Concrete Floor Prep For Vinyl Plank Flooring

Preparing the floor for installation of any flooring is the key to a great job especially when installing vinyl planks.

Concrete floor prep for vinyl plank flooring.

Preparing a concrete subfloor for luxury vinyl flooring concrete is a common subfloor material and in general it s easy to prepare for a luxury vinyl flooring installation project. Newly poured concrete off gases water vapor and typically needs from 120 to 150 days to dry out before it s ready to accept flooring according to milliken company. Tape a 3 foot square piece of scrap vinyl to the concrete with duct tape sealing the edges tight. So technically if you are installing vinyl plank flooring onto concrete you already have a subfloor.

Leave the vinyl in place for 72 hours. If your concrete subfloor was just poured you ll need to allow it to properly cure for a minimum of 60 days before your luxury vinyl flooring installation begins. A subfloor is the bottom layer of any floor. If a floor plank and underlayment or adhesive will not fit under the door casing cut the casing with a backsaw about 1 16 inch above the level of the new flooring.

However laying vinyl flooring over concrete requires a bit more preparation. If a floor plank and underlayment or adhesive will not fit under the door remove the door and trim it with a circular saw about 1 8 inch above the level of the new flooring. Vinyl planks are a great option if you want durable flooring but don t have a ton of installation experience. Test the floor for moisture.

Don t sand vinyl flooring as it may contain asbestos. Self leveler is available in powder and pre mixed form and is used to create a flat smooth surface in flooring projects. And this time it went so much smoother. Use a self leveler on low spots and or sand high spots of wood or concrete.

Vinyl plank flooring is water resistant and if it has a wpc core it s waterproof so it won t be damaged by the off gassing. Before installing your vinyl flooring whether the subfloor of your work area is hardwood or concrete one crucial step is to make sure the subfloor is level and clean. It can be constructed from wood plywood plastic or concrete. I did this whole room by myself completely in two evenings and about half an hour the next day and feel confident that these tips and tools will help you if you want to do the same.