Looselay or gluedown LVT

mug2007

Looking for a good value hardwearing floor for the whole of our ground floor which has underfloor heating.  We were going to go with Karndean LooseLay Providence but then the builder has advised against it due to the movement of the loose boards and said to use a Glue Down board instead. Anyone got LooseLay, is it really a problem does it lift/move?  We are spending a good few grand on this floor so don’t want to make the wrong choice.

neilmcl

Where are you installing it?

mug2007

Kitchen, Dining, Playroom, TV room, Hall, Utility, downstairs WC approx 100m2

shinytop

We have both and the glued down definitely feels more solid.  There is some movement in the floating floor but it's not excessive and you might prefer its slightly softer feel underfoot. 

Davesnave

We have the glued, which also allows planks to be laid easily at 45 degrees within a border and stuff like that for a more interesting finish. We have the same planks in both living areas, but wanted the living room to be different in some way from the kitchen/dining area.

Interested in others' opinions on the loose lay, as we've an office to do.

neilmcl

mug2007 said:

Kitchen, Dining, Playroom, TV room, Hall, Utility, downstairs WC approx 100m2

If you do have large areas and presumably running through in continuous runs, for example through the living room into the dining room etc then you're probably be better off with glued down. I can see the advantage of a loose lay product within a defined spaces where it can butt up against skirting on all four sides, particularly when DIYing but to do nearly a full house I'd probably go with the builder's advice.

mug2007

Our samples have arrived, the glue down does feel a little flimsy compared to the more expensive and rigid looselay.  Looselay also feels nicer to walk on with socks on.  Think we are probably best going gluedown then with it being such a large space.

Doozergirl

The glue down stuff can be flimsy because it has to be stuck down to a solid sub-base, whereas the loose lay needs to have rigidity built as it will, no doubt, go on over an underlay.  

Flimsy is not a word to describe planks once glued down.  

I have no experience of the loose lay, although it was suggested to me for upstairs rooms by a flooring contractor.  I still opted for glue-down as I have the experience of it and it's the most practical and versatile type of flooring, imho.  

shinytop

mug2007 said:

Our samples have arrived, the glue down does feel a little flimsy compared to the more expensive and rigid looselay.  Looselay also feels nicer to walk on with socks on.  Think we are probably best going gluedown then with it being such a large space.

We have the loose lay in an office and it's definitely nicer to walk on with a softer, warmer feel than our bathroom, which feels hard and cold in comparison. It's also (IMO) easier for a DIYer and more suited to a small room.  Having said that, we are doing a large area next (part of hall and 3 bedrooms) and are going for glue down.   

mug2007

neilmcl said:

mug2007 said:

Kitchen, Dining, Playroom, TV room, Hall, Utility, downstairs WC approx 100m2

If you do have large areas and presumably running through in continuous runs, for example through the living room into the dining room etc then you're probably be better off with glued down. I can see the advantage of a loose lay product within a defined spaces where it can butt up against skirting on all four sides, particularly when DIYing but to do nearly a full house I'd probably go with the builder's advice.

We have opted for one of those multipurpose rooms - kitchen, dining, play and sitting area in one room  - 6m x 8m.

neilmcl

Doozergirl said:

The glue down stuff can be flimsy because it has to be stuck down to a solid sub-base, whereas the loose lay needs to have rigidity built as it will, no doubt, go on over an underlay.  

Flimsy is not a word to describe planks once glued down.  

I have no experience of the loose lay, although it was suggested to me for upstairs rooms by a flooring contractor.  I still opted for glue-down as I have the experience of it and it's the most practical and versatile type of flooring, imho.  

Loose lay LVT doesn't have an underlay as such but is designed to sit directly on the sub floor. Obviously it requires that subfloor to be as flat and level as it can be. It's thick and fairly heavy compared with the glue down stuff because it relies on friction between it's underside layer and the subfloor to stay in place.