Do You Need Underlayment For Sheet Vinyl

Any filler you use to cover the heads could pop out and cause a bump under the new vinyl floor.

Do you need underlayment for sheet vinyl.

Underlayment goes on top of the structural support of your floor and under your actual flooring. Plywood used as underlayment for sheet vinyl flooring should also have a sanded smooth surface on the topside. You can lower high spots with a grinder. A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation.

It is designed to create a smooth durable surface which is why it is so important for vinyl flooring. You also do not need an underlayment if. A vinyl flooring underlayment will not be as thick as a laminate or hardwood underlayment. Avoid using materials with distinct raised grain patterns which can affect the finish texture of the sheet vinyl.

When installing this kind of underlayment over mortar or concrete it can float but the edges still need to be taped. Use a hammer to pound in the offenders and fill the hammer dents later. Vinyl underlayment is an optional add on to click lock vinyls that are 4mm or thicker. Concrete and wood subfloors each have their own subfloor preparation.

That doesn t mean you don t need underlayment for sheet vinyl however. Repair any holes or cracks. 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. Any minor bumps can be removed with a masonry chisel and small sledgehammer.

A concrete floor with a too high moisture content can wreak havoc on a vinyl floor. Sheet vinyl can be installed over concrete if the surface of the concrete is clean smooth and dry. 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. 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.

Smoothing the surface of the new underlayment is the final step in preparing the floor for sheet vinyl. 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. If your subfloor had dips or damage it could show through the vinyl over time. Vinyl flooring is so thin that any imperfections underneath it like bumps grooves or cracks will show right through.

There are several types of underlayment for this type of flooring and we ve seen brands with a thin layer of foam pre attached as well. If you are using a paper or fiber sheet underlayment leave an inch or two extra that you can trim off after you ve installed the flooring.