Vinyl plank can be installed over any smooth surface. Prepare for Installation. And it also makes vinyl plank flooring incredibly easy to install. Keep in mind, though that the cost to install engineered hardwood floors is often the same as it is for solid wood, especially if you choose to nail or glue it down. To begin with the installation and stagger the vinyl planks, the first thing you need to do is to … Plan to spread your project out over a few weekends to keep the whole DIY as stress-free as possible. But that’s not such a big problem—and here’s why: So what makes engineered hardwood some of the easiest flooring to install? To install each piece, peel the adhesive backing off the plank and stick it to the subfloor. Pro … But baseboards or shoe moldings will usually obscure this unevenness. Your email address will not be published. Your goal is to create the flattest, smoothest surface possible as the underlayment for the vinyl plank flooring. For ease of installation, it is always best to remove the trim that makes contact with the floor. A moderate-sized room can easily be covered with vinyl plank flooring with just a few hours of work. We know how overwhelming the thought of installing flooring (or having it installed) can be. Starting from the center keeps any imperfections from being smack-dab in the middle of the room. Ok, Ok, we lied a little bit. A total win-win-WIN! Install Vinyl Plank Flooring Place the first vinyl plank in the corner of your room, starting from the left. And most importantly, is […]. Plan to stagger rows so that end joints do not fall at the same point for adjacent rows. Nope—too soft, just like solid pine flooring. © 2021 FlooringStores, Inc. All rights reserved. If you’re lucky and your existing surface is made of click-together flooring, the process will be super quick. It’s simple—you can often install it as a click-together floating floor! After making the cutouts, first attach the plank to the adjoining plank while holding the cut-out plank upward, at an angle. She is obsessed with reality TV, professional sports mascots, and Doug the Pug (don’t tell her two cats). Because of its wood core, laminate is one of these floors! In a pinch, you can use a hand saw—but we’ll be honest… don’t. Use carpenter shims or spacers to make a 3/8” expansion gap between the walls and the vinyl flooring. Then slowly fold down the cut-out plank until it locks into place with the adjoining plank. Alternatively, you can use a fine-tooth handsaw to cut straight through the entire plank. Is engineered pine the best wood flooring for dogs? If the longest wall includes a doorway, install the metal part … Some types of wood flooring, for example, can be kept underneath the carpet tiles. We can’t stress this enough: you need the right tools before you begin the job! If the trim is still in good shape after removal, set it aside for re-installation after the floor has been installed. It’s as simple as that! If you do not wish to remove them, you can cut your vinyl planks around the obstacles. Water-resistant. These flooring retailers are the real pros—they’ll be able to answer every one of your questions and find the easiest flooring to install for you. There are a few disadvantages of floating floors, but disassembly is not one of them! It can cup or buckle if it’s installed poorly. On the other hand, cork is not waterproof, nor is it a great choice for people who plan on using their floors roughly (we’re thinking dogs and kids here). You may want to use this opportunity to replace shoe moldings or other trim, especially if the old trim was cracked or damaged when it was removed. But that’s not the only thing that makes LVT extremely popular. Locking them together is enough to secure them in place. Putting in your own flooring isn’t for the faint of heart, even if it is one of the easiest types to install. In the end, the biggest struggle will be choosing between bamboo flooring vs. laminate or carpet vs. laminate, or heck, even engineered wood vs. carpet tiles! Calculate the dimension of the space rightly to get the right amount of underlayment needed. Vinyl plank flooring is also ideal for high-moisture areas such as bathrooms and basements since the material is completely impervious to water. To prepare a space for peel-and-stick vinyl tiles, make sure your subfloor is rigid, clean, and free of any cracks. Even if it did, the figure would be too small to be of any effect. The Easiest Flooring to Install: Our Top 5 Picks, #1. Of all of the do-it-yourself floor coverings, vinyl plank flooring (also known as luxury vinyl) is one of the simplest to install. We’ll be here for you at every step of your flooring journey. But what is laminate flooring, exactly? Can You Bleach Wooden Floors? Yep, they’re really that easy—just peel and stick! Then, just peel off the backing, position the tiles, and press down. The passionate debate between carpet vs. hardwood is silly, anyway. Folding the second board until it lies flat and parallel to the first board helps to draw the boards together and lock them in place. So: if you’re not in love with any of the five amazing flooring types above, we understand—and we’ll help you find the surface that’s right for you with this flooring stores near me search. Cork is a natural flooring material that comes from the bark of cork trees—and the cork flooring Lowes and Home Depot sells can make a pretty easy weekend DIY! Of all of the do-it-yourself floor coverings, vinyl plank flooring (also known as luxury vinyl) is one of the simplest to install. Alright, we’re done convincing you to pick vinyl now. ft. / case) Easy GripStrip installation Lays directly over your old floor; no floor prep or messy glue needed! We encountered some spots that were not level, so it was important to build up the floor with the patch compound to make sure the vinyl plank was installed on top of a level surface. Prep the subfloor by scraping, smoothening out and vacuuming dirt. Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles are a fantastic solution if you’re looking for a quick, durable floor. It may snap off by itself. As with previous rows, join these narrow planks end-to-end, then fold the tongues into the grooves of the previous row. Wondering how to replace flooring without getting massively overwhelmed? Floorté LVP consists of a wood and plastic core (WPC). That means they only attach to each other, and don’t need to be bonded to a subfloor via glue or nails (and if you’re wondering what subflooring is, it’s the foundation for your underlayment and flooring). Using sites like Angie’s List, you can find reputable installers. Caulking seals any joints and covers screws that sit beneath the surface. Prepare your floors by pulling up any existing carpeting, tile, vinyl, or laminate. And right now, that means helping you find the easiest flooring to install! Perfect in high moisture areas basements, kitchens, and bathrooms. And solid hardwood isn’t particularly easy to install because it usually needs to be nailed, stapled, or glued to a subfloor. So what exactly is parquet flooring? Fold the plank back. When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading, riding her bike, or FaceTiming her college best friends. Not to mention actually having to choose a flooring option! Easy to install and waterproof? Or maybe you’re looking for a pain-free (and cheap) installation. Yes! With the vinyl plank face up, hold a straightedge next to the tongue. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) and Plank Installation Methods Vinyl Flooring Flooring How-Tos. Just remember: we mentioned above that some types of flooring need to acclimate before installation. Visually, the flooring layout will be most pleasing if cut planks are of roughly equal lengths at the opposite side walls. In a small bathroom, the most visible row might be the one that runs alongside the bathtub. Wood is wood is wood. Vinyl plank flooring installation labor cost is $1.50-$2.75 per square foot for most jobs. Like going into a closet, under some cabinets and even into an entire room. Sign us up! The unique click design allows for quick and seamless DIY installation atop any existing flat subfloors including granite, tile, laminate and cement. Just understand that you need at least 3 quality quotes before committing, and that a lot of the quotes you receive … Peel-and-Stick Vinyl Plank Flooring The floor preparation and layout are the same for peel-and-stick vinyl planks as they are for floating vinyl plank floors. Shaw is serious about luxury vinyl plank flooring. Fill in the Low Spots. You may Choose to Create a Focus on a Particular Area in the Room And almost all of the best hardwood floor brands sell engineered wood, so there’s no need to learn how to install hardwood floors the old-fashioned way if you don’t want to! Looking for the easiest flooring to install? You’ll save yourself a lot of headache and time with power tools. The design layer is what gives your floor its overall look—and with recent advances in 3D printing and embossed-in-register (ER) finishing techniques, vinyl can now mimic just about any type of flooring. This one seems obvious, but read up on the necessary tools required to install whichever types of flooring you’ve chosen. Most luxury vinyl planks attach edge-to-edge and end-to-end with a fold-and-lock type of tongue-and-groove system. Spread it out! Lengthwise cuts are best made with a utility knife guided by a long straightedge, using multiple passes of the knife until the planks are cut to the desired width. Vinyl planks (aka luxury vinyl tile or “LVT”) are made of 3 layers: a rigid base layer, a patterned design layer, and a protective finish. But these days, the word parquet gets thrown around a lot—and to describe a lot of different kinds of floors. You need to make sure that the groove of one vinyl plank fits into the tongue of the other vinyl plank securely. After all, even the easiest flooring to install will still require a few tools! If you’re looking into buying hardwood flooring, you probably know that engineered hardwood can save you money (especially if you’re going with a more expensive or exotic wood species) because it uses less solid wood. LVT or luxury vinyl tile (AKA … cost to install engineered hardwood floors, Your Complete Guide to the Best Bamboo Flooring, Why Concrete Flooring That Looks Like Wood is So Darn Cool, Pergo and Pergo Extreme Reviews: What Buyers are Saying, Engineered Bamboo Flooring: Pros and Cons, Comparing Tile vs. Wood Floors for Your Home. Make sure that end joints are staggered so they are at least 6 inches away from the end joints in the previous row. In fact, vinyl plank flooring can be installed virtually anywhere, even on top of existing flooring. Engineered wood, on the other hand, often comes in click-together setups that are just as easy to install as laminate or LVT. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. LVP is the easiest flooring to install, by far, but laminate isn’t much more difficult. Also, it might make it a little more fun too! If you can hold a hammer, you can install these flooring styles, which may save you thousands on install costs. Vinyl planks don’t have an adhesive backing. Installing in rooms wider than this require that you split up tiles. You can find solid hardwood with click-together joints, but it’s not super common. Just consult your manufacturer installation instructions.And since it is inherently resistant to water, it is also a great choice for the kitchen, bathroom or basement. Deane Biermeier is a contractor with 27 years experience in home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Yes, people love vinyl flooring, but they don’t take it to be a valuable investment. Fill the low spots with floor patch, and feather it out with a trowel. But hey, if that’s your thing, then by all means, disregard this tip! If you do not wish to remove door trim or if you have protrusions that cannot be removed, you can cut the vinyl flooring to fit around these obstacles. The only major rule for installing vinyl plank floors is that the surface needs to be flat. I call this working backwards Now, I have some tricks that I share in another video and they really help with making this pretty easy to do, but it’s a lot slower and we want to avoid … Score the plank to break off the tongue of the easiest flooring installation your., even the easiest flooring to install, laminate and vinyl daily and... Easily be covered with vinyl plank flooring can be some of the best cork flooring will keep your warm. The worst part of their luxury vinyl tile ( AKA vinyl plank the... To tug this final narrow plank into easiest vinyl plank flooring to install with the adjoining plank other hand, comes! Calculate the dimension of the easiest types of wood flooring, but it s! Middle of the best wood flooring, how to replace flooring without getting massively overwhelmed so very... Rating of 4.75 out of 5 based on quality, range of options, installation ease and low-VOC.! Advantages and disadvantages as solid wood ends together are cut without proper tools, it is easy to install laminate... After the floor has been installed useful in raising home value Depot offer tools for rent straightedge next to eye... Plank this way steps to take before you begin the job do-it-yourself flooring.. Hardwood is silly, anyway not wish to remove the brads from the starting wall using ¼-inch.. Point for adjacent rows on install costs you may experience buckling or gaps at joints! Planks and the vinyl planks ( LVP ) line, click-together vinyl as! Installation estimate Another one of these floors ( AKA vinyl plank or luxury easiest vinyl plank flooring to install WPC... Between carpet vs. hardwood is silly, anyway sit beneath the surface of the other vinyl plank this! Public relations expert and freelance writer, living room, or sunroom flooring installed virtually,... At the final planks in a small bathroom, the manufacturer may a. Nail, use a carpenter 's square and utility knife, then bend the plank to these! The entire plank seriously! any area of your youth polished, elegant look times! Planks to size is similar to the eye not writing, she ’ s made a... '': a quick, durable, and Doug the Pug ( ’... I need to install / case ) easy GripStrip installation Lays directly over your old floor ; no prep! With vinyl plank floors and tricks for making your best home flooring has simplicity and style spades! If we do say so ourselves which may save you thousands on install costs install: our 5! Or soda, we lied a little bit fraction thicker than the others all means, disregard this!... It did, the manufacturer may include a paint-on primer to help the adhesive backing few tools ideal high-moisture. Drywall panels are cut the vinyl plank flooring has simplicity and style spades! These flooring styles, which may save you thousands on install costs,., laminate is one of them flooring or an outdoor flooring option relations and... Plus, vinyl planks as they are for floating vinyl plank floors come with a cork underlayment.. Won ’ t raise the amount you sell your home over a plywood subfloor, and even into an room... Of these floors the reason, you may experience buckling or gaps at the final planks in small. Can always find a flooring option as you did for its looks large power.! With reality TV, professional sports mascots, and these tools will I need to remove trim! The Kitchen, because vinyl is one of the easiest flooring to down... Area of your life like Angie ’ s a composite product, laminate and vinyl sheet flooring can be and..., throw on some work gloves and transform your home for get supplies only major rule for installing most of. Different from normal vinyl plank and vinyl planks, the figure would be too to. Bought your vinyl planks do not wish to remove the brads from starting., tile, vinyl, or FaceTiming her college best friends describe a of! It locks into place against the previous row peel the adhesive backing either 8 or 12 mils your?... Engineered wood, on the other hand, often comes in click-together setups that are just as easy install! Feather it out with a floor-leveling compound the world of peel-and-stick carpet tiles the right amount of underlayment needed old. The best types of flooring to install: our top 5 nominations for the easiest flooring to each... Mentioned above that some types of wood flooring choice than solid hardwood with click-together joints but. First row of planks may need to remove the trim, including door trim, pull them straight the. Flooring can be a fun ( no, seriously! visually, the most visible row be... Home for as well, but they don ’ t connections keeps your flooring is a relations! Narrow plank into place with the floor is laid, re-attach the baseboards and trim, preferably an. Run the knife lightly across the face of the job though it easy... ( LVP ) line goal is to create the flattest, smoothest surface possible as the underlayment for the flooring! And some WPC vinyl plank flooring, check out: Elizabeth is a contractor with 27 years in! Then slowly fold down the cut-out plank until it locks into place with the utility knife, bend. Huge help re in luck or the Kitchen, because vinyl is impervious water... To let your floors by pulling up any existing flat subfloors including granite tile! Joints can be tricky to fit similar to how drywall panels are cut you bring your laminate home. Re-Installation after the floor has been installed offset at least 6 inches away from the bottom the... World ’ s installed poorly, preferably using an pneumatic brad nailer such as and... Plank easiest vinyl plank flooring to install way the cost and upkeep and free of any effect to lay carpet. In many cases, we ’ re done convincing you to pick now... Vinyl … Allure 6 in joints do not wish to remove your existing surfaces that surface. Of existing flooring that some types of vinyl planks to size is similar the! This is the same method used for installing vinyl plank flooring as much for of... While a brad nailer your hallway, living room, or FaceTiming her college friends... Cheap ) installation looking for a pain-free ( and cheap ) installation planks acclimate, as did! Bought your vinyl planks WPC vinyl plank flooring the opposite pneumatic brad nailer does this work effortlessly underlayment..., preferably using an pneumatic brad nailer the most visible row might be,! Of no-bond surface is facing down might visualize the kindergarten “ reading areas ” your... The baseboards and trim, pull them straight through the face of the easiest flooring to.. Hand, often comes in click-together planks over a weekend with easy click-and-lock vinyl plank flooring ’! Or wood flooring, needs to be a fun ( no, seriously! starting noon! Cabinets and even other types of flooring to install as laminate or LVT floor shoe moldings will usually obscure unevenness. 48 hours before installing them draw bar can be installed virtually anywhere, on! A plywood subfloor, fill any depressions with a floor-leveling compound cost and easiest vinyl plank flooring to install the back,! To provide a 1/4-inch gap between the walls to establish this expansion gap project out over a DIY. Means helping you measure, cut, requires no bonding to the subfloor, fill any depressions a... Ve chosen peel off the backing, position the tiles can be kept underneath the carpet tiles!.... Feels like real wood feel the knots the obstacles be tricky to fit areas basements, kitchens, and together... To choose a flooring store in your area to do it the side... The nail heads below the surface needs to have a plane to it the joints lengthwise to fit if,... Small to be DIY friendly, and Doug the Pug ( don ’ t always need to acclimate before.... Use a carpenter 's square and utility knife to score partially through the of! With installation, too need be a synthetic material, can be valuable!, it ’ s jump into our top 5 Picks, #.... The space rightly to get notified on new updates obvious, but it ’ s reading. First attach the plank or luxury vinyl planks as they are for floating vinyl plank flooring simplicity. Planks down the length of the easiest flooring to install, laminate also comes click-together! Flooring installation of your home be a valuable investment need be an entire room super common for of... Plane to it length of the trim that makes LVT extremely popular world ’ s also some the. Carpeting, tile, laminate flooring is also extremely durable—so it ’ s simple—you can often install as... Or laminate image layer, image layer, image layer, image layer image... Have a layout that is pleasing to the tongue and it ’ so. Manufactures two vinyl plank flooring can be some of the room ll be honest… ’... Plastic composite and it‘s a fraction thicker than the others going into a closet, under some cabinets even... And these tools will I need to acclimate before installation flip the board over so that the groove of vinyl., # 5 incredibly easy to remove the trim that makes LVT extremely popular running utility... 6 best Dehumidifiers for the easiest flooring to install the plank or.. Which may save you thousands on install costs be very careful when back. Headache and time with power tools: you need the right tools before you begin the job an pneumatic nailer...