Vinyl plank flooring is great for adding charm to your home without breaking the bank. It’s affordable, moisture and scratch-resistant, durable, versatile, and easy to maintain. It can also mimic the aesthetics of costlier and less durable flooring materials, like timber and natural stone.
Plus, it’s easy to install. With a good guide and a little DIY experience, you won’t have trouble installing vinyl plank flooring yourself. All you have to do is prep an existing floor. Then, fix the vinyl planks on it.
There is one thing, though. The installation technique varies depending on the type of vinyl plank you want to use. There are three types, namely, click-lock, glued-down, and self-adhesive vinyl planks.
I use click-lock vinyl planks for this guide, I will tell you why soon enough. I will also share other details you need to know about vinyl plank installation. Actually, let’s discuss those details before moving on to the guide itself.
Tips for Vinyl Plank Flooring Installation: What You Should Know Before Starting
Here are three things you need to know when installing vinyl flooring yourself. Even if you later decide to hire a professional for the job, these tips will still be useful.
Choose Click-Lock Vinyl Planks
Use click-lock vinyl. I have three reasons for this:
- Firstly, click-lock vinyl planks are easy to fit. All you have to do is fit the tongues of each vinyl plank into the grooves of the next.
- Secondly, click-lock vinyl plank flooring is not permanent and is easy to remove. So, it’s a great choice for both homeowners and tenants. This type of flooring is called floating flooring.
- Thirdly, click-lock vinyl planks usually have inbuilt underlayment, so you don’t need to install underlay separately. Underlays improve the insulation, moisture resistance, soundproofing, stability, durability and comfort.
The alternatives, glued-down and self-adhesive vinyl plank floors, need underlay.
Don’t Use Vinyl Plank Flooring in a Space With Extreme Temperature Fluctuations
Vinyl expands in heat and contrasts in the cold. When these happen, the vinyl plank flooring will shift and buckle. This affects its stability and lifespan. So, you shouldn’t install vinyl plank flooring in spaces with extreme temperature fluctuations.
Decking is a perfect example of this. Think about the UK’s unpredictable weather. Sure, vinyl flooring is durable enough to survive outdoors. However, if you want vinyl decking to last long, it’s better to enclose the space and control temperature fluctuations.
On the other hand, vinyl plank flooring is perfect for most indoor spaces, including living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens.
Let the Vinyl Planks Acclimate to the Room
Lay the vinyl planks out for about 24 to 48 hours. This allows them to get used to the temperature and humidity of the room. By “the room,” I mean the space you want to install the vinyl plank floor. Acclimation reduces the effect of temperature fluctuations on your vinyl plank floor.
Materials and Tools To Install Vinyl Planks
Tools
- A Stanley knife
- Chalk or pencil
- Carpenter Square
- Tape measure
- Pry bar
- Rubber mallet
- Tapping block
Materials
- Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Nails and fittings
- ¼ inch thick spacers
- Masking tape
DIY Vinyl Plank Flooring Installation in 11 Steps
This guide is for click-lock vinyl floor installation. However, the processes for installing self-adhesive and glued-down vinyl flooring aren’t that much different. Plus, I will tell you the differences later. For now, here is how to install vinyl plank flooring yourself, even if you don’t have much DIY experience.
Step 1: Measure the Floor Space
You need to know the total surface area of the floor. That’s what tells you how many vinyl planks to buy. So, use the take measure to measure the length and width of the room. Then, multiply the values to get the total surface area.
That’s how much vinyl plank you need. You can add an extra 7-12% for safety. It’s better to have too much than not to have enough.
Step 2: Clear the Room
Remove furniture, appliances and everything else that isn’t nailed to the floor. They will get in the way, slow you down and affect the quality of your work.
Step 3: Remove Wall Mouldings and Baseboards
You will reinstall them later. Remove the mouldings and baseboards on all four walls. Use the Stanley knife or pry bar to pry them off. Be careful not to damage the baseboards or the wall.
Step 4: Plan the Layout of Your Vinyl Plank Floor
Planning is crucial to DIY projects. It reduces mistakes and makes your life easier. So, don’t start without a plan. Keep your plan simple, too. Unless you have enough DIY experience, don’t attempt intricate patterns. Here is what you should do.
- Choose a direction to lay your vinyl plank flooring: I suggest laying the floor along the longest wall, main light source or entrance of the room. You can also use the flooring of the next room as inspiration.
- Take note of protrusions: These included door frames, inbuilt cabinets and floor ducts. You will have to trim vinyl planks to accommodate them. I will explain further in step 9.
Step 5: Create the Expansion Gap
Remember that vinyl plank flooring expands in hot weather. You have to make provision for this. Use the ¼ inch spaces to create an extension gap.
Place the spacers at around 24 inches from each other along the entire perimeter of the floor. Use the masking tape to secure them to the wall.
Step 6: Prep the Subfloor
In many cases you don’t need to remove existing flooring. This is one of the reasons why vinyl plank flooring is easy to install. There is no need to dismantle anything. Leave the existing floor alone, be it concrete, wood, stone or even vinyl. If it is level and in good conduction, don’t remove it. Just fix it up to build a solid and good subfloor.
A good subfloor ensures the vinyl plank flooring will be stable, durable and level. To achieve this, you need to clean, repair and level the current floor. If the existing floor is concrete, use crack fillers or spread a self-levelling compound over its surface. If the existing floor is wood, sand, chip, fill and remove loose bits.
After the repairs, clean off dirt and debris. You can also add sealant. Allow the repairs to cure and set before you install the vinyl plank flooring.
If you are on an uneven tiled surface, this step may require some demolition work. Most tiles can be removed with a hammer and chisel depending on how glue was used to install the tiles. Unfortunately in my dads case, the tile installers for his house were very glue happy. This lead to his renovations needing a bit more work than expects with some more heavy duty gear needed to remove the tiles.
Step 7: Install the First Row of Vinyl Planks
You have planned the layout already. You did that in Step 4. So, work according to that plan. Lay your vinyl plank flooring in the right direction.
Choose a wall. Then, choose a corner of that wall. Then, lay the first vinyl plank by that wall. Push the plank up against the spacers. The tongues (of this plank) should be towards the wall while the groove faces the room.
Pick another vinyl plank. Fit it to the short side of the first one. The fitting process is easy. Simply fit the tongue of the second plank into the groove of the first. Ensure the fit is secure. Repeat this with more vinyl planks until the first row is complete.
You will probably have to trim down the last vinyl plank (in the row). Measure the remaining space to determine how long the plank needs to be. Use the carpenter’s square and Stanley knife to score the plank. Then, make the cut.
You may need to snap the vinyl plank. You can also use a heavy-duty shear or saw. Trim the cut lines to clean the edges.
Step 8: Install the Second Row of Vinyl Planks
That first row is crucial. In fact, every row is crucial to the ones that come after it. So, install the first row properly before moving on to this step.
The fitting technique is the same. However, you have to stagger the rows like building blocks. The edges of each plank should be half or a third of its length away from that of planks in adjoining rows. This keeps the vinyl plank floor strong and stable. It’s also great for aesthetics.
So, start row 1 with a half-sized vinyl plank. Fit its tongue into the groove of the first plank in row 2. Then, use the mallet and tapping block to tap it (the vinyl plank) into place.
Now, take a full-size plank. Fit its tongue into the groove of the first and second plank in row one. This second plank should also fit into the short side of the one beside it. Continue this until row 2 is complete.
Step 9: Fit the Remaining Rows of Vinyl Planks
Keep adding rows of vinyl planks until the floor is fully covered. You may have to use narrower planks for the last row. Just trim the boards as you did earlier.
At some point, you may also have to trim vinyl planks because of protrusions and obstacles in the floor. We discussed this in step 4.
Set a vinyl plank into the spot. Use a chalk or pencil to mark the parts you have to cut off. Then, use the Stanley knife, shears, scissors or drill bits to make the cut. Finally, smoothen the cut lines.
There is some good news. You will be able to use some offcuts in other areas.
Step 10: Finish Your Vinyl Plank Flooring
Inspect your work. Check for wrinkles, loose fits and crevices. Make sure the joints are secure and firm. You can also add some weights or pavers to hold the floor down. Actually, you can add the weights earlier like I did. They will stop the vinyl planks from shifting.
Step 11: Reinstall Wall Mouldings and Baseboards
Remove the spacers first. You don’t need them anymore. If there is nothing wrong with the old mouldings and baseboards, you can reuse them. Otherwise, it’s better to get new ones.
Make your decision. Then, install the mouldings and baseboards. Their base should cover the edges of your new vinyl plank floor. This secures the floor and hides the expansion gap.
Use screws or nails to secure the mouldings and baseboard to the walls. Then, add caulk to the gaps.
Self-Adhesive and Glued-Down Vinyl Flooring Installation
The installation process is the same. There are only two differences. The first is the fitting method. Click-lock vinyl plank flooring uses a tongue and groove system. The other two use adhesives.
Glued-down vinyl plank flooring is figuratively glued down with a vinyl adhesive. To install it, you need to spread the adhesive over the subfloor and then stick the vinyl planks to it.
Self-adhesive vinyl plank flooring comes with inbuilt glue. The glue is covered by a film. So, all you need to do is peel off the film. Then, stick the plank to the subfloor. That’s why this type of vinyl floor is also called peel-and-stick vinyl flooring.
The second difference is the presence of underlay. Click-lock vinyl planks usually have inbuilt underlay. Self-adhesive and glued-down vinyl planks don’t. So, you have to install underlay for them.
This step comes up after you have prepared the subfloor in step 6. So, if you are using self-adhesive or glue-down vinyl plank flooring, you have a new step number 7.
You can also decide to install underlay for click-lock vinyl plank flooring. However, it’s not necessary. Common types of underlay for vinyl plank floors include foam, felt, plywood, particle board, rubber and oriented strand board (OSB).
Conclusion
There you have it. You can complete the entire project in a day or less. There will be exceptions but there is no denying that vinyl plank flooring installation is fast and easy. This is why it’s such a popular DIY option.
Plus, this speed and ease don’t affect aesthetics and durability. If you buy quality supplies and follow this guide properly, your vinyl plank floor should look great and last for 15 to 20 years.
No sit back and admire a job well done.