What Kind Of Underlayment Do You Use For Vinyl Flooring

If you re installing new vinyl flooring over an existing floor such as hardwood tile laminate or vinyl then cork or foam make good choices.

What kind of underlayment do you use for vinyl flooring.

A vinyl flooring underlayment will not be as thick as a laminate or hardwood underlayment. Plywood underlayment is a thin plywood material that is most commonly used under resilient flooring materials such as vinyl and linoleum sheets and tiles. 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. Opt for a dense underlayment if you go for one.

If you re wondering about luxury vinyl plank underlayment that s one of the appeals it usually doesn t need underlayment. In most cases 4 by 8 foot sheets of particle board or plywood must be installed in preparation for the vinyl floor install. Underlayment isn t a necessity but you might consider it to add noise reducing qualities or additional softness to the product. It can also be used under hardwood laminate and carpet but this is much less common these days because subflooring is typically smooth enough for these materials many of which are installed with a different type of underlayment or pad.

In fact as a softer flooring adding an underlayment could mean too much cushion resulting in dents and more wear and tear sooner. In most cases you will not want to use a vapor barrier type underlayment when installing laminates on a standard plywood subfloor because wood is a natural material that needs to breathe installing a vapor barrier over this can cause moisture to become. There are several types of underlayment for this type of flooring and we ve seen brands with a thin layer of foam pre attached as well. The type of vinyl flooring and type of subfloor you have will determine if you are able to use a vinyl flooring underlayment.

Vinyl tile vinyl tile is available in three main styles with vct or vinyl composition tiles peel and stick tile and luxury vinyl tile. Vinyl underlayment is an optional add on to click lock vinyls that are 4mm or thicker. A breathable foam type underlayment is generally used when installing laminate flooring over plywood or osb subfloors. Because you can install sheet vinyl over existing vinyl it offers the option of changing design without breaking the bank.

Vinyl flooring is usually not installed directly over the subfloor in residential applications. Before installing a vinyl floor you will need to make sure your subfloor meets these requirements. Unlike laminate flooring most vinyl floors are designed to lay directly on top of the subfloor. The key to installing luxury vinyl over concrete is to ensure the floor is level and clean.

Like plywood or osb flooring you can forgo the underlayment entirely if you prefer.