How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring

This blog post is one of a series that describes how we updated the house my Mom purchased a down the street from us. We made several improvements to this house prior to her moving in.

Preparing the Floor Surface

First, we removed the old flooring. There were several issues. It was raised in some areas and there were gaps (with years of dirt and grime) between the planks. We added a layer of plywood in both of the bedrooms. We tiled the bathroom floor and wanted the entire house to be one continuous level (without thresholds) in case Mom has to use a walker or wheelchair one day).

We used a circular saw to cut the plywood the appropriate size. We used a jigsaw to cut the angles (around the doors, vents, etc.). Below is a picture of one piece of plywood that has the vents cut out. Adding this layer of plywood was tedious, but worth it for us to strengthen the floor and make the entire living area one level. This is the flooring we chose from Home Depot. The kitchen/living room area and hallway had tile. (Daisy was our helper!) We installed the vinyl flooring on top of the tile. Again, we wanted a smooth surface (without all the ridges) for Mom in case she has to use a walker or wheelchair one day). We put down a layer of foam underlayment to keep the vinyl planks from smacking on the floor when walking on it after installation. We purchased several rolls of foam underlayment from Home Depot.

Installation of the Vinyl Planks

The installation process is very simple. However, you might want to wear knee pads.

1. 1. Determine your starting point; we started on the far inside wall of the house. In addition, we did not use any thresholds in doorways. We wanted a smooth surface from room to room.
   2. Use a rubber mallet to tap the vinyl planks together. They literally just snap together – – side to side and end to end.
   3. Use a utility knife to cut the vinyl planks as needs to fit around doors, cabinets, etc.
   4. No adhesive is needed for these types of vinyl planks.

Here is a picture of the hallway during installation. Below is a picture of the living area during installation.

Installing Shoe Molding

Next, we installed the shoe molding. We painted it prior to installing and just touched it up once we installed it.

Here are a few more pictures after installation.

Below is a picture of Mom scratching Daisy’s belly on the new floor. Mom is pleased with her new flooring. We love it because it is very durable, very easy to clean, and looks great!

Neal and I also installed vinyl planks as part of our basement renovation. We always have a project! So stay tuned!