Do You Need Underlay For Vinyl Flooring On Concrete

If you ve chosen to go the vinyl path you re probably wondering about the best underlayment for vinyl plank flooring.

Do you need underlay for vinyl flooring on concrete.

To eliminate this concern you will need a vapor barrier that is placed right above the concrete slab. Vinyl flooring by its very design is very stable. If you re laying the lvp over an existing cushion backed vinyl floor or a below grade tile floor then you won t need to use an underlayment. So technically if you are installing vinyl plank flooring onto concrete you already have a subfloor.

The key to installing luxury vinyl over concrete is to ensure the floor is level and clean. It may also be a requirement in certain hoa or apartment complexes to have a sound barrier with your flooring. A vinyl floor usually features a base layer which serves the purpose of an underlay thereby removing the need for an additional underlay. The underlay adds an extra cushion on your floor and makes it softer and increase the floors insulating capability thus keeps it warm even during winter.

Vinyl floors that are glue down or loose lay will not need a vinyl underlayment as these floors will be installed directly over the subfloor. Actually you may not even need underlayment depending on the product and where you plan to install it. A vinyl flooring underlayment will not be as thick as a laminate or hardwood underlayment. Keeping your floor warm from cold concrete.

Vinyl underlayment is an optional add on to click lock vinyls that are 4mm or thicker. So the first thing you want to look at does the underlayment have a built in vapor barrier. However you ll want to use one in every other application including covering existing hardwood floors vinyl flooring that isn t cushioned and concrete floors. What about concrete should you use a special underlayment for laying vinyl on concrete.

Extend the underlayment all the way to the walls. The most asked question is on whether you need underlay for vinyl plank flooring or not. This additional layer can improve insulation and should make your vinyl plank flooring warmer and less resonant. For the case of concrete floors an underlay is necessary for your sub floor.

If not you will have to look into purchasing a 6 mil vapor barrier first. Underlayment isn t a necessity but you might consider it to add noise reducing qualities or additional softness to the product. As a result vinyl floors do not wobble or buckle under your feet. If you are using a paper or fiber sheet underlayment leave an inch or two extra that you can trim off after you ve installed the flooring.

The design of vinyl flooring prevents the need for an underlay. Installing new flooring is a costly enterprise so you want to get it right the first time around.