Loose-Lay VS. Click VS. Glue-Down Vinyl Plank | Which is Best?
With the rise in popularity of luxury vinyl flooring, more and more people are finding that vinyl is their perfect flooring solution. If you too are thinking about installing vinyl floors, think about how you want to go about the installation process. Loose-lay, click, and glue-down are the three main methods for installation today. But which of these three options is right for you? Keep reading to discover the individual characteristics that make each type unique.
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LOOSE-LAY vinyl is installed without any sort of adhesive. Hence, it’s sometimes called a floating floor. The weight of the planks is what keeps the floor in place and loose-lay is thicker than both of its contenders. Contrary to what one might think, loose-lay is difficult to shift around, making it a sound solution for any home. At Advanced Flooring in Waterloo, we offer a wide selection of loose-lay vinyl flooring from top brands like NAF Aquaplus, Woden Flooring, Fuzion Flooring, Grandeur, Home's Pro, and Mohawk.
CLICK vinyl is another type of floating floor, designed for easy installation and long-lasting performance. It utilizes specially engineered tabs on the sides of each board to interlock securely, ensuring a tight fit without the need for adhesives or nails. This locking mechanism allows the flooring to remain firmly in place, even in high-traffic areas, while also making it easy to replace individual planks if needed. The connected boards provide surefire stability and comfort underfoot
Perhaps the most secure of the three, GLUE-DOWN vinyl owes its toughness to the adhesive used in installation. It’s in the name: glue-down vinyl is glued down to keep it in place. This strong bond ensures that the flooring remains stable and resistant to shifting, even under heavy furniture or frequent foot traffic. Glue-down vinyl planks are thinner than floating vinyl planks, making them an excellent choice for areas where a low-profile flooring solution is needed. Additionally, this type of vinyl is highly durable and well-suited for commercial spaces, high-moisture environments, and large areas where long-term performance is a priority.
Installation
Many people look for flooring that is inexpensive to install or easy to DIY. Both CLICK and LOOSE-LAY boast equally affordable professional installation. Our expert team at Advanced Flooring provides efficient and reliable vinyl flooring installation services throughout Waterloo. Often, installers will glue down loose-lay planks at the edges of the room to further fortify the boards. For the DIY-er’s, though both can be accomplished, loose-lay is ever so slightly easier to install by yourself. Just make sure none of the seams are left open!
On the other hand, GLUE-DOWN is both costlier to hire a professional for, and harder to DIY. If you’ve never before installed flooring, this type of installation may best be left to the pros.
Pictured: Loose-Lay Vinyl Installation
Affordability
When it comes to pricing of individual boards, GLUE-DOWN becomes the more affordable option. So, though the installation cost of it is higher, glue-down redeems itself with more budget-friendly prices, compared to CLICK and LOOSE-LAY. It all comes down to whether lower labour or lower material costs would serve you better. At Advanced Flooring, we offer a range of vinyl flooring options to suit every budget.
Pictured: Click Vinyl Planks
Plank Replacement
This is where CLICK and LOOSE-LAY vinyl split as equal options. By far, LOOSE-LAY is easiest to remove a plank from. All you have to do is lift the damaged plank and replace it with a new one.
Meanwhile, CLICK flooring requires you to start at the nearest wall and keep removing planks until you get to the damaged board. This makes it difficult if the damaged plank is somewhere in the middle of the room. Likewise, with GLUE-DOWN flooring, it’s quite difficult to remove a plank without damaging the neighbouring planks. You’re looking at replacement for a couple planks, even if there was only one bad plank to start.
If you suspect that it’s likely you’ll have to replace some planks over the years, the most hassle-free choice here, is loose-lay.
Underlay
Not all floors are created equal. Specifically, not all floors require underlay. GLUE-DOWN floors are pasted straight onto the subfloor since the glue itself acts as a moisture barrier. Though keep in mind that without an underlay, the floor can be hard on the feet.
All LOOSE-LAY and CLICK vinyl products at Advanced Flooring come with attached underpad, saving you the need to purchase seperate underlay.
If softness underfoot and sound absorption is important to you, choose something with an attached underpad. Underlay that is separate to the plank cannot be installed under vinyl flooring because the elasticity of the underlay could cause breaks in the seams of the flooring over time.
Resiliency
As you may have guessed, GLUE-DOWN provides the most stable foundation. For high traffic, commercial areas such as restaurants, hotels, and other businesses, we recommend this method of installation.
Otherwise, in residential areas, CLICK and LOOSE-LAY are perfectly suitable options and not to be underestimated when properly installed. Click vinyl flooring is held tightly together via the interlocking tabs between boards. Loose-lay stays in place due to the increased weight of the planks and friction with the floor.
Pictured: Glue-Down Vinyl Installation
Contact Advanced Flooring online or visit our showroom in Waterloo at 283 Northfield Drive East to see our extensive selection of vinyl flooring options. Our flooring experts are ready to answer your questions and help you find the perfect floor for your home!
LOOSE-LAY is the heaviest board and uses this weight to stay in place. It’s simpler to DIY and cheaper to hire a professional for. It also makes life much easier when it comes time to replace a plank. The attached underpad on the planks reduces noise and makes for a softer floor. Loose-lay is an excellent option for residential spaces.
CLICK vinyl is characterized by the interlocking installation method which keep your flooring secure. It’s also not a bad option for DIY-ing and installation costs are cheaper than for glue-down. Plank replacement becomes harder with click vinyl as you have to remove a number of boards to get to the damaged one. Click vinyl comes in styles with and without attached underpad. Altogether, this is another fine choice for homes.
GLUE-DOWN is the most durable of the three and ideal for areas with heavy foot traffic. It’s a bit harder and pricier to install, though the planks themselves sell for less. Since glue-down vinyl has no underpad, it may be hard on the feet. The durability of glue-down vinyl makes it favourable for commercially-used spaces.
