The short answer is - yes! But here's a bit more information why and what screed is required for a vinyl plank.

A good screed is vital for a succesful installation of a vinyl plank. By screed, I mean a topping of generally less than 5mm of a specific type of a cement-like product. Even if you have a new build, with a new slab, a screed is still required. Below are the reasons why...

Small Margins of error...

Vinyl planks are very durable, but they are not thick, with most glue-down products ranging from 2 - 3mm. So in order to get the best results from a laid floor, it is vital that the surface underneath is flat and level.

When installed the planks are place next to each other with no gaps between them. That means that each plank 'meets' another plank - on all 4 sides - so an average floor has dozens, if not hundres of places where the planks connect to each other. Because the plank is thin, the margin for error is quite small, so for vinyl plank we really need a level, flat floor to ensure the planks meet consistently and evenly across the whole floor.

The Screed and Glue work together

So it's important that the screeded surface is flat, but it also is vital to make sure the glue works well. 

If the subfloor is too porous, or sandy, the glue will not work as well. Like the screed, the glue used for vinyl planks is a specific glue. In order for this to work optimally, the surface on which the glue is applied must be just the right flatness and porosity for the glue to 'grab' the screed underneath and then bond to the vinyl plnak.

Indeed, succesful installations require the right screed, the right glue, and the right installation method to ensure the vinyl performs best.