How To Install Vinyl Plank Flooring Over Wood Subfloor

This episode was sponsored by The Home Depot notwithstanding the opinions are 100% my own.

When it came to installing flooring in our basement we knew we wanted something durable, waterproof and easy to install. We settled on luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring and more than specifically Sterling Oak from Lifeproof. Ultimately, we are extremely happy with how easy information technology was to install and in this article we share all the tips and tricks we picked up along the way.

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Full Project Video

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Preparing Floor for Vinyl Plank Flooring

To brand certain your floor doesn't have any air pockets below information technology you'll desire to check to run across if the floor is level. Virtually flooring volition requite you lot a limit. For instance, Lifeproof LVP needs to exist laid on a flooring with no more than 1/iv″ of variation in 10′. This can be checked with a long direct edge or board. these specs can exist constitute in the installation guide.

If you are installing over concrete so you should use a physical leveler to bring the depression spots of the flooring within those limits and grind downwardly any high spots. If you are laying over a wood subfloor you should use self-leveling compound meant for that substrate and sand any loftier spots. Obviously, the floor volition need to swept and free of any debris.

When it comes to using an underlayment with vinyl plank flooring, luckily, Lifeproof has already taken care of this and congenital information technology into the planks so no additional underlayment is required. If your LVP doesn't have an underlayment congenital-in, I would highly recommend laying downward an underlayment like QuietWalk to help with sound and provide a moisture barrier.

Which Management to Install Vinyl Plank Floor?

This is a common question and the reply is along the longest wall or run. If y'all have a hallway run it downwardly the hallway, not across. If you take a square room so it'south your choice.

Laying the Outset Row

Starting in the left corner identify 1/iv″ spacers (ii per plank) against the wall for expansion and contraction. (This gap will get covered upwardly by baseboard trim or quarter-round molding later on the flooring is complete.) So, join the get-go row together with the tongue side against the wall and slide information technology confronting the spacers. The tongue is the overhanging side of the plank and the groove is the exposed side of the joint.

Connecting the Planks

Connecting the planks is rather simple. Just slide the tongue into the groove on an angle, making certain the end of one board lines upwardly with the last. Then, driblet the lath into place.

A soft hammer is perfect for finishing off the joint and then you lot can use a scrap piece of flooring or a tapping block and soft hammer to tighten upward whatever gaps without dissentious your groove. Home Depot also sells a flooring installation kit with all those things, spacers and pull bar which I highly recommend. When you lot get to the finish of a row, use your off-cutting to kickoff the side by side row. Also, brand certain that the seams are staggered which will aid keep the flooring straight and the joints tight.

Cut the Planks

When information technology comes to cutting the planks in that location are a couple of options. You tin merely score it with a utility knife (several passes) and and then flip it over and snap information technology. If you lot choose this method I recommend a speed foursquare for straighter square cuts as a utility knife can migrate. This does accept a piddling extra work just will avoid the plastic sawdust created by a miter saw.

Which brings me to the 2nd method. A miter saw volition exist the quickest and give you the cleanest cut. However, it does create a lot of sawdust that will require clean up and you volition need to walk to the miter saw every fourth dimension you need to make a cut.

When it comes to notched cuts, a jigsaw or a mitt saw is what you'll desire to use. And any rip cuts will be easiest with a table saw but tin be washed with the score and snap method if need be.

Angle Finding

If you know you are going to run into an angled wall, exercise yourself a favor and purchase a cheap t-bevel. This gauge has two straight edges with a nut to tighten them in identify and transfer the angle to your plank for cutting.

Undercutting Door Jambs

The flooring should be laid nether the door jamb as no trim will be able to cover it. If the door jamb does non take a gap at the lesser or it isn't quite enough to slip the plank under then you volition need to flush-cut the jamb with a fleck slice of flooring. The easiest tool to use for this job is an oscillating multi-tool simply a handheld flush cut saw or pull saw will work too.

Working in Tight Spaces

When you get to the final row or 2 you'll find that there isn't plenty room to hammer the last seam tight with a borer block. This is when a pull bar come in hand. This is included in that floor installation kit I mentioned before, and is basically a long "Z" shaped piece of steel with felt pads on the bottom to protect your flooring. One finish goes against the edge of the floor and the other end can be tapped with a hammer to tighten up those terminal gaps.

Installing a Transition or Moldings

The types of transitions and moldings that are available are:

• T-Molding: Used to transition to a different floor with similar height or to hide a interruption in the flooring.
• Reducer: Used to transition from a college or lower floor height.
• Stair Olfactory organ: Used on front edge of steps
• Thick Rug Reducer: Used to transition to thick or costly carpeting
• Quarter Round: Used to hide whatever unwanted gaps near walls & doors.

The installation process is pretty straight forward. The transitions come with a metal track that can be cut downwards to slightly less than the width of the doorway or area that needs the transition. Ideally you should position the track such that the border of the transition is in the middle of the door when closed. This will assure that you only see flooring in your room when the door is closed. Then, attach the track to the subfloor with screws, anchors or, in my case, high quality construction adhesive. The molding so gets fitted into the runway by firmly pushing down. Quarter round molding can be used to cover expansion gaps betwixt old baseboard or exterior doors and this merely gets nailed in place.

How to Back Lay Vinyl Plank Flooring

It's not ideal but sometimes information technology may be necessary to back lay the plank flooring into a room and avoid a transition slice. To do and then, you take to work from correct to left and the groove must slide under the tongue. Dorsum laying make the tongues more than vulnerable to getting damaged then be careful. If the articulation volition not come up together as you expect it to and so, more than likely, the tongue or groove is damaged and you will need to remove the broken piece of tongue or groove and try again. Once you get information technology to fit, again, a soft mallet and borer block volition tighten upwards the joints.

Final Thoughts

Overall this flooring went down really easy. With just my wife Jamie and I, nosotros laid the entire basement floor in about 2-one/ii days. With dogs and kids running effectually, nosotros knew we needed something that was durable and virtually maintenance free. That being said, I recall we fabricated the correct pick and existence able to install information technology ourselves saved us thousands of dollars.

Questions? Comments?

Equally always, if you accept any questions don't hesitate to comment below and peculiarly don't forget to post pictures of your finished products in the comments! Savor!

Source: https://rogueengineer.com/how-to-install-vinyl-plank-flooring/

Posted by: hawkinscausbableche.blogspot.com

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