Glue-down LVT fitting across Kent and South East London
Glue-down LVT, also called dry-back, is bonded to the subfloor with the manufacturer’s specified adhesive. It is the fitting method behind our LVT service, and the one that suits herringbone and patterned layouts. Every floor starts with a moisture-tested, levelled base and a free site visit.
What glue-down LVT is
Glue-down planks and tiles are only a few millimetres thick and have no locking joint. Each piece is set into pressure-sensitive adhesive spread over the prepared subfloor, then rolled and weighted so it makes full contact. Because the floor is bonded rather than floating, it feels solid underfoot and an individual damaged plank can be replaced later.
The same thinness is why preparation matters so much. Every bump and trowel ridge in the base reads straight through the surface, so the subfloor is moisture-tested first and levelled with latex screed over concrete or a plywood overlay over timber where needed.
Glue-down or click LVT
Click LVT locks together and floats over an underlay, while glue-down is fixed to the base. The two are not interchangeable instructions for the same product. Our installation process is glue-down, using the selected manufacturer’s adhesive guidance, because it suits patterned and herringbone layouts.
If you have already bought a click product, bring the product name to the survey rather than assuming either system avoids moisture checks or unevenness. We can then discuss the floor you actually want and what the base needs before anything is ordered.
The fitting process
The existing floor is lifted and the base moisture-tested. Concrete is self-levelled with latex screed where needed; timber floors receive a plywood overlay. Herringbone and patterned layouts ask more of this base than straight plank, with a target of flat within 3mm over a 2m straightedge.
Planks are then dry-fitted to balance the layout and set the direction, fixed with manufacturer-spec pressure-sensitive adhesive, rolled and weighted. Cuts are scribed to skirtings, door bars are set flush and seams sealed where required. Doors can be trimmed on the day so they swing over the finished floor.
Ranges and layouts
Ranges we regularly fit include Karndean Knight Tile, Van Gogh and Art Select, Amtico Spacia, Signature and Form, Moduleo LayRed and Roots, and Polyflor Camaro and Expona for commercial work. Glue-down is the method behind our herringbone flooring service, and suitable ranges can go over underfloor heating within the manufacturer’s surface temperature limit, commonly around 27 degrees C.
Glue-down LVT has a waterproof surface, which is why it is our usual recommendation for kitchens and bathrooms. After fitting, keep a few spare planks from the same batch so a damaged piece can be swapped without a visible colour change.
What glue-down LVT costs
LVT starts from £45/m² supplied and fitted on our published pricing. The final figure depends on the room, the preparation the base needs and the range and layout chosen, and it is set out in a written quote after the free site visit.
The quote includes old-floor uplift and disposal, standard furniture moved and replaced, cuts, scribes, seams, door bars, clean-up and dust-sheet protection. Send the form or call to arrange a visit.
Recent work
Glue-down LVT questions
What is the difference between glue-down and click LVT?
Glue-down, or dry-back, LVT is bonded to the prepared subfloor with adhesive. Click LVT locks together and floats. Our fitting process is glue-down, which suits herringbone and patterned layouts and lets a single damaged plank be replaced.
Does glue-down LVT need a perfectly flat floor?
Yes, more than most coverings. The planks are only a few millimetres thick and follow the base exactly, so we moisture-test first and level with latex screed or a plywood overlay where needed, to within 3mm over a 2m straightedge for patterned work.
Can glue-down LVT go over underfloor heating?
Suitable ranges can, when the product and heating system stay within the manufacturer’s surface temperature limit, commonly around 27 degrees C. We follow the published guidance for the exact range being fitted.
Is glue-down LVT waterproof?
The surface of quality glue-down LVT is waterproof, which is why it is our usual recommendation for kitchens and bathrooms. The base still needs to be sound and dry before fitting.
Can a damaged plank be repaired?
Yes. Because each plank is bonded individually, a damaged piece can be lifted and replaced. Keep a few spares from the same batch so the colour matches.