The first row of planks is snapped end-to-end. for example- my plank is 6 inches wide x 48 inches long So if my room was 16 feet wide and 20 feet long, I would run the length of my plank (the 48 inch side) parallel with the 20 foot wall. Step 1: Install the first row. Use a self-leveler on low spots and/or sand high spots of wood or concrete. Then use a pry bar to gently loosen the baseboards. How to Keep Laminate Flooring Square. Then we need to start laying out some laminate or vinyl plank and begin to put together 4 to 6 rows. This foundation I’m talking about is at least 4 rows of planks. Determine the width of the last row of vinyl plank flooring. Watch our DIY Basics video: How Do I Use a Chalk Line? It is easier. Be sure to nail the trim pieces to the wall, not the floor. This will give us the center of the room. For this step you will need a T-square and a utility knife or a handsaw. So if 16 planks equal 96 inches then you would move the floor 96 inches away from the line. We now answered the question ” where do I start installing my laminate or vinyl plank floor” now I need to show you how to start. We are having a hard time figuring out how to stagger the planks and how to square the first row to the room. When using tongue and groove planks, vinyl flooring installation should start in a lefthand corner with the tongue facing the wall. For the next piece, connect the short end first and then the long end. Mark the Expansion Gap. It will make things a lot easier for you!! The First Row Getting the first row down properly will help ensure a successful vinyl flooring installation project. You will need to put together 10 planks. To install each piece, peel the adhesive backing off the plank and stick it to the subfloor. This is a simple answer….. We are going to use these to figure out what our starting point is going to be. It distributes expansion pressure more evenly, and the floor usually looks better. The other day I made caramel rolls for the first time. Why, because we all know that the instructions that came with any of our purchases are usually just terrible!! Now we will be able to find out what size piece we will have along the wall. Use wedge spacers from the flooring install kit to keep this spacing and begin laying your vinyl plank flooring. Test fit the first row of vinyl planks down the length of the wall. You are going to have to cut the end boards and you don’t want them to be short and you don’t want them to be long either. The first three boards set the tone and direction for the floor. If you lay the planks parallel to the longest wall as you're installing vinyl plank flooring, you’ll end up making fewer cuts. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. To secure the first and second plank, use a tapping block to connect the ends of the first and second plank in the last row. We are also going to keep the floor away from the wall far enough so we do not need to cut any vents or the very first row. The next step in how to start a laminate or vinyl plank installation is we want to find the center of the room. Keeping in mind that existing walls may not be entirely square, lay out that first row of luxury vinyl flooring. Measure and cut your first piece accordingly, using a cut end from the first row if necessary. Press the plank flat to snap in place. Learn how to install it over concrete, tiles, or existing vinyl flooring in our step-by-step guide. Set the first plank in place on the starting line with the cut side toward the wall, maintaining the expansion gap. Install the second plank next to the first by aligning the tongue into the groove and press the plank down to snap it in place. Divide the width of the room by the width of the plank. You may strike a chalk line as a guide to the first row of vinyl (if you are using tiles. Remember to do the handy calculation described above. It just looks better! Just rip those up and throw them away. Make sure to do this step first, to eliminate any thin rows at the final row. Once these are together then you need to decide which direction the plank is going to run. I always run the planks in the direction of the longer part of the room. How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring in a Long Narrow Room. I use scrap boards that i connect to the floor temporarily and then i screw those scraps into the floor. Prep your subfloor so that it's clean, dry and level within 3/16-inch change per 10 feet. Seams do not have to be taped. Then take a full plank and spin it so it is reversed in relation to the floor your installing. To begin installing your vinyl plank floor you will need to cut off the tongue of the first row with a utility knife and place the cut side of the plank towards the wall. The only way to the Father is through the Son. Your email address will not be published. Continue the installation, making sure to stagger the joints by 6 inches and maintain the expansion gap. We will also be able to decide if it is too small and if we want it to be bigger. The end joints of the planks in the first row are assembled by inserting the tongue side into the groove side of the previous plank at a low 20-30°angle. HOWEVER, I want to remind you once again … Why Staggering Planks is Important When laying any type of engineered or solid flooring, it is structurally and visually imperative that you stagger the ends in adjacent rows. Step 10: Tap Together: Use the pull bar on the side of the plank like previously stated. This will ensure an even start and finish of the rows … Even though vinyl plank flooring itself is easy to install, the instructions don’t tell you how to breathe thru frustrating setbacks, or how to keep two people, who both think they’re right, from killing each other! Lay the first full plank on the floor, beginning on the right-hand side corner of the room with the visible adhesive tongue facing out toward the room. Position the next plank on an angle to connect into the locking system without lowering the edge onto the glue. That distance is going to be the measurement of a certain amount of planks. Measure from the center to the starting wall using a tape measure, subtracting the 5/16-inch expansion gap, and mark this distance at each end of the wall. Mix and Match Planks. This is because as well as cutting the first and last plank along the top, you are most likely going to have to cut the planks along their whole width. Look, I’m not saying watch my videos a hundred times, but what I am saying is follow the video along during your laminate or vinyl plank installation. If you were able to make the piece bigger by following the method that I showed you. Before you start laying the floor, keep in mind: the first and last row should be at least 2” wide. Ensure that the plank at the end of row one is no less than 6 inches in length. Not sure if I should angle the first row to compensate and make it square to the other wall or scribe the planks? The next step in how to start a laminate or vinyl plank installation is we want to... Let’s start the first few rows. Pretty simple right? I generally lay out the … Determine the width of the last row of vinyl plank flooring. First, cut through any paint sealing the baseboards to the wall using a utility knife. Moving the floor … Step 1- Layout the first few rows of laminate or vinyl plank flooring. Unlike tile, which is started in the center of a room, laminate flooring is typically installed by starting at the wall. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Mark the center of each wall and snap lines between them with a chalk line. Self-leveler dries fast, so you have to work quickly. Step 1: To begin with the installation and stagger the vinyl planks, the first thing you need to do is to cut the top 1-inch adhesive strip from the first board. Start the first row with a full plank, the second row with 2/3 of a plank and the third row with 1/3 of a plank. If the width is less than ⅓ of a plank, cut roughly ⅓ of the plank in the first row. Vinyl plank flooring and luxury vinyl tiles are typically thin, with a thickness in the neighborhood of 5/32 inches. (This gap will get covered up by baseboard trim or quarter-round molding after the flooring is complete.) Compared to installing a hardwood floor, or even a laminate one, installing a vinyl plank floor is a walk in the park. We will come back at the very end to do this. Lay it at the end of the row up to the wall leaving a 1/4 inch space. The floor preparation and layout are the same for peel-and-stick vinyl planks as they are for floating vinyl plank floors. The very last row of your vinyl plank flooring is most likely going to be what causes you problems. Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market. Score and cut the tongue off the first row of vinyl planks using a utility … Once your first row is in place, lay the second row. The first consideration in the installation process is which direction the flooring will run. The piece of plank left over from the first row should be used at the beginning of the second row. This ensures that the last plank, which generally must be cut to width, will be at least 2 inches wide. My wife and I are installing an Allure Ultra vinyl plank floor in the basement. If you are happy with the size of that piece then you would measure out from the wall on both sides, make a mark on the floor and then snap a line. This is really a simple process….. Properly laying the first three boards in a hardwood flooring installation is essential to a quality install. They must be absolutely straight and laid without gaps or bends. You should be following this step precisely as it will help to give the floor a smooth surface. Pros cons costs and a buying guide for the top and most common brands including lifeproof coretc smartcore ultra and more. Let’s get started and I will show you how to install the first row of laminate flooring. Running a chalk line along the subfloor will help ensure that first row is nice and straight. You should plan your peel & stick vinyl planks the same way you plan rigid vinyl planks: mix up several boxes of planks to make sure variations of color or thoroughly mixed in and use the end of the first row as the start of the next, and so on. Other than having coreys help with prep work and moving furniture i installed all of the vinyl plank flooring in our house by myself click here to see the details on the installation process. Then go along the side of the plank so it snaps into the previous plank. Which direction do I install vinyl flooring? Overlap seams by 8". #Determine how you will lay the floor. Make sure to do this step first, to eliminate any thin rows at the final row. This should be the first cut you make. Do not use polyethylene film over wood sub floors. … The technique is to lay one row, tap a false spline into the grooves of the planks, then lay another row with its tongues facing in the opposite direction.