Glue-down or click vinyl flooring? A comparison of glue-down vinyl, click vinyl, and SPC.

Glue-down or click vinyl flooring? This question arises for almost anyone planning a design floor – in new builds, during renovations in old buildings, or in commercial spaces. Both installation methods have their merits: glue-down vinyl is bonded to the subfloor across the entire surface, while click vinyl is installed as a floating floor and locked together via a mechanical profile. Which variant is better depends less on taste than on the subfloor, room usage, underfloor heating, and available installation height. In this guide, we show you the differences in an objective and practical way – using our vinyl design floors as an example.

A quick guide to help you decide

• Choose glue-down vinyl if the installation height is limited, the floor is subject to heavy wear (e.g., shops, medical practices, offices, hallways), you want large, continuous surfaces without expansion joints, or the floor is going into a bathroom, kitchen, or conservatory.
• Choose click vinyl if you want to install it yourself, the floor needs to be ready for use quickly, and it is important that it can be removed later without adhesive residue. Please note: in damp and wet rooms as well as in conservatories, Traffic Click must also be fully bonded.
• SPC click vinyl with a rigid core is the robust click variant if you want dimensional stability and integrated impact sound insulation in one product. SPC is installed exclusively as a floating floor.
• All variants are suitable for hot-water underfloor heating, provided the surface temperature does not exceed 29 °C – when glued, the covering lies directly on the screed; when floating, an additional layer is added.
• Unsure? Order samples and compare the look and feel on site – hand samples are free of charge; we charge a flat rate of €12.97 for postage and packaging.

What do "glue-down" and "click" vinyl flooring mean?

Glue-down vinyl: fully bonded to the subfloor

Glue-down vinyl – also known as glue-down planks or dryback – is a thin, elastic covering that is glued across the entire surface to a prepared subfloor using a design floor adhesive. Our Traffic glue-down plank 2.5 mm has a 0.55 mm wear layer, utility class 33/42, a glass fibre-reinforced structure, and is suitable for hot-water underfloor heating. Due to the firm bond with the subfloor, the covering barely "moves", walking noise remains low, and the floor feels very quiet.

Click vinyl: floating installation, without glue

Click vinyl is thicker and features a click profile on the edges. The planks are locked into one another and lie floating on the subfloor – meaning they are not permanently bonded. Our Traffic Click 5.0 mm uses the Unilin click system, also has a 0.55 mm wear layer and utility class 33/42, as well as a glass fibre-reinforced structure.

Depending on the room, however, Traffic Click is also glued down: in commercial areas we recommend full-surface bonding, and in damp and wet rooms as well as in rooms with surface temperatures above 29 °C (e.g., conservatories, large window areas) it is mandatory.

SPC vinyl: click vinyl with a rigid core

SPC vinyl (Stone Plastic Composite) is a click variant with a mineral-filled, rigid core. Our Traffic SPC Click 6.5 mm comes with 1.5 mm of integrated impact sound insulation, while the Home SPC Click 4.4 mm series has 1.0 mm of integrated insulation (wear layer 0.30 mm, utility class 23/31) – an option for living areas with normal to high traffic.

Important: SPC floors are installed exclusively as floating floors; full-surface bonding is not possible.

Glue-down or click vinyl flooring: a comparison table

Criterion	Glue-down vinyl (Traffic glue-down plank 2.5 mm)	Click vinyl (Traffic Click 5.0 mm)	SPC Click (Traffic 6.5 mm / Home 4.4 mm)
Installation	fully bonded	floating, Unilin click system; bonding recommended in commercial areas, mandatory in wet rooms and conservatories	floating only, click system; bonding not possible
Covering thickness	2.5 mm	5.0 mm	6.5 mm or 4.4 mm
Impact sound insulation	not required (bonded)	separate underlay recommended, e.g., vinyl underlay 1.5 mm	integrated (1.5 mm or 1.0 mm)
Subfloor requirements	very high – always level with compound; flat, absorbent, dry (DIN 18365 / DIN 18202)	high – flat, dry and load-bearing (DIN 18365 / DIN 18202)	high – the rigid core bridges small uneven spots slightly better
Underfloor heating (hot water)	suitable, max. 29 °C surface	suitable, max. 29 °C surface	suitable, max. 29 °C surface
Thermal resistance	0.033 m²K/W	0.040 m²K/W (without underlay)	0.067 m²K/W or 0.045 m²K/W
Utility class	33/42	33/42	33/42 (Traffic) or 23/31 (Home)
Self-installation	preferably by a specialist	easily achievable	easily achievable
Removal	complex, adhesive residue	simple, residue-free	simple, residue-free
Warranty (pro rata)	25 years residential / 15 years commercial	25 years residential / 15 years commercial	25 / 15 years (Traffic) or 15 / 5 years (Home)

Subfloor: the most important point in the decision

A thin glue-down covering will show almost any unevenness. Trowel ridges, tile joints, or small holes will later be visible as impressions. Therefore, the following applies when installing glue-down vinyl: according to DIN 18365, the subfloor must be clean, dry, flat, resistant to tension and compression, and – for dispersion adhesives – absorbent; flatness must comply with DIN 18202 (Table 3, Row 4). Before any bonding, the subfloor is always levelled with compound, usually after priming.

The residual moisture of the screed must be measured using the CM method before installation. The permissible maximum is 2.0 % CM for cement screed (1.8 % CM with underfloor heating) and 0.5 % CM for anhydrite screed (0.3 % CM with underfloor heating). You can find all requirements in our installation instructions for vinyl design floors (PDF, German).

Click vinyl is more tolerant but not undemanding: DIN 18365 and the flatness tolerances of DIN 18202 apply here too, otherwise the click joints may be permanently stressed. With SPC, the rigid core offers some levelling – but it does not compensate for larger height differences.

Installing glue-down vinyl on tiles?

A common search query is "glue-down vinyl on tiles". In principle, this is possible if the tiles are firmly in place. However, the joints must be filled because they would otherwise show through the thin covering. Glazed tiles are not absorbent – here, a suitable system of primer and levelling compound is necessary so that a dispersion adhesive such as the Bona D750 wet-bed adhesive can adhere securely (according to the manufacturer, the D750 is intended for absorbent subfloors). Click vinyl is often the less complicated solution on tiles, provided the joints are not too wide and deep.

Glue-down or floating vinyl flooring on underfloor heating?

All Gunreben vinyl floors mentioned are approved for hot-water underfloor heating; the surface temperature must not exceed 29 °C. The difference lies in the structure: when glued, the thin covering lies directly on the heating screed without an additional insulation layer. With floating installation, the click plank and, if applicable, impact sound insulation are added, which increases the thermal resistance.

The values of our floors: Traffic glue-down plank 0.033 m²K/W, Traffic Click 0.040 m²K/W (plus underlay), Home SPC 0.045 m²K/W and Traffic SPC 0.067 m²K/W. In practice, all variants work well if the requirements for underlay and surface temperature are met. If you want the most direct heat transfer possible, the glued covering has an advantage. Important in both cases: the heating screed must be professionally heated up and ready for installation before the flooring is laid. You can find more on the topic of heating screed in our article Parquet and underfloor heating – many general rules also apply to design coverings.

Installation height: why glue-down vinyl scores in renovations

Especially in old buildings or during renovations, every millimetre counts: doors, transitions to tiles, or stair edges limit the possible installation height. At 2.5 mm (plus levelling layer), the glue-down plank is significantly thinner than Traffic Click at 5.0 mm plus underlay, Home SPC at 4.4 mm, or Traffic SPC at 6.5 mm – the two SPC floors already include the impact sound insulation. If you do not want to shorten doors or are planning seamless transitions to adjacent coverings, glue-down vinyl is therefore often the first choice.

Load, commercial use, and large areas

For shops, practices, offices, or stairwells, full-surface bonding is the standard in commercial areas. The covering cannot move, rolling loads like office chairs or trolleys are better absorbed, and large areas can usually be installed without expansion joints in doorways. Floating floors, on the other hand, require an expansion joint once a room is longer or wider than 10 m; alternatively, Traffic Click is fully bonded – which we recommend in commercial areas anyway. Stair treads are always covered with bonded flooring; click vinyl is not suitable for this. Heavy fixtures like kitchen units should not stand on a floating floor; instead, they should be installed first and the floor laid in front of them. For commercial projects and larger quantities, we are happy to advise you via our commercial contact.

Floating installation of click vinyl: advantages for DIY enthusiasts

Click vinyl is the obvious choice if you want to install it yourself. You don't need glue or curing times, and you can walk on the floor immediately after installation. As tools, a utility knife, spacers, pencil, and folding rule are sufficient – the planks are clicked in at an angle of 15–20°. Important: store the unopened packs flat in the room at approx. 20 °C for 48 hours beforehand, and keep a gap of at least 5 mm from the wall all around. Another advantage: for rental apartments or rooms you may want to redesign later, the floor can be removed without adhesive residue. Vinyl skirting boards in a matching decor cover the edge gaps.

For Traffic Click 5.0 mm, which has no integrated insulation, we recommend our vinyl underlay 1.5 mm (latex/mineral, impact sound improvement of 18 dB according to the manufacturer) for floating installation. It reduces walking noise and evens out minor unevenness in the subfloor. You can find an overview under underlays.

Installing glue-down vinyl: what you need

• Primer and levelling compound for a flat, absorbent subfloor
• CM measurement of the screed moisture before starting work
• Design floor adhesive for absorbent subfloors, e.g., the Bona D750 (low-emission according to EMICODE EC1, consumption approx. 200–300 g/m²)
• the matching notched trowel, such as the G² notched trowel tooth size no. 2
• Pressure roller, utility knife, measuring tool
• 48 hours of acclimatisation: store the packs unopened and flat in the room at approx. 20 °C

Everything else can be found in the vinyl accessories section. Those with little experience in levelling and gluing should leave the installation to a flooring contractor – the quality of the subfloor determines the result.

Glue-down or click vinyl flooring – practical experience

From our advisory work we know a clear pattern: dissatisfaction rarely arises from the installation method itself, but rather from an inadequately prepared subfloor, lack of acclimatisation, edge gaps that are too small (at least 5 mm) with floating installation, or furniture that is too heavy for floating floors. Anyone who takes the subfloor seriously and follows the installation instructions will be satisfied with both variants. Similar considerations also apply to wooden floors – see our article Installing parquet floating or glued.

Which vinyl floor fits which project?

• Renovation of an old building with low door clearance: Traffic glue-down plank 2.5 mm, fully bonded.
• Shop, practice, office, stairwell: glue-down plank with utility class 33/42 – installed by a specialist.
• Apartment, self-installation, ready quickly: Traffic Click 5.0 mm (with separate underlay) or Traffic SPC Click 6.5 mm (insulation integrated).
• Living areas with normal to high traffic, e.g., bedrooms and children's rooms: Home SPC Click 4.4 mm, e.g., in Hera decor.
• Rental apartment or temporary solution: click vinyl, as it can be removed without residue.
• Bathroom, kitchen, conservatory, or large window areas: Traffic glue-down plank 2.5 mm or Traffic Click 5.0 mm – each fully bonded. SPC floors are not the right choice here.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: glue-down or click vinyl flooring?

Neither variant is fundamentally better. Glue-down vinyl is thinner, feels very quiet underfoot, and is ideal for heavily used or large areas. Click vinyl is installed faster, is easy to do yourself, and is easier to remove.

Must vinyl flooring be glued if underfloor heating is present?

No. All our click and glue-down variants are approved for hot-water underfloor heating; the surface temperature must not exceed 29 °C. When glued, the heat is transferred slightly more directly; for floating installation, make sure to use an underlay approved for underfloor heating.

Can I install glue-down vinyl myself?

Yes, if you have experience with levelling and gluing. The most demanding part is preparing the subfloor. Mistakes show through clearly with a 2.5 mm covering – when in doubt, it is worth hiring a specialist.

Can vinyl flooring be installed without glue?

Yes – click vinyl and SPC vinyl are installed as floating floors: the planks are locked to each other but not bonded to the subfloor. In damp and wet rooms as well as in conservatories, however, Traffic Click must be glued. Glue-down planks are always fully bonded.

Does click vinyl need impact sound insulation?

That depends on the product. SPC floors like Traffic SPC 6.5 mm and Home SPC 4.4 mm already have the insulation integrated (1.5 mm and 1.0 mm respectively). For Traffic Click 5.0 mm, we recommend our vinyl underlay 1.5 mm.

Can I install vinyl flooring in the bathroom?

Yes. The surface of our vinyl floors is waterproof. In damp and wet rooms, however, we require full-surface bonding for Traffic Click, because click joints are not watertight. The Traffic glue-down plank is the obvious choice here.

What warranty do Gunreben vinyl floors come with?

We provide a pro rata manufacturer's warranty (current-value warranty with an annual depreciation): Traffic glue-down plank, Traffic Click and Traffic SPC Click 25 years for residential and 15 years for commercial use, Home SPC Click 15 and 5 years respectively. You can find the terms in our vinyl warranty statement 2026 (PDF, German).

Conclusion: subfloor and usage decide

Whether you should glue or click your vinyl floor depends on three factors: the condition of the subfloor, the available installation height, and how heavily the room is used. Glue-down vinyl is the solution for low installation heights, heavily used areas and damp rooms; click vinyl and SPC are the flexible solution for quick self-installation. Discover all variants in our vinyl design floors, request samples – hand samples are free of charge; we charge a flat rate of €12.97 for postage and packaging – or visit our showroom. We are happy to advise you personally.