Do You Need An Underlayment For Vinyl Plank Flooring

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.

Do you need an underlayment for vinyl plank flooring.

If the concrete is uneven you will have to level it out. However underlayment can still prove resourceful when used for sound reduction and cushioning. The only thing that will happen if you decide to purchase it in that case is that the warranty will become null and void with the manufacturer. One thing is certain with underlayment and vinyl plank flooring though and that s the fact that when it s recommended it must be thin and it must be dense.

A vinyl flooring underlayment will not be as thick as a laminate or hardwood underlayment. Underlayment isn t a necessity but you might consider it to add noise reducing qualities or additional softness to the product. The key to installing luxury vinyl over concrete is to ensure the floor is level and clean. Vinyl is quite resilient after all.

If your subfloor is very even and smooth you do not need an underlayment under your vinyl plank on hardwood. Trafficmaster is our company that makes vinyl peel and stick vinyl as well as real wood and laminate flooring systems. An underlayment will help level out minor imperfections in your wood subfloor as well. If you are installing your vinyl plank flooring over a concrete subfloor you may want to use an underlayment for three reasons.

You also do not need an underlayment if your vinyl plank flooring has underlayment installed however you may need a vapor barrier. The only other time that you don t need to purchase an underlayment is when there is already one built in to the vinyl plank flooring. Since vinyl planks are generally thinner than a laminate the underlayment is also thinner. 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.

In allure s case an underlayment is simply not needed since the product is flexible enough underfoot and acts as its own cushioning. Vinyl planks require hard thin underlay because the product itself is softer. 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. Inspect the underlayment one thing that hasn t changed about installing vinyl flooring or any type of flooring for the matter is the need for a perfectly smooth and level underlayment.

While underlayment for vinyl planks may be used under hardwood and laminate the reverse is not true.