Does Luxury Vinyl Need Underlayment

Always examine your new flooring for damage or defects before installation.

Does luxury vinyl need underlayment. There are several factors to consider when it comes to vinyl flooring underlayment. While more expensive than your other two options lvt often comes with an underlayment already attached. Existing sheet vinyl and carpet if your kitchen floor is sheet vinyl and the dining room is carpet don t forget that the sheet vinyl will have a 1 4 inch underlayment beneath it but the carpet won t. When it comes to vinyl flooring underlayment is not always necessary.

For installation of vinyl flooring you need a smooth even surface for the underside of the flooring to achieve the best contact for adhesion. Adding underlayment is a great way to get the most out of your new luxury vinyl flooring. If you want to install lv flooring in both you ll have to remove the underlayment in the kitchen or add some to the dining room. 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.

Be sure to read the approved installation instructions and warranty information. 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. Vinyl floors under 4mm should be installed right over the subfloor. Luxury vinyl floors need to acclimate to the new environment for 48 hours so you should have new flooring delivered to your home at least two days before installation.

Opt for a dense underlayment if you go for one. With new advances in luxury vinyl flooring options now range from 2mm to 8mm. A luxury vinyl tile lvt underlayment is a specially formulated underlayment for installing underneath luxury tiles. If you re unsure if you should or should not buy vinyl flooring underlayment keep reading.

The rule of thumb is any vinyl over 4mm can have a vinyl specific underlayment. In fact as a softer flooring adding an underlayment could mean too much cushion resulting in dents and more wear and tear sooner. Lvt stands for luxury vinyl tile and it s the most popular style of tile that is made from synthetic materials. Flooring underlayment is essential for a range of surfaces including many vinyl flooring options please note thinner vinyl flooring styles aren t usually compatible with underlay.

Some products have it built into the product itself so it s not necessary to lay it separately. It simplifies the installation but will add more to the price. If you re wondering about luxury vinyl plank underlayment that s one of the appeals it usually doesn t need underlayment. Vinyl underlayment is generally an option if you re looking for extra cushion sound absorption or thermal properties.