How to install vinyl planking floors

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In the meantime, stay organized by creating a My Shaw account, where you can compare your flooring options, save your favorites and keep track of your orders all in one place. Luxury vinyl is one of the fastest and easiest floors to install. It took the two of us about 5 hours to install these in our daughter's bedroom.

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Popular DIY Questions. How to fix a crack in a door frame? How to caulk baseboard gaps? How to remove popcorn ceiling with asbestos?

Related DIY Projects. Amy Sadler. Birdz of a Feather. Not Your Granny's Hankie! Measure the width and length of the room and multiply the two measurements together. If your room is square or rectangular, the result will be its surface area. If your room is an irregular shape, break it into smaller rectangles and squares and work out the surface area of each shape. Then add them together to get the total. If you plan to lay your planks in a straight line, add 10 percent to this total.

That will give you the amount of flooring you need to buy, allowing for some wastage. Next, decide which way you want your planks to run. Stagger the joints to avoid any weak patches.

Most manufacturers recommend offsetting joints by at least six inches between rows. Pro tip: When it comes to deciding which way to lay your floor, personal preference is key. And if you run them towards a light source, it will give the room a more open aspect.

Place your vinyl flooring in the room where it will be laid for at least 48 hours before you start work. That will give the planks time to adjust to the temperature and humidity before installation.

Make sure your sub-floor is clean and flat. If there is, use a self-leveller to fill in any low spots, and sand or grind away any high spots. Older products can contain asbestos , which is very dangerous if you inhale the dust. Now use a pry bar to remove any baseboards that make contact with the floor.

That will give you a nice, neat finish.