Installing 1 4 Underlayment Sheet Vinyl

Leave a 1 8 inch gap along the walls.

Installing 1 4 underlayment sheet vinyl.

Most plywood underlayment is about 1 4 inch thick and has square edges and a smooth knot free top face. When it comes to installing a new flooring material you sometimes have the option of installing the underlayment for your new floor directly on top. Traditional hardwood flooring is 3 4 inch thick and carpet with pad is usually between 5 8 and 1 inch depending on the type. Installation procedures and adhesives differ for each type of vinyl flooring and vary from one manufacturer to another so be sure to get instructions for the type of flooring you choose.

I have 3 4 durastrand subfloor and am installing 1 4 underlayment before the vinyl. We recommend you use this method for installation under vinyl vinyl composite tile luxury vinyl tile ceramic tile carpet engineered flooring and wood floors. For many years the standard option was lauan plywood also called philippine mahogany or luan plywood which is made with an inexpensive tropical hardwood and therein lies its problem. Luan as underlayment luan is 1 4 inch thick and it comes in 4 by 8 sheets.

Sheet vinyl however is only about 1 16 inch thick. We ve chosen to demonstrate installation of felt backed rotovinyl over a new layer of special 1 4 in. While luan provides a smooth surface on which to install vinyl it s not suitable for all types of vinyl flooring. Position sureply plywood underlayment panels 1 8 to 1 4 from the walls to allow for expansion.

Always use the fasteners and fastening pattern recommended by the vinyl floor and plywood manufacturer. I have installed one sheet so far and it was a lot quicker than my past jobs. I have used nails and screws in the past but read online elsewhere that pros use narrow crown staples. When installing the new underlayment stagger the seams of the plywood panels and leave a 1 32 inch gap between panels to allow for expansion.

It needs to be built up to the same elevation of the other flooring types in the house. That doesn t mean you don t need underlayment for sheet vinyl however. Finish the sheet by fastening the remaining 8 edge 2 on center 1 2. If your subfloor had dips or damage it could show through the vinyl over time.

It typically comes in 4 x 8 foot sheets.