Do You Need A Moisture Barrier Under Vinyl Plank Flooring

If you ve chosen luxury vinyl plank flooring as a replacement for your current flooring you ve made a very smart choice.

Do you need a moisture barrier under vinyl plank flooring. 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. Moisture weakens glue bonds and causes the edges to lift. Just ensure any underlayment you add is thin so it doesn t impact the locking process of the vinyl planks. It s extremely beautiful flooring that mimics natural hardwood and sometimes even stone.

It may also be a requirement in certain hoa or apartment complexes to have a sound barrier with your flooring. Vinyl flooring can either be glued to the subfloor or it can float on top of it and either way moisture underneath it causes problems. A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation. 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.

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. Most lvp flooring is water resistant some types are even waterproof and it s also very durable able to resist dents dings scratches and stains. 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.