We polled our experts and these are a few of the common mistakes people make when installing vinyl plank flooring for the first time.
Mistake #1 Not choosing the right vinyl flooring for your project.
Choosing the right vinyl plank flooring for your project is key to a great installation that lasts a long time. Who you buy your vinyl flooring from, and where you buy it matters just even more than the specifications. Check out our list of common mistakes people make when buying vinyl flooring.
What this mistake can cost you: $$$$$ If the flooring fails you may need to have the flooring removed, disposed of, new flooring purchased and installed in its place. If the product you used contains heavy metals or is high in VOCs then it may be a potential long-term health & wellness issue.
Mistake #2 Not buying enough vinyl flooring.
Nothing kills installation momentum like running out of flooring mid-project. Buying 10% more than needed is often recommended to handle cuts and mistakes, but if you are a DIY rookie you may want to buy 15% percent extra for your project. Buying extra flooring is a smart choice as some vinyl plank designs get discontinued quicker than others. Frequent design updates to match trends mean the exact vinyl flooring design you choose may not be available for long. Even if the vinyl plank design you choose is still for sale, it may not perfectly match the color from your original purchase as it’s from a different print run. Here is an image showing our calculator for figuring out how much flooring you need. Its on every product page for your convenience.
What this mistake can cost you: $$$ You should be able to purchase more flooring depending on where you bought it, but the price of the flooring or the cost to get it to you may be higher. Any scheduled assistance you planned for installation day may also add costs due to the delay. In an extreme case you may not be able to find additional matching flooring.
Mistake #3 Not opening any flooring boxes before installation day.
When you purchase vinyl flooring you should open a few boxes as soon as they are delivered. This will give you an advanced opportunity to make sure the color/design is what you want and that there is no hidden damage or defect with the flooring. Finding the color and design to not be correct or finding that there is some sort of hidden damage can really derail an installation. Check your vinyl flooring order in advance to make sure you are 100% ready for installation day.
What this mistake can cost you: $$$$ Depending on where you purchased your flooring you may need to do a very large return and it may be outside of the return window. Some flooring retailers will not cover returns after a specific period and will not cover damage related to shipping if its not discovered in a timely manner.
Mistake #4 Not getting the right tools and gear to make your install easier.
To install click and lock type rigid core vinyl flooring you are going to need some basic tools like a tapping block, mallet, box cutter, and knee pads. Don’t forget the knee pads. There are optional power tools that will make things way easier. Check out our 5 quick tips for vinyl flooring installation for more on power tools.
What this mistake can cost you: $$ Not having the right tools or gear isn't going to cost you a lot of money, but how valuable is your time?
Mistake #5 Not making sure the floor is clean
Once you have moved all the furniture and pulled up any molding take some extra time to inspect and clean the subfloor. Start with a broom and as you sweep through the room look for any popped-up staples from old carpeting or nails that are popped up in the subfloor. Grab a putty knife and scrape any spots of old spackle or paint drips that are raised up. You don’t need to get everything as that pre-attached underlayment will absorb small inconsistencies in your flooring but get as much as you can.
What this mistake can cost you: $$ Replacing a plank or two later because there is something sticking up under it is not going to break the bank. To address the item under the plank you'll have to cut it out and glue in a replacement. Check out our video on how to fix a single plank of installed LVP here.
Mistake #6 Not making sure your floor is flat
Once your flooring is clean use a level to inspect any areas of the flooring you suspect are either lower (dip) or higher (hump) than the rest of the sub floor. Your floor doesn’t have to be level, but it does need to be flat. For more on surface prep check out our 5 quick tips for LVP installation.
What this mistake can cost you: $$$ Installing vinyl plank flooring over humps or dips in the sub floor will weaken the locking mechanism between the planks. Walking over the area where the hump or dip is will cause constant stress on the locking joints and eventually, they will fail. The planks will eventually separate when the locking joints fail and your will have to remove several planks, fix the subfloor and install new planks.
Mistake #7 Staging all your flooring boxes in the wrong spot.
Luxury vinyl plank flooring boxes are heavy. Usually, each box of LVP is between 20 and 40lbs. For a larger flooring project, you may have several dozen cases stacked up. Plan ahead and stage the flooring as close by as possible without being in the way of where you are installing so you don’t have to move the boxes more than once. If you absolutely have to stack your boxes in the same room you are installing in, consider separating into small stacks on boxes that you will use up as you progress through the room. Consider any other work that has to be done in the space you are installing flooring in as well. If you have a pro coming into the space for other work you do not want to have to move those flooring boxes again.
What this mistake can cost you: $ Having to move heavy boxes multiple times isn't going to drain your wallet, but how valuable is the health of your back? You may need to get some help if you struggle to lift and move all of those boxes.
Mistake #8 Starting the installation in a spot that makes you work backwards more.
Your vinyl flooring installation project may have you working backwards. If you start on one side of a room and behind you are a closet or odd shaped nook then you’ll be installing backwards more than usual (with the bare floor in front of you instead of behind you) at the end of the room. Installing flooring backwards can be awkward if you’ve never done this before. If you can, try to plan your starting point and the direction of your installation so that you minimize the amount of time you are working this way. If you are planning to continue installation without a transition through multiple rooms then this planning becomes even more important.
What this mistake can cost you: $ Spending a larger amount of time installing flooring in an awkward position isn't an expensive mistake, but how valuable is your time?
Mistake #9 Not sorting and reviewing plank & tile designs
Before you start installing your vinyl flooring, get to know the designs of the planks and tiles you’ll be putting down. Do any of the flooring planks have wood knots or cathedraling that will stand out? Are there specific planks that are darker or lighter than the rest of the designs? Knowing what each vinyl plank or tile design looks like and sorting those like designs together will make installation go much smoother.
What this mistake can cost you: $$$ Being organized is going to help you get your vinyl plank flooring installed correctly the first time. An unsightly mix of planks with the same noticeable design feature could lead you to the difficult decision to tear up a section and redo it.
Mistake #10 Not staggering the flooring planks properly
Staggering is the art of selecting where to put each plank or tile of flooring down so that the finished look does not show any distracting patterns. The two key patterns to avoid are stair-stepping and H patterns during vinyl plank installation. Check out our 5 quick tips on vinyl flooring installation for more information on staggering patterns.
What this mistake can cost you: $$$ An unsightly stagger pattern can really detract from new floors. Depending on how bad the pattern is you may want to pull it up and fix it.
Trust Allure & HMTX for Your New Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Allure has been sold in the US for the last 20 years. HMTX is one of the largest LVP/LVT flooring manufacturers in the world. Our core values are based on a deep commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. Our customers online, in store and through other channels, trust us to deliver quality vinyl flooring products.
