Installing 1 4 Underlayment Sheet Vinyl

I have used nails and screws in the past but read online elsewhere that pros use narrow crown staples.

Installing 1 4 underlayment sheet vinyl.

Sheet vinyl however is only about 1 16 inch thick. 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. It needs to be built up to the same elevation of the other flooring types in the house. There are several types of underlayment for this type of flooring and we ve seen brands with a thin layer of foam pre attached as well.

If your subfloor had dips or damage it could show through the vinyl over time. We ve chosen to demonstrate installation of felt backed rotovinyl over a new layer of special 1 4 in. Laying underlayment over an existing flooring. Most plywood underlayment is about 1 4 inch thick and has square edges and a smooth knot free top face.

It typically comes in 4 x 8 foot sheets. While luan provides a smooth surface on which to install vinyl it s not suitable for all types of vinyl flooring. We recommend you use this method for installation under vinyl vinyl composite tile luxury vinyl tile ceramic tile carpet engineered flooring and wood floors. 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. Traditional hardwood flooring is 3 4 inch thick and carpet with pad is usually between 5 8 and 1 inch depending on the type. That doesn t mean you don t need underlayment for sheet vinyl however. 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.

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. Leave a 1 8 inch gap along the walls. Finish the sheet by fastening the remaining 8 edge 2 on center 1 2.

Cement board thinset and tile add up to about 5 8 inch.