Can You Install Vinyl Over Laminate

How to lay vinyl plank over existing flooring.

Can you install vinyl over laminate.

Vinyl plank flooring is flexible in nature and it is recommended that vinyl flooring should only go over slid well adhered substrate that is smooth. This means that the choice of subfloor i e what you install laminate over needs to provide the right support. What that means is that over time you can possibly have your vinyl floor tiles popping up or having issues even if you applied extra adhesive to them. One of the evolutions of the do it yourself industry has been the creation of easy to use and easy to install products such as vinyl plank flooring.

I have been asked this question quite a few times by homeowners looking for an easy fix or renovation of their flooring. If you decide to install the planks over the laminate and end up having issues because of the laminates imperfections you not only wasted cash on the luxury vinyl but doubled your workload because you have to rip up the luxury vinyl planks and the laminate planks. Vinyl flooring cannot effectively bridge over or smooth out substrate imperfections in the way that thicker inflexible floor coverings can. If you decide to install laminate flooring over vinyl flooring remember to first clear the vinyl of any debris and obstacles.

Laminates seams can tend to separate or even crack if not supported well. It is important to have the floor as flat and well prepared as possible to allow the laminate to be smooth and seamless when installed. A common question that gets asked on home forums and by private retail is can i lay vinyl over laminate flooring. Solid hardwood or engineered wood for example can bridge gaps holes and seams as well as smooth over surface embossing.

Paper backed vinyl offers a good base to install over however flexible cushiony vinyl usually glued around the perimeter should be removed because these allow too much seam movement.