Should I glue or float vinyl plank flooring over concrete?
Deciding between a glued and floating installation over a concrete slab can feel overwhelming due to conflicting advice. Choosing the wrong method creates major headaches, especially since removing glued flooring later is extremely difficult.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Asking for opinions on forums and getting quotes from contractors.Did this help you?
- 2Attempting to evaluate the conflicting logic presented by different flooring storesDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“One flooring store recommended a floating installation above the 6th floor in high-rise buildings so the floor can shift to accommodate movement. The other flooring store said glue-down is the way, so that the floor *doesn't* move.”source ↗
“I can see the logic of both, but the logic of both can't possibly be correct, lol.”source ↗
“Anyone with experience installing engineered floors in high-rise apartment buildings in NYC care to advise?”source ↗
“I am seeing mixed messages about floating the floor versus glue down.”source ↗
“My head is spinning.”source ↗
“Removing glued down floor sucks!”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 10How to handle floor height differences between rooms
- 2How to mount a fixture on uneven stone or stucco