DIY Flooring: Subfloors and Underlays
Flooring is one of the very last steps of renovating a house after painting, roofing, plumbing, and any other major constructions. You need this guide to select the right flooring for your house.
As a homeowner, you might be willing to do the flooring all by yourself. Maybe you have even built your house from scratch with the help of your own family! There are some types of floors that you can easily install with the help of your previous knowledge or in some cases by quickly watching a YouTube video.
For those who would like to DIY install your floors, below you can find a list with each type's required/recommended underlayment structure.
Among these DIY floors, WIDORF&CO offers hardwood and vinyl planks. Order your FREE samples and we'll deliver them to you in less than 48 hours all over Canada.
| Flooring | Subfloor | Moisture Resistance | Installation + Underlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl Planks | Concrete | No moisture concerns | Installation directly over the subfloor |
| Vinyl planks are waterproof; so you don't need to worry about any water damage to the planks in any moisture prone areas | No vapor barrier required with our vinyl planks | ||
| Wood | Only concern is to make sure that the vinyl is installed correctly and water does not penetrate into the subfloor | Installation directly over the subfloor | |
| In water prone areas such as kitchen and bathrooms, baseboards should be caulked to ensure water does not get to the wood subfloor | No vapor barrier required with our vinyl planks | ||
| Laminate Planks | Concrete | Requires underlayment | |
| Plywood | **A breathable underlayment is required | ||
| Engineered Hardwood | Although engineered hardwood could be a DIY flooring, the underlayment varies depending on different situations. You need to be very careful when installing hardwood and make sure you're going in accordance with adhesive and/or flooring manufacturer's recommendation. We suggest you visit our hardwood collection and buy your flooring online. | ||
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** Wood is a natural material that needs to breathe, so using a vapor barrier underlayment is not recommended as it cause moisture to become trapped within the material. Note: When choosing vinyl plank as your flooring, pay attention to the different types. It is available in click-lock, WPC/SPC, glue-down, and loose-lay types. We recommend our easy click vinyl planks for all areas of the house, including bathroom, kitchen and basement floors. |
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- Not all floors are DIY but experts-required, so don't do anything that risks your overall health. These are just some hints for those who have the expertise to install floors.
- When installing vinyl planks, it’s crucial to have a smooth, seamless surface for placing your planks — otherwise, your floor will be uneven.
Read more: What flooring suits best for each part of the house?