Traditional hardwood flooring is 3 4 inch thick and carpet with pad is usually between 5 8 and 1 inch depending on the type.
Installing 1 4 underlayment sheet vinyl.
Cement board thinset and tile add up to about 5 8 inch.
I have used nails and screws in the past but read online elsewhere that pros use narrow crown staples.
Finish the sheet by fastening the remaining 8 edge 2 on center 1 2.
We ve chosen to demonstrate installation of felt backed rotovinyl over a new layer of special 1 4 in.
When installing the new underlayment stagger the seams of the plywood panels and leave a 1 32 inch gap between panels to allow for expansion.
Installation procedures and adhesives differ for each type of vinyl flooring and vary from one manufacturer to another so be sure to get instructions for the type of flooring you choose.
That doesn t mean you don t need underlayment for sheet vinyl however.
It typically comes in 4 x 8 foot sheets.
It needs to be built up to the same elevation of the other flooring types in the house.
Leave a 1 8 inch gap along the walls.
When it comes to installing a new flooring material you sometimes have the option of installing the underlayment for your new floor directly on top.
I have installed one sheet so far and it was a lot quicker than my past jobs.
For many years the standard option was lauan plywood also called philippine mahogany or luan plywood which is made with an inexpensive tropical hardwood and therein lies its problem.
Laying underlayment over an existing flooring.
Luan as underlayment luan is 1 4 inch thick and it comes in 4 by 8 sheets.
Most plywood underlayment is about 1 4 inch thick and has square edges and a smooth knot free top face.
Position sureply plywood underlayment panels 1 8 to 1 4 from the walls to allow for expansion.
If your subfloor had dips or damage it could show through the vinyl over time.
I have 3 4 durastrand subfloor and am installing 1 4 underlayment before the vinyl.
There are several types of underlayment for this type of flooring and we ve seen brands with a thin layer of foam pre attached as well.
We recommend you use this method for installation under vinyl vinyl composite tile luxury vinyl tile ceramic tile carpet engineered flooring and wood floors.