Hardwood is an exquisite and durable choice of flooring. The next best alternative for property owners, who want their space to look rich, inviting, and aesthetic, is vinyl flooring. Not only does vinyl flooring mimic hardwood flooring, but is also much more economical.
Also known as luxury vinyl flooring or LVT, it is often chosen for the ease with which it can be installed as do-it-yourself flooring in nearly any indoor space. So get your equipment together and follow the steps in this guide to add beautiful LVT to your home or office premise within a few hours.
Step 1: Plan the layout
Just like any other flooring, for laying luxury vinyl tiles also you need to determine the floor layout. This means deciding which area of the house would you be tiling and figuring the directions in which the planks would run. These considerations are essential to estimate how many boxes of vinyl flooring tiles would you need and to account for wastages.
Once you have figured all this out, it’s time to measure the length and width of the room and divide it by the length and width of the planks. This ensures uniformity in the layout making it appear exactly how you envisioned it.
Step 2: Measure and cut the tiles
Once you have decided the direction in which the tiles go and their measurements, start cutting the tiles. The best visual appeal comes from planks of equal lengths on the opposite sidewalls. You can snap the tiles in the desired size, but we recommend that you use a laminate floor cutter for a cleaner cut. To ensure that you have cut the tiles correctly, you can even test-fit the first row of planks.
A pro-tip: Keep a ¼ inch gap at the ends of the wall. This allows for a margin for tile contraction and expansion.
Step 3: Prepare the surface of the floor
Vinyl floors can be laid atop concrete subfloor, wood subfloor, or even existing tiles provided the surface is clean, smooth, flat, and dry. The first step is to remove the trim mouldings. Next, vacuum the subfloor and ensure that it doesn’t have any high spots. If it does, you need to sand them out. If your subfloor has cracks or depressions, you need to fill them with a concrete patcher or a floor-levelling compound.
Step 4: Begin the installation
Once all the prep work and testing are done, it’s time to install the first row of planks. Once the plank lies flat on the floor, hold the other plank at an angle and click it into the first one’s groove. After you lay the first row, continue across the floor as you join planks together and position new rows along the edge of the previous row.
Following these tips will ensure that you will be walking on brand new floors in no time. For inspiration on new vinyl floor designs and more tips on how to maintain your new flooring, get in touch with the specialists at our Home Floor store in Calgary.
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