Most vinyl flooring or luxury vinyl tiles do not require underlay. Vinyl floors are designed with a base layer, making the addition of underlay pointless. This baselayer makes the vinyl flooring incredibly durable and comfortable to walk on.
It is important to only use an LVT underlay. Other types of flooring underlay can often not provide the correct support for the click joints of a luxury vinyl tile. Most LVT underlay is a high-density 1mm-1.5mm thick foam with a moisture barrier.
Yes, provided it meets the specifications required for subfloor preparation. Bear in mind that plywood and OSB substrates tend to get 'roughed up' during construction, and any imperfections in the surface will eventually telegraph through to the surface of the floor.
Common Question #1 – Do vinyl floors need underlayment? Short answer is no, vinyl flooring itself does not necessarily need underlayment, however it may need depending on the acoustic requirements of the building.
Similarly to laminate flooring, 2mm Clear, 2mm Silver or 1.5mm LVT Underlay is best for LVT flooring. However, we do have a range of LVT flooring here at Tile Mountain that has in-built underlay to save you time, money, and effort when undertaking a new flooring installation project.
Glue down vinyl plank flooring will not need an underlayment. You will install these planks by gluing them directly on top of the subfloor. It is very important to have a debris free and level subfloor for a glue down vinyl flooring installation!
¼” plywood works well as a subfloor for vinyl, and you can install vinyl directly over wood. Over a wood subfloor, you need a Class II moisture retardant. If your wood subfloor is old and worn with holes, gaps, and cracks, you can use a liquid leveling agent to create a smooth surface.
When you install your vinyl on a wood subfloor, the top plywood should be a minimum of 1/4″ thick. For most subfloors, you will need to add an extra layer of wood. To do this, measure and cut the plywood to fit your room.
You can install vinyl on many types of subfloor, including concrete and wood. But that floor must be flat for your installation to be a success. An uneven subfloor can lead to potential problems, such as planks having varying heights that will make the flooring unstable and wear down more quickly.
Without underlayment to add a layer between these damp subfloors and the surface flooring, your laminate can quickly become wet, warped, and mildewy, harming its overall integrity. Moisture over time can also break down floor adhesive which causes the floor to start warping.
95% of the time, they will recommend a 6-mil vapor barrier to be installed underneath the flooring. If you are concerned about noise reduction, we recommend for you to take a look at the QuietWalk LV as it offers the best Delta IIC rating in the industry.
Luxury Vinyl Plank can come with attached pad and without. If it has attached underlayment then you should check the flooring manufacturers installation instructions to see if extra underlayment voids the warranty. If you have flooring that does not have attached pad, you will want to install underlayment under it.
The most common thickness of LVP used in common households is 12 mil, but if your household is fairly active, or has a number of pets, a higher thickness is recommended – such as 20 mil. Most thicker planks, such as 28 mil, are used for commercial rather than household installations.
How to lay vinyl flooring on concrete. As you don't have to install underlay for Vinyl Flooring or LVT, this can go directly onto the concrete subfloor. However, allow 24 hours for your flooring to acclimatise by leaving it out of its packaging.
When properly used, expansion gaps can relieve the pressure from heat expansion that can affect a floating floor and prevent any noticeable buckling or peaked appearance. If the floor is less than 50 ft in length or width, leave at least a ¼-inch expansion gap around the entire perimeter.
Water vapor can cause serious damage to your home. For instance, if your flooring gets wet, it could cause mold and mildew, and even destroy your floor (source). No one wants that, so vapor barriers are there to help prevent the floor from getting wet.
While many floor options boast water resistance, our luxury vinyl products are fully waterproof, making them ideal in all rooms, especially kitchens and bathrooms.
Please follow these requirements: Subfloor unevenness cannot be greater than 3/16 of an inch over a 10-foot span or 1/8 inch over a 6-foot span. Subfloors must not slope more than ½ inch per 6 feet (25 mm per 1.8 m) Subfloors must be structurally sound.
The answer will vary depending on the material used for the floor and the way that the boards are constructed, but, as a general rule, both laminate and engineered timber floating floors do need some form of underlay to have optimal functionality and longevity.
You will need moisture-proof underlayment or vapor barrier when there is a chance of moisture migrating upward from a concrete slab, tile, or cement board. Even a wood subfloor or flooring over a crawlspace or other non-climate-controlled space can be subject to rising moisture.
If you are doing a floating floor installation, you must have underlayment. This means if you have a laminate click lock floor, a vinyl click lock floor, or wish to float an engineered hardwood floor, yes, you need underlayment.
MIXED BAG OF ISSUES
Cupping, curling, doming, edge and end lift fall under planar issues. Another issue is gapping at the sides or ends of the tile or plank, caused by the material being cut short or long as well as variations with the way the material is cut to form the tile or plank.
One of the main causes of the rippling of vinyl flooring is the expansion and contraction of its material. If the material becomes warmer, it causes slight expansion resulting in the flooring buckling. In colder climates, the opposite happens and the flooring contracts, causing gaps between the tiles or planks.
Consider the shape of the room
Normally, luxury vinyl planks should run lengthwise in narrow spaces, such as corridors and hallways. Also, installers usually lay them down parallel to the longest wall. Doing so will make small spaces appear wider and bigger.