Do I Need Underlayment For Vinyl Plank

If you want to find out if you need underlayment for your vinyl plank flooring then keep reading.

Do i need underlayment for vinyl plank. For anyone considering a do it yourself approach to laying vinyl flooring this article provides all you need to know about flooring underlayments. 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. The key to installing luxury vinyl over concrete is to ensure the floor is level and clean. 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.

If you are installing your vinyl plank flooring over a concrete subfloor you may want to use an underlayment for three reasons. 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. If your subfloor is very even and smooth you do not need an underlayment under your vinyl plank on hardwood. First it will give you some added cushion to help make the floor softer to walk on.

However underlayment can still prove resourceful when used for sound reduction and cushioning. Vinyl planks require hard thin underlay because the product itself is softer. In general luxury vinyl underlayment for any floor can provide many benefits. If the concrete is uneven you will have to level it out.

Vinyl underlayment certainly has a place in providing sound absorption thermal properties and extra cushion. Underlayment isn t a necessity but you might consider it to add noise reducing qualities or additional softness to the product. 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. 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.

Second you may want an extra vapor barrier above the subfloor to reduce any risk of moisture.