Acceptable Subfloors for Luxury Vinyl Plank
Concrete Subfloors
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is a good choice for installation over concrete subfloors. Take note of the grade level before applying luxury vinyl over concrete. Before installation, you should also perform a moisture test on suspended, on-grade, and below-grade concrete subfloors. To ensure the best results, lay down a moisture vapor barrier over the concrete subfloor before installation.
Wood Subfloors
If the wood subfloor is porous, a double-layer plywood construction is required when you glue down vinyl plank flooring. Afterward, prep the subfloor by spreading a primer that fills the pores and makes the floor ready to accept adhesive.
Existing Flooring
You can glue down luxury vinyl plank flooring over some existing flooring and eliminate hours of work peeling up the floor. Luxury vinyl plank flooring is so versatile that you can apply it directly over existing floor substrates, including terrazzo, fiber cement, vinyl sheeting, and radiant heat flooring. However, don't install it over the cork, carpet, laminate, vinyl with a cushioned backing, or any other floating floor system.
Glue-down flooring can be installed in two different ways:
- Hard Set: This type of glue-down vinyl involves an adhesive being spread across the subfloor. The vinyl planks are then laid down on top of it and allowed time to cure.
- Pressure Set: Also known as “peel and stick”, this is the most affordable type of glue-down flooring. The backing of the planks has a sticky side that is revealed by peeling back the protective layer. The planks are then pressed down into the subfloor and smoothed out.
Source: whatisvinyl.com
Click-Lock Vinyl Flooring
Click-lock is the most durable kind of luxury vinyl flooring, and it’s also the most expensive. These planks are installed via interlocking joints that connect the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle. Also known as a “floating floor”, click-lock requires no adhesive whatsoever. It simply rests on top of the subfloor and is held in place by each of the surrounding pieces.
How Long To Wait Before Putting Furniture on Your Vinyl?
As mentioned, the time you must wait before moving furniture back after the installation will entirely depend on which type of luxury vinyl flooring style was used. Because of this, your flooring purchase may depend on how quickly you’d like to get your home back to normal. It can be frustrating not being able to use a portion of your home for an extended period of time.
If you’re installing glue-down flooring, you will need to wait a certain amount of time before furniture can be moved back in. This is primarily because the adhesive that is used needs to set. If the curing process is disrupted it can easily affect the quality of the project and the planks can shift before installation completes. It’s always best to be patient.
Most manufacturers recommend between 48 and 72 hours for glue-down flooring. During this time, it’s suggested that you don’t even walk on the flooring, so your best bet is to completely close off that portion of the home for daily use. You may also want to open some windows and ventilate the room, as vinyl flooring and the glue may release VOCs which may be unpleasant to smell.
If you’d like to go back to using your home as quickly as possible, click-lock vinyl is what you’re after. Since no adhesive is used, there’s no curing process, meaning you don’t have to wait for the glue to set. With this flooring type, you can actually move furniture back in immediately. However, when you are ready to move furniture in, there are some special considerations to make to avoid potential damage.
How Much Furniture Weight Can Vinyl Hold?
A significant drawback of vinyl plank flooring, when compared to true hardwood, is that the surface is softer and it is more susceptible to dents from heavy items. If your floor is overloaded by heavy appliances or heavy furniture, you risk damaging the planks. It’s important to know the specific weight rating of your flooring so that you can avoid damage.
According to Home Inspection Insider, most manufacturers rate their vinyl to be able to withstand 500 pounds. Keep in mind that this is for a single vinyl plank. While 500 pounds may seem like a lot, heavy appliances like refrigerators or heavy furniture pieces like pianos can easily exceed this.