Do You Put Padding Under Vinyl Plank Flooring

Unfortunately adding insulating underlayment under vinyl flooring will cause the flooring to be unstable.

Do you put padding under vinyl plank flooring.

If you want one though you should only use a pad which has been made for vinyl plank or lvt different terms same stuff. No glue or locking system is required to install loose lay vinyl plank flooring. You also do not need an underlayment if your vinyl plank flooring has underlayment installed however you may need a vapor barrier. And you shouldn t use padding to even out your subfloor as that will allow the floor seams to move more you should level mechanically or with a compound.

This is why it is the easiest to install. 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. It should fit snugly against your wall. 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.

Vinyl is quite resilient after all. A vinyl flooring underlayment will not be as thick as a laminate or hardwood underlayment. Because vinyl flooring isn t made from wood products it does not have the same structure that laminate flooring does. Underlayment for vinyl flooring if you already have flooring in mind it s always a good idea to refer to the manufacturer to see what they recommend beforehand.

Vinyl planks require hard thin underlay because the product itself is softer. In general you do not need any padding under a vinyl plank floor. Also there is no need to leave expansion gaps or put in an underlayment. If your room has a baseboard or moulding at the bottom of the wall use a pry bar to temporarily remove it.

Vinyl underlayment is an optional add on to click lock vinyls that are 4mm or thicker. Knee pads are also a good idea. If you are installing your vinyl plank flooring over a concrete subfloor you may want to use an underlayment for three reasons. Second you may want an extra vapor barrier above the subfloor to reduce any risk of moisture.

Putting a soft product under vinyl plank will result in an unstable floor that is much more inclined to being damaged and even punctured or torn over time. If the vinyl has a backing layer or pad already attached 95 of the time they will not suggest anything at all aside from a vapor barrier. We recommend using safety goggles and work gloves during installation. First it will give you some added cushion to help make the floor softer to walk on.

No thick underlayment under vinyl flooring. All of that said definitely check the specific instructions for the flooring you have to see if they list any requirements allowances or restrictions.