Do You Need Vapor Barrier Under Vinyl Plank Flooring

Just ensure any underlayment you add is thin so it doesn t impact the locking process of the vinyl planks.

Do you need vapor barrier under vinyl plank flooring. While underlayment for vinyl planks may be used under hardwood and laminate the reverse is not true. An underlayment that offers more cushioning is armstrong flooring quiet comfort. A concrete floor with a too high moisture content can wreak havoc on a vinyl floor. Vinyl planks require hard thin underlay because the product itself is softer.

Our moistureblock 6 mil vapor barrier is designed specially to block moisture from reaching your floor. A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation. For vinyl flooring installations over wood subfloors you will not need to worry about a moisture barrier but you may want an underlayment for added cushion or sound reduction. 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.

The vapor barrier will prevent the moisture from coming through and protect your floor from mold and mildew. Vapor barrier 2 in 1 underlayment. This 2 in 1 underlayment will allow your laminate flooring to float while correcting any minor subfloor imperfections and will protect your floors from moisture. There s no need for a moisture barrier underlayment on plywood.

In your case you don t need the vapor barrier. A moisture barrier may or may not be needed to insure good adhesion of your vinyl floor so do your homework to avoid problems later on down the road. After working the flooring mfr and your great feedback i have heavily recommended to our client to have the water issue mitigated and that installing a vapor barrier under the flooring material is in consequential and may exasperate the build up of moisture under the sub floor. It s more important that the underlayment dampens sounds and feels comfortable.

It may also be a requirement in certain hoa or apartment complexes to have a sound barrier with your flooring. If you re installing it over concrete and you have a question about moisture issues consider adding a vapor barrier underlayment first that will product against water problems. If you are looking for additional sound reduction benefits insulating value and built in vapor barrier we recommend the quietwalk luxury vinyl underlayment has it was designed for luxury vinyl plank and tile flooring. Thanks all for the replies.