Do I Need Underlayment For Vinyl Flooring On Concrete

If you are a condo or multi family sound ratings do matter.

Do i need underlayment for vinyl flooring on concrete. What about concrete should you use a special underlayment for laying vinyl on concrete. A vinyl flooring underlayment will not be as thick as a laminate or hardwood underlayment. It can be installed with an underlayment and some wpc vinyl plank floors come with a cork underlayment pre attached. In fact as a softer flooring adding an underlayment could mean too much cushion resulting in dents and more wear and tear sooner.

Underlayment isn t a necessity but you might consider it to add noise reducing qualities or additional softness to the product. The type of vinyl flooring and type of subfloor you have will determine if you are able to use a vinyl flooring underlayment. Unlike laminate flooring most vinyl floors are designed to lay directly on top of the subfloor. 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.

In this article we will go over what things you need to look for and what our recommendation is. The steps in this guide on how to install vinyl plank flooring on. The key to installing luxury vinyl over concrete is to ensure the floor is level and clean. The important thing is that the concrete is smooth free of damages clean and dust free.

If a floor plank and underlayment or adhesive will not fit under the door remove the door and trim it with a circular saw about 1 8 inch above the level of the new flooring. Before installing a vinyl floor you will need to make sure your subfloor meets these requirements. With our quietwalk luxury vinyl underlayment designed for luxury vinyl plank achieving delta iic rating of 28 was achieved. If you re wondering about luxury vinyl plank underlayment that s one of the appeals it usually doesn t need underlayment.

If you use an underlayment without a moisture barrier it s a good idea to install a sheet of plastic below it for insurance. The higher the number the better the sound proofing is. 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. With the various amounts of underlayment on the market how do you know what to pick.

Perhaps the easiest way to improve the insulation of a floating vinyl floor on concrete is to install a thermal underlayment preferably made of cork felt or a similar material. Vinyl underlayment is an optional add on to click lock vinyls that are 4mm or thicker. Opt for a dense underlayment if you go for one. 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.

Good to know if you need to cut the door get the approximate layout of the cut and use masking tape on top and bottom of the cut line to reduce splintering as the cut.