Can You Glue Down Click Lock Vinyl Floor?

Since its debut in 1933, resilient and flame-resistant vinyl flooring has become extremely popular. This cost-effective and easy-to-maintain flooring has different kinds depending upon its installation process. Click lock is a type of vinyl flooring that is more suitable for DIY installation. A general question is always asked for click lock flooring, can you glue down the click lock vinyl flooring? Click lock vinyl flooring can be glued down or floated depending upon certain things. Read this article further for a detailed guide.

What is Click Lock Vinyl Flooring?

Click lock vinyl flooring is an engineered floating vinyl floor that is very easy to install. Click lock vinyl flooring is similar to traditional tongue and groove flooring but has an interlocking profile around the edge. The interlocking profile allows the vinyl planks to click and lock together. Basically, the click lock vinyl floor is a floating floor that is not fastened to the subfloor directly.

What is Glue Down Vinyl Flooring?

In glue down vinyl flooring, adhesive materials are used to adhere the vinyl floor planks to the base of the subfloor. Adhesives like glue stabilize the vinyl floor planks and become more durable. Two different kinds of adhesives are used for gluing down vinyl flooring.

Hard Set: Hard set adhesives are spread over the subfloor, and they hold the vinyl planks firmly to their place. These adhesives are designed for floors with heavy foot traffic like health care centers and retail industries. Hard set adhesive allows the glue-down vinyl planks to bear heavy foot load by sticking to their place. It is designed for vinyl sheets, but you can also use it for vinyl tiles and planks.

Pressure Sensitive: Pressure sensitive adhesives make your floor sturdy and easier to replace. Pressure-sensitive adhesive is best to use for those industries that tend to change their flooring frequently. This type of adhesive is best for vinyl planks and tiles.

Is it Necessary to Glue Down the Click Lock Vinyl Floor?

After knowing about click lock and glue down flooring, it’s obvious to think can we glue down click lock vinyl flooring or not? As I mentioned earlier, click lock vinyl flooring can be floating or glued down depending upon certain factors and your personal choice. Click lock vinyl flooring is easy to install and is best for small rooms.

Generally, you don’t need to glue down your click lock flooring because it is not designed for adhesives. The click-lock mechanism makes it easier to install vinyl planks without using any glue. Both edges of the vinyl floor planks are clicked and locked together, and they don’t require any adhesive material. But you have to glue down the click lock vinyl floor in the following cases.

• Due to the uneven subfloor layer (for example, vinyl flooring over carpet), your click lock vinyl plank may produce a squeaky sound after stepping on the floor. To eliminate this squeaky and creaky sound, you have to glue down these planks so that they can better stick to the subfloor and will not make any noise.
• If you want to make your click lock vinyl floor installation durable and prevent the movement of the floor, you can glue down the floor planks.

Note: If your subfloor isn’t even, you need to have a contractor to correct the subfloor before installing vinyl planks.

Advantages of Click Lock Vinyl Floor

• Click lock vinyl flooring is ideal for a commercial setting that is constantly battling weather elements.
• Installation of click lock vinyl plank is easiest as you just have to lock the planks together with a clicking sound without using adhesives.
• You can immediately walk on click lock vinyl floor after the installation as you don’t have to wait for any adhesive materials to dry.
• Click lock vinyl planks, just like other vinyl floors, are water and stain-resistant, so they are easy to clean and maintain.
• Click lock vinyl flooring is suitable for any room as you can install it anywhere in your home to provide an artistic and refreshing floor look.

Also Read: problems with glue down vinyl plank flooring (causes and fixes)

Final Thoughts

Click lock vinyl floor is a floating floor, but you can glue it down if you want to make it more stable and prevent the movement of the floor.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Glue down or float vinyl plank flooring: which is better?

Floating vinyl planks are better for bedrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Glue down vinyl flooring is better for large rooms and areas with heavy foot traffic. Glue down vinyl flooring is suitable for both small and large spaces, but the floating floor is only suitable for small rooms.

2. When should you glue down the vinyl flooring?

You have to glue down the vinyl planks when the subfloor isn’t even or leveled. Glue down every vinyl floor plank carefully to avoid squeaking sounds while stepping on the floor.

3. How can you repair the click lock vinyl floor?

During click lock vinyl floor installation, you must leave a gap of ¼ inches around the room’s edges for contraction and expansion. If you don’t leave this gap, the contraction and expansion may damage the floor planks. If it happens, you have to unclick the vinyl plank and remove it. Replace the damaged plank with the new one.