Do luxury vinyl tiles need underlay?

There are several reasons why the flooring product known as luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) has become such a popular and common selection. It is one that can really alter the look of a room thanks to the fact that the tiles can be manufactured to closely mimic anything from hardwood to stone, while also costing a lot less money than either of those.

LVT floors are popular because they are easy to clean and durable too, coming with a layer designed to protect against water damage. That means they work just as well in a bathroom or kitchen as any other room of a home.

Finally, installing the tiles is a fairly quick and simple procedure, although one question that often arises is that of an underlay.

What exactly is LVT underlay?

The term ‘underlay’ refers to a piece of material that is installed between the main floor material and the subfloor. The typical purpose of underlay is either to make the floor less hard and/or noisy to walk on or to provide an extra layer of protection against moisture damage. Neither of these common reasons for fitting an underlay will be applicable to LVT floors in most cases.

That is because many types of LVT floor come with underlay built in during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the majority of luxury vinyl tiles that are produced now are completely waterproof, so an underlay to shield against damp is unnecessary.

So is underlay ever needed?

The likelihood is that you will not need to fit an underlay if you choose LVT floors. They are designed for stability, meaning that buckling or shifting does not occur even without one and they can be laid straight over the subfloor. That does not mean that there are no benefits to considering an underlay though or that it will always be unnecessary.

Reasons to consider underlay

Noise reduction

Adding an underlay beneath your LVT floor can help to minimise the noise caused by boots or shoes. Studies have shown that it cuts down on those sounds by as much as 16dB. This can be very useful if you live in close proximity to other people.

Cushioning effect

LVT floors vary considerably in thickness and the thinner tiles can feel quite cold and hard to walk on. Adding an underlay will help to cushion them, although selecting thicker tiles will also work for that purpose.

What about LVT click floors?

One area where the situation regarding underlay is more complicated is if you choose to install LVT click floors. The term click flooring is used for vinyl tiles that are put together via clickable joints and they are a type of ‘floating floor’ surface, which means they are not attached to the subfloor. Vinyl click floors tend to be made of quite thin material but the presence of underlay can make the system of joint locking weaker.

On the other hand, underlay can also make the thinness of the tiles less noticeable when walking on them. If you wish to have underlay for that reason, opt for a maximum thickness of 2mm as that will be enough to muffle noise and create a softer floor to walk on. Vinyl click floors are a popular choice in rooms that have under floor heating, because they are not stuck down to the subfloor. If you have under floor heating, you should never install underlay beneath your tiles.

What about LVT adhesive floors?

This is a slightly different type of LVT floor where the installation involves attaching it to the subfloor after applying glue to that first. Because this type of LVT floor is more stable than a click floor to begin with, there is little or no reason to install a special underlay between it and the subfloor.

What about if the subfloor is made of concrete?

The main situation where underlay may be needed with LVT flooring is if the subfloor is made of concrete. If there are damaged sections of the concrete where moisture can get in, a vapour barrier should be used as underlay if it has not been built into the tiles.

The other main reason for adding underlay is to ensure that imperfections in the concrete are not felt once the vinyl tiles have been laid. Therefore, aside from the benefits it can offer in terms of noise reduction and increased softness, the only real reason to consider underlay if you are fitting LVT is if the subfloor is extremely uneven. An alternative would be to repair the worst of that damage by levelling and filling in cracks or holes before putting the tiles down.

In conclusion, underlay will not be needed with luxury vinyl tiles in the majority of cases. There are some exceptions, but discussing it with a professional before installation will resolve any uncertainty.