What Happens If You Don't Acclimate Vinyl Flooring?

Ryan Womeldorf
by Ryan Womeldorf

If you have ever heard the term “acclimating” when talking about flooring, it is talking about the pre-installation process where you let the materials get used to the environment. Letting those materials get acclimated to their environment will give you a better idea of how they will do in that environment over their lifetime.

Vinyl plank flooring contracts and expands with changes in temperature and humidity. Acclimation allows your new vinyl flooring to adapt to the conditions in the room. Failure to properly acclimate your new vinyl flooring can result in problems. The flooring may develop gaps at the joints or experience buckling. These problems can require replacement of the flooring

Why Acclimating is Important

Any vinyl plank flooring that you find has a high-density fie core to it that is porous even if it looks like it is solid. Those tiny spaces allow for airflow and can allow a substantial level of humidity with it. That moisture can really impact the way that the flooring sits.

With different weather conditions, contraction and expansion can occur. While you may not notice that expansion and contraction, it can create gaps and cause buckles in your locking systems that keep the floor stable and together.

Ideal Indoor Acclimation Conditions

When you are installing vinyl plank flooring, the conditions indoors need to be ideal so that the floor will set right. Even the most high-performance, luxury vinyl planking still requires specific conditions for proper acclimation.

The floor temperatures should be somewhere between 59- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit. Watch your humidity levels using a barometer. Levels should be between 35 and 75% humidity. Too much moisture can have a major impact on how your flooring sits.

If you install your flooring over a slab, the concrete has to be cured for at least 60 days before you install any of your vinyl flooring. This gives the flooring time to acclimate to both the building and the subfloor, taking away any nasty surprises when it comes to expansion and contraction.

How Long Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Acclimate

Generally speaking, if you are using new vinyl plank flooring, it will need to sit in the room where it will be installed for at least 48 hours. Anything less than that and you run the risk of expansion and contraction impacting the way that the flooring sits.

The flooring can sit for longer, so if you can’t get to it for more than a few days, you should be fine. Just make sure you don’t go under that 48-hour time limit.

Do You Need Underlayment for Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Typically, you would find underlayment beneath carpeting. This is what provides that extra cushioning that makes the carpet feel softer. When creating subflooring for your vinyl wood flooring, you don’t necessarily need an underlayment or moisture barrier, but it can provide a little extra cushioning.

Whenever you install your plank flooring over existing materials, you don’t need to apply underlayment, but it can help to provide sound reduction in addition to cushioning. It really comes down to personal preference.

Can You Put a Refrigerator on Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Moving your refrigerator can be a difficult situation depending on what kind of fridge that you have. With vinyl flooring, in particular, the weight of the refrigerator can actually strain the various fibers and tear at the material. This can potentially cause permanent damage to your laminate flooring.

It is a good idea that you use something like a dolly or furniture movers if you want to move the fridge across the kitchen. The last thing you want is to have to replace the planks of flooring because of the damage caused.

Can Mold Grow Under Vinyl Flooring on Concrete?

The bad thing about mold is that it can grow just about anywhere that has access to moisture and limited sunlight. Even properly secured vinyl flooring can develop mold underneath when there is a concrete slab beneath.

Cracked concrete slabs in particular are more prone to issues. Moisture can get down into the cracks of the slab and cause a buildup. With enough time, mold can and will begin to develop underneath your flooring and will require removal as it can be dangerous to your respiratory system.

What Can I Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring with?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need some kind of special cleaner to keep your vinyl plank flooring looking neat and tidy. The best solution for keeping your vinyl flooring clean and neat is to use a gallon of tap water with an ounce of mild dishwashing soap.

Standing water can actually stain and damage your flooring, so make sure that you use a microfiber mop instead of a traditional string mop. The microfiber will also be gentler on the surface of the flooring, preventing any scuffing or scratching, too.

What If Water Gets Under Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Vinyl plank flooring is generally installed using glue to the subfloor or the planks can “float” on top of that surface. In any event, water can definitely accumulate underneath your flooring. And when water gets under your flooring, it can cause a bunch of issues.

At the very least, moisture under your flooring can lead to the glue bonds weakening. And when that happens, the edges of your planks can start to lift, or bubbles can form somewhere in the middle. Not only that, but water can also deteriorate the vinyl and soften it. And that’s not even taking into account potential mold growth.

Lay Down a Piece of Scrap Vinyl First

It is always a good idea to lay down a scrap piece of vinyl first and secure the edges using duct tape. Let that piece of planking sit for three days or so. If the tape comes up relatively easily, you can be certain that there is too much moisture on your flooring to install.

It is better to find this out with a scrap piece rather than doing the full installation and finding out that the pieces start to peel up on their own.

Leaving Expansion Gaps

When you have click-lock vinyl flooring, it is a good idea to leave expansion gaps. Click-lock vinyl flooring needs this expansion gap to account for contracting and expansion on a floating floor installation. You can use spacers or shims to create that space along the perimeter walls for the same expansion gap effect.

Without those expansion gaps, the expansion of the flooring planks could expand into one another, causing damage in the process.

Always Check for Levelness

One of the most common mistakes that do-it-yourselfers make when installing vinyl flooring is that they don’t check the levelness of the subflooring. When the floor isn’t level, it can lead to the planks sitting unevenly, compromising the integrity and strength of each plank.

Dips and lumps in your subflooring are pretty difficult to spot with the naked eye and if they are, you have bigger issues to worry about than laying down your vinyl plank flooring. You can even run your hand along the subflooring to check for those lumps and dips as well.

The goal is to create as level a surface as possible so that your flooring sits evenly. Most errors are easy to spot with just a little bit of patience and taking your time. Your trusty level can make up for anything that you aren’t able to spot by the naked eye.

Why Acclimating is Important

Any vinyl plank flooring that you find has a high-density fie core to it that is porous even if it looks like it is solid. Those tiny spaces allow for airflow and can allow a substantial level of humidity with it. That moisture can really impact the way that the flooring sits.

With different weather conditions, contraction and expansion can occur. While you may not notice that expansion and contraction, it can create gaps and cause buckles in your locking systems that keep the floor stable and together.

Ideal Indoor Acclimation Conditions

When you are installing vinyl plank flooring, the conditions indoors need to be ideal so that the floor will set right. Even the most high-performance, luxury vinyl planking still requires specific conditions for proper acclimation.

The floor temperatures should be somewhere between 59- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit. Watch your humidity levels using a barometer. Levels should be between 35 and 75% humidity. Too much moisture can have a major impact on how your flooring sits.

If you install your flooring over a slab, the concrete has to be cured for at least 60 days before you install any of your vinyl flooring. This gives the flooring time to acclimate to both the building and the subfloor, taking away any nasty surprises when it comes to expansion and contraction.

How Long Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Acclimate

Generally speaking, if you are using new vinyl plank flooring, it will need to sit in the room where it will be installed for at least 48 hours. Anything less than that and you run the risk of expansion and contraction impacting the way that the flooring sits.

The flooring can sit for longer, so if you can’t get to it for more than a few days, you should be fine. Just make sure you don’t go under that 48-hour time limit.

Do You Need Underlayment for Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Typically, you would find underlayment beneath carpeting. This is what provides that extra cushioning that makes the carpet feel softer. When creating subflooring for your vinyl wood flooring, you don’t necessarily need an underlayment or moisture barrier, but it can provide a little extra cushioning.

Whenever you install your plank flooring over existing materials, you don’t need to apply underlayment, but it can help to provide sound reduction in addition to cushioning. It really comes down to personal preference.

Can You Put a Refrigerator on Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Moving your refrigerator can be a difficult situation depending on what kind of fridge that you have. With vinyl flooring, in particular, the weight of the refrigerator can actually strain the various fibers and tear at the material. This can potentially cause permanent damage to your laminate flooring.

It is a good idea that you use something like a dolly or furniture movers if you want to move the fridge across the kitchen. The last thing you want is to have to replace the planks of flooring because of the damage caused.

Can Mold Grow Under Vinyl Flooring on Concrete?

The bad thing about mold is that it can grow just about anywhere that has access to moisture and limited sunlight. Even properly secured vinyl flooring can develop mold underneath when there is a concrete slab beneath.

Cracked concrete slabs in particular are more prone to issues. Moisture can get down into the cracks of the slab and cause a buildup. With enough time, mold can and will begin to develop underneath your flooring and will require removal as it can be dangerous to your respiratory system.

What Can I Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring with?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need some kind of special cleaner to keep your vinyl plank flooring looking neat and tidy. The best solution for keeping your vinyl flooring clean and neat is to use a gallon of tap water with an ounce of mild dishwashing soap.

Standing water can actually stain and damage your flooring, so make sure that you use a microfiber mop instead of a traditional string mop. The microfiber will also be gentler on the surface of the flooring, preventing any scuffing or scratching, too.

What If Water Gets Under Vinyl Plank Flooring?

Vinyl plank flooring is generally installed using glue to the subfloor or the planks can “float” on top of that surface. In any event, water can definitely accumulate underneath your flooring. And when water gets under your flooring, it can cause a bunch of issues.

At the very least, moisture under your flooring can lead to the glue bonds weakening. And when that happens, the edges of your planks can start to lift, or bubbles can form somewhere in the middle. Not only that, but water can also deteriorate the vinyl and soften it. And that’s not even taking into account potential mold growth.

Lay Down a Piece of Scrap Vinyl First

It is always a good idea to lay down a scrap piece of vinyl first and secure the edges using duct tape. Let that piece of planking sit for three days or so. If the tape comes up relatively easily, you can be certain that there is too much moisture on your flooring to install.

It is better to find this out with a scrap piece rather than doing the full installation and finding out that the pieces start to peel up on their own.

Leaving Expansion Gaps

When you have click-lock vinyl flooring, it is a good idea to leave expansion gaps. Click-lock vinyl flooring needs this expansion gap to account for contracting and expansion on a floating floor installation. You can use spacers or shims to create that space along the perimeter walls for the same expansion gap effect.

Without those expansion gaps, the expansion of the flooring planks could expand into one another, causing damage in the process.

Always Check for Levelness

One of the most common mistakes that do-it-yourselfers make when installing vinyl flooring is that they don’t check the levelness of the subflooring. When the floor isn’t level, it can lead to the planks sitting unevenly, compromising the integrity and strength of each plank.

Dips and lumps in your subflooring are pretty difficult to spot with the naked eye and if they are, you have bigger issues to worry about than laying down your vinyl plank flooring. You can even run your hand along the subflooring to check for those lumps and dips as well.

The goal is to create as level a surface as possible so that your flooring sits evenly. Most errors are easy to spot with just a little bit of patience and taking your time. Your trusty level can make up for anything that you aren’t able to spot by the naked eye.

Ryan Womeldorf
Ryan Womeldorf

Ryan Womeldorf has more than a decade of experience writing. He loves to blog about construction, plumbing, and other home topics. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan.

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