flooring

[jimncheryl]

We have that crazy P/B sub floor throughout the whole hose, it also has sheet vinyl floated over all the sub floor, under the walls complete kitchen and baths and so on.
We would like to go down with some hardwood or laminate type flooring instead of the carpeting we now have.
I have been told I do not need to use underlay-met , that I could just install right over the the vinyl
and things would be fine. Question does anybody have any experience doing that.

We brought home seven samples from HD here in No. Ca. and have been soaking in a bucket of water for a couple days still no sign of damage.
Thanks
Jim

[HouseMedic]

If you are putting down a laminate that does not have a underlayment already attached to each piece then you need an underlayment so the laminate can float and move after you install it. If you are putting down a nailed down tongue and grove product then you can put down rozen paper under that. A glued down product could go right onto the vinyl as long as it is clean and solidly attached to the pb.

Ron

[Greg]

Plus the vinyl will give you one more layer of protection against water.

Greg

[Steve-WA]

In rentals and Lonnie Deals, I've installed cheap laminate right over vinyl, even laid scrap vinyl as underlayment for years, and never had a problem. When I need underlayment, I buy a roll of the standard foam stuff, but you can save the $. Your vinyl will work fine.

Only drawback is voiding warranty from not installing per manufacturers directions. Your call.

Funny story: one of the first times I laid laminate, I had heard of a tip to use roofing felt as an inexpensive alternative to pad. Great, except the floor crackled because of the tar in the felt sticking and releasing from the panels with every step! Lesson learned...

[Norm Frechette]

my brother and I just did my laminate floor over the weekend and we put down a reddish paper product over the particle board area and nothing over the vinly area at the entry door. the floor has to float (expand and contract)

also had a bit of water damage from a cable the directv installer put through my living room wall. water eventually ran down the cable and into the wall space. it wont be doing that anymore!

[HouseMedic]

my brother and I just did my laminate floor over the weekend and we put down a reddish paper product over the particle board area and nothing over the vinly area at the entry door. the floor has to float (expand and contract)

also had a bit of water damage from a cable the directv installer put through my living room wall. water eventually ran down the cable and into the wall space. it wont be doing that anymore!

The reddish paper that you used was most likely Rosin Paper. It almost always is reddish in color.

Ron

[Norm Frechette]

if thats what its call so be it

[gtpvette]

I installed mine without the foam/plastic underlayment that I've used in the past as it was very ex[pensive. I opted for just thick black plastic that I got at Home Depot. Two years later,,, it's perfect.