LVP on concrete slab, below grade. Cork vs foam pad? Extra cork? Help!

last year

last modified: last year

Hi -- I'm installing LVP on a concrete slab that will probably need a lot of levelling. My condo is at or below grade in the rainy PNW. I currently have old, disgusting carpet and tile. I wear slippers most of the year as I dislike cold feet. I'm 50 and already have some arthritis so I would prefer a cushy floor, but I am accident prone and have cats who puke and sometimes poop on the floor, thus vinyl.

How much of a difference does going with a cork vs foam attached pad make for warmth?
How much of a difference does adding the 3 mm cork underlayment make?
One installer suggested going with glue down, which he says would require less levelling, and putting some of the savings into a thicker floor. As he says, "$3000 would buy a lot of slippers. Or rugs." Thoughts?
I'm in Canada and the only cork-backed LVP I can find is Coretec. Does anyone know other cork-backed LVP available here?

TIA for any input, much appreciated!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

User
last year
Not all vinyl allows an underlayment. If you use one, and yours doesn't, you just ruined the locking mechanism, the floor will fail, and voided the warranty and have no recourse at all.

Read the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Follow them.
zestfest
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Yup, definitely planning to follow instructions. :) Coretec allows for a 3 mm cork underlayment, thus the question about the underlayment. My questions are not about whether they are allowed, they are about how much of a difference it will make in terms of warmth.
Related Discussions
Cork underlay for engineered on slab
Q
Comments (20)
We have Mohawk laminate floating floor to put down in our dining room and living room area. We need sound dampening since we have a recording studio below this floor. Four questions: -Is 1/2" cork better than or as good as sonopanx for sound dampening or is something else better? -Should cork be glued down to the subfloor? -should the Mohawk flooring sound dampening underlay be put on the cork as an added layer between the cork and laminate? -finally, our dining room area floor had to be fixed a lot due to a sinking foundation(frustrating and long story) we hired a contractor and floor leveler was used in that area and it didn't work well. It left so many humps and bumps. We have done so many rounds of grinding down the bad areas but there's no way it's going to be perfectly level. If we glue 1/2" cork down, will it help those areas to be a bit more level for the laminate to be laid? Or do you have other suggestions. We are getting worn out trying to make this floor level enough for our laminate, but I think it's getting close.
...See More
LVP Vs Laminate Flooring for me?
Q
Comments (12)
At this point, you will want to get some technical information about how to install your CHOSEN vinyl floor. Some (but not all) have a written statement in the installation instructions regarding "laying over cut back adhesive". If the statement is MISSING then you will need to get a statement, in writing, from the technical department of the vinyl manufacturer. Once you have that in writing, you can then make plans on what to do and what not to do. The one thing that I can comment on would be the "trowel ridges". If anything knocks your subfloor "out of level/flat" it will be the trowel ridges. Check to see if they are allowed under vinyl (regardless of material). Laminate planks won't care - they are rigid enough to deal with this without issue. Good luck. That is a lot of adhesive. It will be interesting as to what the vinyl flooring manufacturer has to say about laying over cut-back adhesive.
...See More
LVP or something else in my million dollar home?
Q
Comments (45)
I don't like the idea of LVP because of the environmental impact. I have been hoping that with technology there might be a super water resistant coating for hardwood floors. I have looked at Vermont Natural Coatings Super Whey 3500 which is used in commercial buildings, hotels, & restaurants. Vermont Natural Coating Whey water-based poly coating has been used on many sports/ basketball floors which do get lots of wear but not much water/ liquid spills that sit for at least 8 hours. I would never put wood in a bathroom. I have a semi-open concept home. The kitchen is open to the family/ great room so matching flooring makes the room look bigger and more elegant. The entryway flows into the back great room area so I prefer the main floor being the same flooring. I have seen how the water-based poly coatings on solid hardwood wears quite terribly over the years especially in front of the sinks, stoves, and refrigerators. Every design show makes the main floor all wood now unless it's in Florida where they use tile or LVP. The exception is the mudroom/ primary entrance from the garage being tile IF the main floor is hardwood/ engineered wood flooring. I have been looking at the new waterproof engineered flooring but many reviews show many brands have poor scratch resistance. See: https://www.flooringstores.com/blog/waterproof-hardwood-flooring/
...See More
New build: LVP or Engineered Hardwood?
Q
Comments (65)
I'm shopping now for new flooring. I have 'Mirage real hardwood' in my kitchen that's held up unbelievably well (looks brand new) however now putting new flooring throughout house. The opinions from flooring guys I'm getting are all over the board- from you should only do onsite finished hardwood, to engineered only belongs in a basement, to why waste your $ on hardwood with so many beautiful alternatives, to the high end flooring store where I will most likely end up purchasing telling me to go with the brand new line of Mirage engineered floors that came out this year vs. their hardwood for a fraction of the cost of their hardwood and yes, they say it can be refinished but to the points above- I have never known anyone to refinish their floors unless they were buying a house with 50 year old floors and it needed to be done. I am not considering vinyl at all but am just as confused as the author. Lots of opinions on this topic. I'm in the northeast and asked no less than 8 friends that puchased new, built new or renovated in the past two years what they did and all have said they have engineered wood.
...See More
millworkman
last year
Just because it is glue down does not mean the slab does not to be flat. It still needs to be flat to within 1/8" in 10' most likely.
PRO
Floors by Norm
last year
last modified: last year
1. How much of a difference does going with a cork vs foam attached pad make for warmth? I've never noticed a difference between the two.
2. How much of a difference does adding the 3 mm cork underlayment make? I'd only add an additional underlayment (gotta be careful with warranties on this one) to deal with sound below a room or to raise the level of the floor so I don't have to mess around with resetting baseboards.
3. One installer suggested going with glue down, which he says would require less levelling, and putting some of the savings into a thicker floor. As he says, "$3000 would buy a lot of slippers. Or rugs." Thoughts? You need more prep work for glue down to look good, not less. I'd be very concerned with that guys quality of work.
4. I'm in Canada and the only cork-backed LVP I can find is Coretec. Does anyone know other cork-backed LVP available here? Coretec pushes cork because the original parent company of coretec was primarily a cork manufacturer. It's an effective product, but I wouldn't go out of my way to look for more.
Also, you mentioned wanting a cushy feel. You should be aware this sort of floor, even with extra underlayment doesn't have a cushy feel. The locking joints have very low tolerances for flexing and the underlayment used with them have little give. If you want a hard surface with a little bounce you may also consider looking into some higher end sheet vinyl as well. Some of the fiberglass backed sheet vinyl products are thick and bouncy enough to make a noticeable difference in the fatigue you'll experience from standing on them for long periods of time.
zestfest
last year
Thanks, I appreciate hearing the real world experience. It's really hard to find info on warmth. Most of the focus is on sound abatement.
zestfest
last year
SJ McCarthy I would love to hear your thoughts on this if you have time!

LVP on concrete slab, below grade. Cork vs foam pad? Extra cork? Help!

Comments (6)

User

zestfest
Original Author

Related Discussions

millworkman

Floors by Norm

zestfest

zestfest

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

LVP on concrete slab, below grade. Cork vs foam pad? Extra cork? Help!

Comments (6)

User

zestfestOriginal Author

Related Discussions

millworkman

Floors by Norm

zestfest

zestfest

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

zestfest
Original Author