Regardless of the surface that you're laying your vinyl plank flooring over, underlayment is recommended. It provides extra cushion and sound reduction and also acts as a moisture barrier when you place it over concrete.
In short, vinyl flooring itself can be completely self sustainable and does not require an underlayment to function properly. Another reason underlayments may be suggested for vinyl flooring is if the vinyl flooring type is thin. When the vinyl flooring is thin, it becomes a lot easier to flex and bend.
Felt is a popular underlayment choice, offering better sound control than foam. With foam, you also have the option to choose an attached vapor barrier, and it provides better insulation than foam and cork.
Vinyl floors under 4mm should be installed right over the subfloor. If you have any areas on a concrete subfloor with moisture concerns, we recommend using a vapor barrier underlayment that will not add any cushion to the planks.
Vinyl flooring is usually not installed directly over the subfloor in residential applications. In most cases 4-by-8-foot sheets of particle board or plywood must be installed in preparation for the vinyl floor install.
Prep your subfloor so that it's clean, dry and level within 3/16-inch change per 10 feet. Use a self-leveler on low spots and/or sand high spots of wood or concrete. Don't sand vinyl flooring as it may contain asbestos.
Yes, provided it meets the specifications required for subfloor preparation.
Luxury vinyl plank manufacturers mention only vapor barrier in their installations. They recommend this due to not allowing (concrete subfloor) getting moisture or alkalinity to your flooring choice. This will eliminate any potential for claims or damages to the manufacturers flooring.
Make sure the floor is smooth, clean, free of wax, grease, oil or dust and sealed as necessary before laying vinyl.
Concrete Subfloor
For floating floors, like loose-lay vinyl sheet or rigid vinyl planks, a vinyl flooring underlayment may be required as a vapor barrier and can also add much-needed cushion and warmth underfoot. You may also want to look for an underlayment designed for moisture mitigation and insulation.
Despite these enhancements, there is a common misconception that an attached pad replaces the need for a traditional flooring underlayment. You may save time shopping and installing your floor if you skip the underlayment, but you will not achieve the optimal performance and longevity for your floor.
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.
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.
For any flooring that requires a floating installation method, be laminate or vinyl planks, use a 6 mils (or thicker) plastic sheet as a moisture barrier. You can also use an underlayment with a moisture barrier built-in for water vapor control.
Plywood Subfloor: With plywood, an added moisture barrier isn't necessary, but you will want one that offers more comfort and reduces sound noise. Existing Floors: The idea remains the same when installing over plywood, tile, vinyl, and hardwood - the underlayment should provide sound reduction and comfort.
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.
Moisture barriers are usually installed on the warm side of the wall. In warm climates the vapor barrier is placed on the exterior, while in colder climates the vapor barrier is placed on the interior, to prevent water and vapor from entering the wall cavity.
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.
Vapor barriers should fully cover any ground and overlap at least 6”. Create a conditioned crawl space. Conditioned crawl spaces can prevent vapor drive and moisture build up and provide the added benefit of increased energy efficiency while still capturing the cost savings of building over a crawl space.
6mm plywood is the most common underlying product for vinyl sheet flooring. Compared to the particle board, it has lots of benefits. For instance, besides being highly durable, plywood is water-resistant. The plywood used underneath the vinyl sheet flooring should have a smooth, sanded surface on the upper side.
Hardwood has been a flooring option for thousands of years. It works well over any type of wood subfloor more than 1/2 an inch thick. If squeaky floors are an issue, some construction adhesive will keep everything nice and quiet. Laminate floors can be installed over any wooden subfloor as long as it's in good repair.
3/4" Thick Solid Wood Flooring and most all other hardwood flooring including Engineered or Floating engineered wood flooring and Laminate floors can be installed directly over 5/8" or 3/4" thick CDX plywood sub floors.
But, just like with any other permanent product, it's imperative that the existing floor is clean and dry, in excellent condition, and most important, level. A flat and level floor is key so that the adjoining vinyl plank flooring don't have varying heights.