It's easy to see why you might want vinyl plank flooring to cover the surfaces in your home or business. The tricky question remains, however: How can you install vinyl plank flooring over tile?
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Reasons You Can (Or Can't) Put Luxury Vinyl Over Tile
The short answer is yes, you can install luxury vinyl plank over tile! However only if existing tile meets certain criteria. For a few examples how secure is the tile? Are there loose or cracked pieces? Was the tile laid flat or is there significant lippage between the tiles? These things affect the longevity of the floating luxury vinyl floor.
When you want to install vinyl over an existing floor, it's critical to consider the condition of the subfloor. Placing vinyl flooring over an existing floor that has humps, dips, cracks or even minor imperfections could significantly impact the integrity of the vinyl.
Doing so could also cause the product to fail over time, thus voiding the manufacturer's warranty. Luxury vinyl warranties contain very tight tolerances regarding the flatness of the subfloor. This is why although you can try installing vinyl flooring over tile on your own it's best to enlist the help of a professional.
GET A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION
At the very least, a professional installation company will inspect the subfloor to ensure its condition is acceptable to handle a floating floor. At Area Flooring & Tile, Inc., we can evaluate the condition of your subfloor to give you a better idea of how you can prepare for vinyl plank flooring.
Our team of professionals specializes in vinyl flooring installations. We can:
- Accurately test the flatness of the subfloor to make sure it is within the manufacturer's tolerance.
- Fix a faulty subfloor that may void the warranty of the product.
- Make sure demolition is performed with any existing flooring that would cause installation failure and void the warranty.
- Make clean undercuts on doorways to ensure floor height and clearances will work with the existing trim and other flooring types.
- Use high-quality, solid transitions for vinyl flooring installations.
How To Prepare A Subfloor For Vinyl Plank Flooring
When you want to install vinyl flooring directly on top of an existing floor, preparation is a major part of the job. Preparing the correct subfloor is crucial for a long-lasting, stunning vinyl floor.
With the proper subfloor or existing flooring conditions, you can easily install vinyl plank flooring over solid hardwood, concrete or tile. Flooring types you can most often install vinyl flooring over include:
- Ceramic or porcelain tile:In many cases, vinyl plank flooring can be installed directly over ceramic tile. Because unstable tile can cause the floating vinyl flooring to fail, cracked or missing tiles should be fixed. If the tile floor has humps or dips, a professional can use floor leveling techniques before installing the vinyl directly on top of the tile.
- Solid Hardwood and Engineered wood flooring:If it is installed correctly directly over the plywood subfloor, hardwood and engineered wood flooring can serve as the base for vinyl flooring. However, if major gaps are present or the hardwood is loose, it must be attended to first.
- Concrete:Luxury vinyl plank can be installed using the floating method over concrete; however, extreme care must be taken to ensure that it is flat enough to accept the floating floor. A professional can make that determination and provide the necessary steps to correct it if needed. Another option over concrete is a flexible glue-down luxury vinyl plank that does not carry the same stringent requirements as a floating LVP.
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Before installing vinyl flooring, enlist the help of a professional to make sure:
- The existing floor or subfloor is not cracked or rotted
- The substrate does not have water damage, wide gaps or lippage
- The substrate is flat within the tolerance
- Newly poured concrete flooring is fully cured and dry before vinyl flooring is laid on top
Reasons to choose vinyl plank flooring especially if you have children or pets include that it s:
- Versatile
- Visually stunning
- Waterproof
- Resistant to scratches
- Environmentally friendly luxury vinyl products are manufactured from partially recycled materials
Browse Our Selection Of Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring And Installation Services
If you're looking for vinyl floor replacement or installation options in Crystal Lake, you can trust Area Flooring & Tile, Inc. to get the job done right. Our well-trained flooring installers can tackle any flooring project no matter how advanced.
Area Flooring & Tile, Inc. is your source for luxury vinyl tile and plank. LVT or LVP flooring and installation in Crystal Lake. Our click and lock resilient tile flooring creates the appearance of natural stone or hardwood without presenting the maintenance challenges of other types of hard surface flooring.
When you opt to work with us, we'll strive to work with you to exceed your goals for any vinyl flooring project. Contact us online or call 224-713-2732 if you have any questions about our vinyl flooring and installation services.
Read More About Vinyl Flooring
- Benefits of Using Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Hardwood Vs. Other Hard Surfaces
- Luxury Vinyl Plank Vs. Luxury Vinyl Tile
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