Vapor Barrier Under Vinyl Plank Flooring On Concrete

So technically if you are installing vinyl plank flooring onto concrete you already have a subfloor.

Vapor barrier under vinyl plank flooring on concrete.

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. A concrete floor may need a moisture barrier before vinyl flooring can be installed. A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation. A concrete subfloor is porous so moisture tends to be a concern in areas such as basements.

For installation of vinyl flooring you need a smooth even surface for the underside of the flooring to achieve the best contact for adhesion. 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. First it will give you some added cushion to help make the floor softer to walk on. Our moistureblock is a 6 mil polyethylene film vapor barrier that is used during the installation process with floating laminate luxury vinyl planks and engineered wood floors.

Moisture will get through so even if you don t add an additional underlay you do need to seal the concrete. The flooring associate at the home depot canada suggested using vapour barrier with tuck tape to seal the concrete. You also do not need an underlayment if your vinyl plank flooring has underlayment installed however you may need a vapor barrier. Just ensure any underlayment you add is thin so it doesn t impact the locking process of the vinyl planks.

Lastly if you live in a colder climate a concrete subfloor tends to take on the cold temperature. Opt for a moisture barrier to prevent any moisture from getting trapped between the subfloor and your vinyl flooring. However some people prefer to add another thin layer of subflooring between the concrete and vinyl. Format s not supported or source s not found.

No need to bother with large fold out low quality off spec construction grade films which can be bothersome and hard to use before the floor is installed. Second you may want an extra vapor barrier above the subfloor to reduce any risk of moisture. A concrete floor with a too high moisture content can wreak havoc on a vinyl floor.