to install vinyl plank flooring over tile, vinyl flooring, and even hardwood. As mentioned, with the plywood floor, there's no need to worry about a moisture barrier; the underlayment should provide cushioning and sound-deadening benefits.
Yes, you can install vinyl flooring over a wood subfloor, provided the subfloor is clean, dry, and level. It is important to ensure that the wood subfloor is properly prepared and free of any moisture issues. A moisture barrier may be necessary to protect the vinyl from potential moisture problems.
Get some 1/8" Hardboard, Lauan or birch plywood (one side smooth) and lay it down without gaps over the sub floor. At this thickness, you can staple it down. smooth any edges/fill any gaps. Lay your vinyl.
Vinyl – the only flooring that doesn't require underlay
Due to its in-built cushioning, vinyl is capable of providing sufficient levels of thermal and sound insulation all on its own.
Make sure your subfloor is dry, smooth, structurally sound, and free from debris (that means scraping off the old glue if you've ripped out old vinyl or laminate). Move your roll of vinyl into the room where it's being fitted at least 24-48 hours beforehand to allow it to acclimatise to room temperature.
When installing over a concrete subfloor, a felt underlayment is the best choice. Felt does a fantastic job of insulating the flooring from the cold concrete. It will also provide shock absorption. This will help absorb the impacts of everyday foot traffic, making the flooring more comfortable.
Choosing a vinyl flooring with rubber backing is ideal. Rubber features several properties that make it a quality choice for a long-lasting floor. Rubber is a strong option that can withstand heavy loads. It also offers valuable shock absorption that can help to make your floor more comfortable to walk on.
When putting down vinyl flooring, it's important to use an underlayment. This is a layer of material that goes between the floor and the vinyl, and it serves a few purposes. It protects the flooring from damage. It helps to insulate and soundproof the room.
When you walk on tile, you are pushing it down into the adhesive, and if the tile is not conformed, you are pushing it into contact with the adhesive which causes the clicking/crackling sound. To fix this, you can usually heat the area for at least a day, and then roll the tile using a 100-pound roller.
Virtually any type of surface flooring you choose, excluding some types of vinyl flooring, requires an underlayment but the type, material, and purpose will vary with each type of flooring material.
Underlayment is not required if the vinyl flooring will be laid over a cushion-backed vinyl floor or a tile floor below grade. In all other applications, however, you should use one, such as covering existing hardwood floors, vinyl flooring without cushion, and concrete floors.
While vinyl flooring with an attached pad provides a basic level of cushioning and sound absorption, investing in a high-quality rubber underlayment like Dura Undercushions can elevate the functionality and longevity of your flooring.
Vinyl flooring can go over a plywood subfloor without a vinyl flooring underlayment as long as the substrate is sturdy, smooth, and flat. If your plywood subfloor is in poor condition, you may need a thin plywood underlayment to smooth the surface out.
If the vinyl flooring product you choose doesn't have an attached underlayment, you can almost always install directly over the subfloor without one. But to maximize softness, warmth, moisture proofing, and noise reduction, an underlayment is key.
Rubber, both the natural and synthetic, is not safe to use with vinyl floors because it reacts with the chemicals found in vinyl and causes staining. Heat from sunlight or even the friction of foot traffic on rubber-backed rug pads causes this chemical reaction.
When moisture penetrates your flooring, it can cause mold, mildew, and the potential for water damage. A moisture barrier helps control the water vapor's movement to help protect your floors. Therefore, if you're installing floors in an area that sees moisture, even a little, a vapor barrier is needed.
Generally speaking, the design of vinyl flooring prevents any need for underlay. This is because vinyl flooring comes with a base layer that already acts as an underlay, removing the need for any additional flooring aids. By design, vinyl flooring is exceptionally stable.
Very often, particularly in a below-grade installation on a concrete basement floor, a vapor barrier is recommended in addition to the underlayment. That vapor barrier would go between the subfloor and the underlayment.
Note: Don't want to deal with removing baseboards? You can leave them in place, but you will need to leave a ¼” gap between the baseboard and flooring, to account for expansion over time.
Foam: Being one of the least expensive underlayments you can buy, foam fits as the perfect choice to be put under your vinyl floor, especially if your subfloor is made of plywood. However, make sure that you have no moisture issues as foam and water aren't a good combination when it comes to flooring.
Remove all furniture from the room as well as any existing vinyl or carpet floor coverings. Check for nails and tacking strips, before thoroughly sweeping and vacuuming the subfloor. Make good any damage such as holes/cracks in the subfloor (this can be done by using a repair mortar).
A flat and level floor is key so that the adjoining vinyl plank flooring doesn't have varying heights. It is absolutely essential that the subfloor is completely level.