Do You Need Vapor Barrier Under Vinyl Plank Flooring

A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation.

Do you need vapor barrier under vinyl plank flooring.

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. It s more important that the underlayment dampens sounds and feels comfortable. There s no need for a moisture barrier underlayment on plywood.

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. 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. Vinyl planks require hard thin underlay because the product itself is softer. While underlayment for vinyl planks may be used under hardwood and laminate the reverse is not true.

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. 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. Vapor barrier 2 in 1 underlayment. An underlayment that offers more cushioning is armstrong flooring quiet comfort.

Perfect for under laminate flooring with pre attached pad or luxury vinyl plank flooring where you don t need the extra padding. A concrete floor with a too high moisture content can wreak havoc on a vinyl floor. Thanks all for the replies. The vapor barrier will prevent the moisture from coming through and protect your floor from mold and mildew.

Our moistureblock 6 mil vapor barrier is designed specially to block moisture from reaching your floor. 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. 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.