Do You Need Underlay For Vinyl Tiles

This baselayer makes the vinyl flooring incredibly durable and comfortable to walk on.

Do you need underlay for vinyl tiles.

Because you can install sheet vinyl over existing vinyl it offers the option of changing design without breaking the bank. If you ve chosen to go the vinyl path you re probably wondering about the best 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. Installing new flooring is a costly enterprise so you want to get it right the first time around.

Vinyl flooring is available in a huge number of patterns and colors is easy to clean and is softer to walk on than most other hard surfaces. Vinyl click tile is usually very thin. Tile floors are beautiful durable and a fairly diy friendly option but for tile s good looks to really last it s vital to start with what you can t see the ideal underlayment. One of the most popular products on the market are easy to install click and lock vinyl plank 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. Vinyl floors are designed with a base layer making the addition of underlay pointless. Do you need underlayment for those. Most vinyl flooring or luxury vinyl tiles do not require underlay.

Vinyl tile is available in three main styles with vct or vinyl composition tiles peel and stick tile and luxury vinyl tile. 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. They mimic hardwood yet offer the ease of maintenance of luxury vinyl. In most cases as long as the old vinyl surface is flat you don t need to do anything more for this type of underlayment.

What about for click and lock vinyl tiles. Vinyl flooring is usually not installed directly over the subfloor in. Actually you may not even need underlayment depending on the product and where you plan to install it. Concrete and wood subfloors each have their own subfloor preparation.

You also do not need an underlayment if. The only time a vinyl floor may need underlay is when the surface beneath is uneven or has issues with damp. It may also be a requirement in certain hoa or apartment complexes to have a sound barrier with your flooring. Vinyl underlayment is an optional add on to click lock vinyls that are 4mm or thicker.