Luxury vinyl plank flooring is an effective way to give one’s house a stylish and durable facelift. Besides affordability, it is so simple to take care of and is sold in a variety of designs.
Installation is that easy; even the simplest newbie can nail it. It befits the kitchen, living room, or even the bedroom for either renovation or remodeling.
What follows is a step-by-step installation guide on luxury vinyl plank flooring. The focus remains on achieving professional results without hiring a contractor.
Why Choose Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Before hopping into the installation process, we should go through why LVP has been and still is a famous decision for your flooring:
- Strength: LVP is resistant to scratches, dents, and stains, making it ideal for high-traffic regions in your home.
- Waterproof: Numerous luxury vinyl flooring choices gloat being waterproof, which puts them entirely in places like your kitchen, washroom, and laundry rooms.
- Easy maintenance: Cleaning vinyl flooring is a snap. Use a speedy scope or a mop wash, and it’s all set.
- Authentic Looking: The best luxury vinyl plank flooring imitates the look of natural wood or stone without a lofty price tag and heavy upkeep requirements.
- Comfort: Vinyl plank floor is softer and warmer underfoot compared with regular tile or hardwood.
Tools and Materials You’ll Need
What follows is a list of some general tools and materials you’ll need in order to start your luxury vinyl plank floor installation work:
- Tape measure
- Utility knife or flooring cutter
- Spacers
- Straight edge or ruler
- Tapping block
- Rubber mallet
- Pry bar
- Leveling compound (as may be necessary)
- Underlayment (in case the manufacturer recommends this)
- Planks of luxury vinyl flooring
How to install LVP flooring
Step 1: Prepare the Subfloor
The first thing with any kind of flooring is to ensure that the surface you are installing onto is clean and dry and level.
1. Clean the Floor: Sweep or vacuum to remove all dirt and debris. Dust or tiny particles can cause uneven installation.
2. Check for Level: Take a level to see if your subfloor is even. If there are some dips and humps, you might have to make use of a leveling compound to smoothen the surface.
3. Repair Any Damage: If you’re installing over an existing floor, check the entire surface area for cracks or holes. Fix anything you find before proceeding.
4. Remove Baseboards and Trim: Any baseboards or trim along the edges of the room will have to be taken out. This will give the flooring a snug fit against the walls.
Step 2: Acclimate the Vinyl Planks
Let your luxury vinyl plank flooring acclimate to the temperature of the room to get rid of any possible expansion and contraction after it is installed.
1. Bring the Planks Indoors: Let your vinyl planks be in the room where they will be installed at least 48 hours before you begin. This gives them time to adjust to the humidity and temperature of the room.
2. Store Flat: Leave the planks flat on the floor and in their boxes while acclimating.
Step 3: Install the Underlayment-if Required
Some luxury vinyl plank flooring features a pre-attached underlayment, while others require a separate layer.
1. Check the Manufacturer’s Instructions: If your vinyl plank flooring has any instructions to that effect, you may want to check for any requirements for placing an underlayment.
2. Lay the Underlayment: Roll out the underlayment across the entire floor, making sure no wrinkles or gaps occur. It minimizes noise and provides a slight cushion when walking.
3. Trim the Excess: A utility knife will be useful in trimming the excess underlayment along the edges.
Step 4: Measure and Plan Your Layout
This is an important step before one begins to cut and lay the planks.
1. Measure the Room: Firstly, use a measure tape to take precise measurements of your room. You need to measure both the length and the width of the room. Now, divide the width of the room by the widht of the plank. You’ll get the answer to how many rows you will need.
2. Avoid Thin End Planks: When planning, it is best to make your last row not too narrow. You may need to cut the first row, so the last row will be a decent width.
3. Start Along a Straight Wall: You can start laying your luxury vinyl floor planks along the longest and straightest wall in the room.
Step 5: Begin Installing the Planks
Now, the fun part: laying down your vinyl plank flooring!
1. Lay the First Row: Start by placing the first plank in one corner of the room, short edge against the wall. Allow about a ¼ inch gap between plank and wall to allow for expansion; use spacers.
2. Click and Lock: Most of the luxury vinyl plank flooring is based on a click-lock installation system. One merely has to angle the plank, click it into place, and lay it flat. You will feel a reassuring click when it is locked.
3. Tap Block: Once a couple of planks are locked together, with the tapping block and mallet, tap them so that the planks fit snugly with no gaps.
4. Cut Planks: You will likely have to cut some planks to fit at the end of rows. Measure carefully, then use a utility knife to score the plank. Once scored, snap the plank in two.
5. Stagger the Seams: For a natural-looking pattern, the seams of your planks should be staggered; the end joints of adjacent rows mustn’t line up.
6. Complete the Room: Continue laying the rows of planks until the entire room is covered.
Step 6: Trim and Finish
Once all planks have been installed, it is time for finishing touches.
1. Remove Spacers: After laying the planks, remove the spacers that had been kept along the walls.
2. Reinstall Baseboards and Trim: Once again, install baseboards and trim to cover up the left gaps for expansion.
3. Install Transition Strips: Where your new vinyl flooring abuts any other type of floor, install transition strips in order to smoothly transition between materials.
Step 7: Cleaning and Enjoyment of Your New Floor
At the end of the installation, you would want to give your newly installed luxury vinyl plank flooring a quick clean.
1. Sweep or Vacuum: Clear all dust and debris left from the installation process.
2. Mop: A lightly damp mop will clean the surface of the flooring without soaking the plank.
And there you have it, your brilliant new luxury vinyl plank floor, ready to use!
Conclusion
To conclude, luxury vinyl plank flooring is considered as one of the best DIY projects you can work on. If you’re a DIY enthusiast, you can easily take on this project. If you don’t know how to take on the project or you’re a beginner, we have written these steps you can follow. These detailed steps guarantee you a detailed finish without hiring a professional. Also, you can install them wherever you like, in kitchens, living rooms, or bedrooms. They are good to go in any space.
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Best vinyl plank flooring brands in USA