Can You Install Vinyl Over Laminate

I have been asked this question quite a few times by homeowners looking for an easy fix or renovation of their flooring.

Can you install vinyl over laminate.

This means that the choice of subfloor i e what you install laminate over needs to provide the right support. 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. 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. If you were to put this or any kind of tile on top of the existing laminate they can and most likely will shift due to the laminate being a floating system.

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. 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. Vinyl flooring cannot effectively bridge over or smooth out substrate imperfections in the way that thicker inflexible floor coverings can. Remember that laminate flooring like swiss krono usa s laminate wood flooring is a floating floor it will expand and contract as temperature and other conditions change.

Laminates seams can tend to separate or even crack if not supported well. How to lay vinyl plank over existing flooring. Solid hardwood or engineered wood for example can bridge gaps holes and seams as well as smooth over surface embossing. It is understandable as a laminate floor is an amazingly durable and tough material and you want it to be around as a second o.

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.