One day you’re walking across your luxury vinyl plank (LVP) floor and then you hear it… There’s a hollow drum-like sound under your feet, especially near the center of the room or in high-traffic areas. Was your flooring installed wrong? Homeowners across Virginia Beach with LVP flooring are asking the same thing.
Some hollow sound can be expected, but when it’s noticeable, something under the floor needs attention. Knowing the difference can save you unnecessary worry so you can catch a real problem early.
At Artistic Flooring, we’ve been installing luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring across Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk for over three decades. Let us explain what could be going on with your LVP flooring.
Why Do Floating Floors Sound Different Than Glue-Down?
A floating floor is another way to say the planks click together like puzzle pieces over an underlayment instead of being glued directly to the subfloor. That small air gap between the plank and subfloor creates a hollow, slight sound. It’s not damage, it’s physics.
Glue-down adheres directly to the subfloor. Because there’s no air gap, it sounds and feels more solid underfoot. One method isn’t better than the other. The right choice for your home comes down to the subfloor type, moisture conditions and product being installed. If your floor is floating and hollow in spots, you don’t have to be concerned.
When Does a Hollow Sound Become a Problem?
An uneven hollow sound that gets worse over time or comes with other problems like a slight bounce underfoot, boards separating at the seams or a hollow spot louder than the rest of the room are things to worry about. Common issues include:
- Subfloor Flatness: The subfloor should be level before installation day. If it’s not, a floating floor can flex in some areas, resulting in a hollow sound and adding stress to click-and-lock seams over time.
- Underlayment Quality or Placement: A thin, low-quality or improperly seamed underlayment can create inconsistent sound and feel across the room, especially in high-traffic spaces.
- Gaps or Voids Beneath the Subfloor Itself: This is common in older homes or additions where the subfloor structure wasn’t originally built to spec.
As a homeowner, you should never guess what’s wrong based on sound alone. Call a professional from Artistic Flooring to assess your space.
What Difference Does Installation Quality Make?
What’s the difference between a floor that lasts and one that causes problems for years to come? Proper floor leveling is essential. Skipping them is a recipe for hollow spots, uneven wear and seam separation.
Not every installer treats subfloor prep as a required step. Many skip it because it doesn’t impact the finished look of the floor until months or years later.
What’s the Best Solution for Hollow Sounding LVP Flooring?
A slight hollow sound in a floating LVP floor is normal. That said, an uneven, worsening or bounce-accompanied hollow sound is worth checking out. The subfloor does more of the work than most homeowners realize. At Artistic Flooring, we get it. After installing flooring for over three decades, we’ve come to understand how to get flooring installations right including subfloor prep and moisture testing.
Do your floors not sound or feel the way they should? Contact us to schedule an in-home consultation.
