Luxury Vinyl Tiles over a concrete floor

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Minch, Apr 8, 2019.

  1. Minch

    Minch New Member

    I'm looking to lay Luxury Vinyl Tiles over a concrete floor. I'm worried that 4.5mm or so of LVT will not provide sufficient thermal insulation. Underlay recommended for LVT is only 1mm albeit high tech. Could I and should I lay Screwfix Selotex PIR Insulation Board below the LVT underlay?
    LVT shop advice is that this can't be done but they've no answer to the U-Value of the LVT and it's underlay.
    Thanks in advance for any advice.
     
  2. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    If in doubt may be best to contact the manufacturers for advice.
     
  3. Not-a-Decor8r

    Not-a-Decor8r Member

    You talking click LVT here?

    I'm doing Polyflor camaro loc at the moment with 1mm Underlay, seems fine.

    I've got a concrete base.
     
  4. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Thanks, Yes, so far no sensible answer but I'll keep trying. If I can't get an answer I may have to use old-fashioned laminate, just to have a bit of thickness and be able to use thicker underlay.
     
  5. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Thanks, I'm hoping to avoid adhesive, so as Polyflor camaro loc seems no thicker, I probably wont go that route.
     
  6. Not-a-Decor8r

    Not-a-Decor8r Member

    Where do you live Antarctica? Why would adhesive offer better insulation?
     
  7. LEH

    LEH Active Member

    How is your floor constructed? Is the concrete on top of insulation? If so I wouldn't worry, LVT is quite warm underfoot, much better than tiles etc. Otherwise you could put insulation boards down and then underfloor heating, SLC over the top, then you can put your floor finish on top - Quickstep Livyn is ok over UFH, not sure about polyflor. There are thermal underlays for laminate but I'm not sure how much difference they are going to make.
     
  8. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Thanks, just Cotswolds. It's the ability to put insulation boards under the LVT that I'm keen on.
     
  9. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Thanks. Yes, we were told that the concrete base is on top of insulation, it was built mid-eighties.
     
  10. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    You wont get far on here with an attitude like that fella.

    What Astra says is right. Contact the technical dept at the manufacturers for this kind of info.
     
  11. LEH

    LEH Active Member

    I doubt you can just put your LVT over something like celotex, it's not structural. You'd have to float tongue and groove chipboard over and then your floor, which will give you a lot of height buildup. You might be able to use something like a tile backer board (Wedi, Marmox etc, which have glass fiber and cement coatings that can spread loadings), but I don't think it's common to lay a floating floor over them - as said above, you'd have to get your flooring manufacturer to approve this.

    In any case it's not clear what you want to achieve or why. LVT is not cold underfoot like tiles and your slab is on top of insulation, so shouldn't be too bad. Laminate underlays don't really provide much in the way of extra insulation. If you really want a warm floor you need underfloor heating.
     
  12. LEH

    LEH Active Member

    You could look up Jumpax or Versilay. I still don't know how much beneift you can get from 10mm of material, but there you go. You need to check they're compatible with your installation method of floor etc, and check with the manufacturer that they will guarantee it.
     
  13. Minch

    Minch New Member

    I think you miss-understood my post. I've not had a sensible answer from the manufacturers/vendors so far. I wasn't referring to this forum.
     
  14. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Thanks, Yes, I'm sure you're right.
     
  15. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    OK, apologies. It appeared like you were having a dig.
     
  16. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    How much can you raise the floor by?

    I lay loads of livyn and it always seems warm enough.

    You will absolutely have to use the correct underlay.
     
  17. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Thanks again LEH, Yes I think this is what I'll have to do if I want to match the floor height to the engineered wood floor in the lounge and give thermal insulation to the rest of the floor. Thanks very much for your help. I'd spoken to Karndean's tech support and even they didn't suggest this ( don't know why), so I really appreciate you pointing this system out.
     
  18. Minch

    Minch New Member

    No probs, sorry for the miss-understanding.
     
  19. Minch

    Minch New Member

    Ideally I'd raise my floor by @ 18mm, to tie in with the engineered timber floor in the lounge, so I guess if I used Jumpax with Livyn over the top, I'd be about right.
    Thanks.
     
  20. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Are you keen on putting underfloor heating in?
     

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