SUBFLOOR PREPARATION AND LEVELLING FOR LVT AND VINYL

LVT and vinyl are thin, flexible floors, so they show every bump, dip, nail head and board edge underneath. The floor you see is only as good as the one it sits on. That is why I prepare the subfloor properly before I fit any LVT or vinyl, across Redditch, Solihull and Warwickshire.

On floorboards, I screw down any loose boards and cover the lot with thin plywood, known as ply-lining. It gives a smooth, solid base and stops the board edges showing through. On concrete, I use a latex or self-levelling screed, a runny compound that I pour and spread so it finds its own level and sets hard and smooth. Before any of that, I check for damp, because damp coming up through concrete will lift a new floor. If there is a problem, I will tell you and use a damp-proof membrane first.

This is often where cheap quotes cut corners. Laying LVT straight onto old boards or rough concrete saves a day, but the joins open, the boards show through and the floor fails early. My quotes always tell you what preparation your floor needs and what it costs, so there are no surprises.