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Can you put laminate flooring directly on concrete?
Laminate flooring can be used immediately after installation. Laminate flooring can be installed over concrete, wood or carpet subfloor or other surfaces. Installation of good quality underlayment is highly recommended. Installing underlayment is easy but it has to be done precise to avoid any tears.
Do you need underlay for laminate flooring on concrete?
Yes. Underlayment for laminate flooring provides proper support, stability, noise reduction and helps the click lock system to provide a structurally sound floor.
How do I prepare a concrete floor for laminate?
To get the most out of your laminate flooring, it needs to be dry, level and clean. To ensure your floor from letting in moisture, you must let the concrete cure for 30 days. It needs an excessive amount of time to fend off moisture.
What underlay should I use for laminate flooring on concrete?
With a concrete subfloor, you will need an underlayment that acts as a vapor barrier in order to prevent moisture from penetrating through to your laminate installation. The normal choice is a thin foam pad material made of polyethylene or polypropylene, which rolls out in sheets.
Can you put laminate flooring down without underlayment?
Some laminate flooring planks come with the underlayment attached to each plank. Underlayment is not optional. If your laminate planks don’t have it already attached, we recommend that you buy rolls of underlayment on which to install your laminate floor.
Can you lay laminate without underlay?
If you are installing the laminate flooring in an area that receives little attention such as a mudroom or laundry room, and you simply need to quickly install cheap flooring, laminate flooring can be installed without underlayment. The subfloor must be perfectly flat and featureless: no nails, screws, bumps, or dips.
What type of flooring does not need 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. You also do not need an underlayment if your vinyl plank flooring has underlayment installed, however, you may need a vapor barrier.
Do I need to level my concrete floor before laminate?
Typically, the floor must be level and uniform within 3/16 inch every 10 feet. Check your wood flooring manufacturer’s recommendations and sand any high spots with a concrete grinder. Fill any low spots with a cementitious leveling compound following the manufacturer’s directions and allow it to dry before proceeding.
Can you install laminate over cracked concrete?
Any type of flooring may be used over properly repaired shrinkage cracks if the entire concrete surface of the pad is leveled and sealed. Carpeting or laminate flooring with a foam membrane underlayment would work well in this situation.
What is the best underlay for a concrete floor?
Sponge rubber underlay – Sponge rubber underlay is very durable and great for sound reduction which makes it one of the best carpet underlays for concrete floors. It’s also the best carpet underlay for underfloor heating as it allows heat from the underfloor panels to escape into the room efficiently.
What is the best underlay for wood flooring on concrete?
Super Gold is the thickest underlay you can put under laminate or wood flooring. The main benefit of a thicker product is the warmth properties it has. It has a built in damp proof membrane so works great when laying on concrete floors for example kitchens and other downstairs rooms.
Can you use foam underlay on concrete?
Quickstep Laminate Foam Underlay A good basic underlay that can be used over any wooden subfloor. If used over concrete floors, a damp proof membrane must be laid first.
What happens if you don’t use an underlayment on laminate flooring?
If the subfloor in your home or property is uneven, then your laminate floor could move and shift if it doesn’t have an underlayment for support. As a result, the floor will be more prone to wear-and-tear and could even warp. The more stability, the less likely you’ll have to pay out of pocket for costly repairs.
What happens if you don’t put underlayment under vinyl plank flooring?
Vinyl planks require hard, thin underlay because the product itself is softer. 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.
Can you install laminate flooring over plywood?
Laminate floors can be installed directly over concrete, plywood, OSB, parquet, vinyl and tile. The underlayment must be applied to the original flooring surface first, and then the floating floor can be installed.
Do I need underlay for laminate flooring on plywood?
All floors aren’t perfectly flat so having an underlayment can hide the small minor imperfections giving your room a near perfect look. Moisture protection will not have any benefit to laminate flooring on plywood as most plywood subfloors are usually installed on the main or second level of a house.
What is the purpose of underlayment for laminate flooring?
Flooring Underlayment The thin layer of material helps cushion, sound absorption, insulation and reduce wear with your flooring. For laminate or engineered wood flooring, it provides a “vapor barrier” to prevent moisture from coming through and damaging your floor.
Do you need underlay?
Yes, All carpets apart from felt-backed carpets should have underlay. Obviously budget is sometimes an issue with underlays, but it is well worth the extra money. Without underlay, there would be the following financial drawbacks: Wear.
Can you glue underlayment to concrete?
No, you should not glue down your underlayment. Underlayment is is a floating material, the same as your laminate flooring. In most cases, you should not glue or nail your underlayment down. You should always check with the installation instructions of the underlayment for proper installation instructions first.
Do you have to staple down underlayment?
There is no fastening the underlayment to the subfloor. If your choose this route, staples are a good choice to fasten the underlayment. Staples usually have a coating which help increase the holding power. Using a crown compression stapler, staple 2 inches on the seams and edges with 4-6 inches apart in the middle.
How do you attach plywood underlayment to concrete?
To install a floated subfloor system, first place a layer of plywood subfloor panels with the edges parallel to the wall. Use a ¾” spacer between the plywood and the wall and a 1/8” spacer between panels. Next, lay a second layer of plywood at a 45-degree angle to the first layer.
