How soon can you walk on vinyl plank flooring? You can walk on newly installed vinyl plank flooring after 12 hours, but you have to wait at least a day and a night to bring on furniture or any other heavy load to it.
Because a suitable adhesive used in gluing the vinyl plank flooring takes 10 to 12 hours, on average, to be dried. However, It effectively depends upon the area’s climate, i-e, humidity, temperature, etc.
Why Should You Not Walk Before At Least 12 Hours?
There are some critical reasons why you should not rush to walk on your newly installed vinyl flooring, I know it’s not easy, but you have to wait with patience. Some of the most important reasons are as following;
1. Displacement of vinyl plank flooring
Walking on vinyl plank flooring before 12 hours might displace the vinyl plank from the position they have glued down because the adhesive would not be dried, the vinyl plank will drift away.
2. Prevent vinyl plank flooring from bumps and molds
One of the most fundamental reasons is, it prevents bumps and molds. If you walk directly on it, the incompletely dried adhesive will expand and make bumps and molds. These bumps and molds do not go off quickly.
3. An increasing lifetime of the vinyl plank flooring
Vinyl flooring needs a little higher care at first as they are more fragile than others. If you patiently let the adhesive completely dried out, this will increase the life of the vinyl flooring to the extent of what the company claims.
What Should You Do If Vinyl Flooring Isn’t Entirely Glued Down To The Subfloor After 24 Hours?
If you face this problem, your vinyl plank flooring is still not completely glued to the subfloor. There must be some serious problem you will face;
1. Humidity
The humidity of the area where you live affects the adhesive to be dried within the average time. If the humidity in your area is very low, then this might be the problem in your case.
2. Temperature
The temperature of the environment also affects the drying time of the adhesive you use. If you live in an area where the temperature is high, you might face this problem.
3. Quality of adhesive
The most common reason is the quality of adhesive you used for gluing it down on the subfloor. There are many types of adhesive—some of the most common types of adhesive I have mentioned below in this blog post; just read it thoroughly, you’ll find out what the problem is in your case.
How soon can you walk on vinyl plank flooring? Hmm, it somehow varies with the situation. Almost all the cases are discussed below; I hope you find yours in one of these.
Case # 1
Newly installed vinyl plank flooring
If you newly installed the vinyl plank flooring on your floor. Then it would be best if you patiently waited for the Adhesive to completely dry. This will not only prevent you from problems but increase the lifetime of vinyl flooring.
Case # 2
Single vinyl plank in vinyl flooring
If a single vinyl plank of your vinyl flooring damage, then changing it with the new one is the only solution I recommend. But after you glued down the vinyl plank, then after five minutes, you are good to walk on it.
Type of adhesive you are using for the vinyl plank flooring
How soon can you walk on vinyl plank flooring? Well, It significantly depends upon the type of adhesive you are using for it. Some adhesive takes much time to be completely dry while others don’t. This usually happens due to the nature of adhesive.
If you are not much familiar with the type of adhesives, let us tell you.
Adhesive use in vinyl plank flooring
There are many adhesives out there for vinyl flooring;
1. Acrylic-based adhesives
Acrylic adhesives are made of acrylic resin. These adhesives are potent and effective in adhering to a variety of surfaces. They’re most commonly seen in vinyl plank flooring. These adhesives are UV resistant, can endure temperature changes, and are resistant to moisture.
2. Polyurethane-based adhesives
Polyurethane-based adhesives are commonly used in hardwood flooring installations, and they’re often found in other types of flooring. These ties are both robust and flexible. Once set, a urethane-based glue is waterproof. These are usually low in volatile compounds (VOCs).
3. Water-Based Adhesives
These adhesives have a reduced VOC content and are thus considerably better for both the interior and overall environment, making them a more “green” adhesive to use.
Another benefit of this glue is how easy it is to clean it off the floors and other surfaces where it has become stuck. One disadvantage is the moisture content; too much moisture might weaken the connection.
Best Adhesive For Vinyl Plank Flooring
How soon can you walk on vinyl plank flooring? One of the most significant factors that allow for walking on your vinyl flooring sooner is the adhesive.
There are many adhesives in the market specifically for vinyl flooring. Still, not each is as good as the manufacturers claim to be, but I will only some of the best and commonly used adhesives for vinyl plank flooring. So, you can walk as early as possible on it.
1. Roberts 2057-0 Adhesive for vinyl plank flooring
Roberts 2057-0 is a widely used adhesive spray for specifically vinyl plank flooring. It is a thin-spread, white, solvent-free, water-based adhesive with a good grip and residual solid tack.
Use it with a brush; you will get along it and wear a glove before using it because it does not go quickly off of your skin once it gets to stick to it.
How to apply vinyl plank flooring adhesive :
- Apply it with the brush to the subfloor and back of the vinyl plank.
- Allow 1-2 minutes for the adhesive to become sticky, when you apply a thin coating
- Install the planks, as usual, place them on the floor where you already used the adhesive
2. 3M 90 Adhesive for vinyl plank flooring
3M 90 Contact Adhesive Spray is one of the finest Adhesive for vinyl plank flooring. It is a multipurpose, quick-drying spray adhesive that adheres firmly to vinyl plank flooring and various materials.
Avoid using too much; a thin coating is preferable for Vinyl Flooring since any lumps or bumps under your floor will be visible and may hinder your planks from fitting together correctly.
How to Apply Vinyl Plank Flooring adhesive:
- Apply a thin coating to the vinyl plank.
- Allow for a few minutes for the adhesive to become sticky. If you apply a thin layer, 2-3 minutes should be enough.
- Install your planks, as usual, using your flooring’s tongue and groove system to join them together.
FINAL THOUGHTS
How soon can you walk on vinyl plank flooring? This depends on so many factors, which we have discussed in this article.
Ending on a conclusion that you should wait at least 12 hours to walk on your newly installed vinyl plank flooring and can bring on the furniture and other heavy items after 24 hours. So, do not rush on your newly installed vinyl plank flooring; patiently wait for the adhesive to dry as it will