Photo: JProvey

Set the vinyl tiles in the room 48 hours before installation to allow them to acclimate to the temperature. Clean the subfloor of any debris and ensure it is smooth and flat. 2 Measure the wall on. Not sealing laminate joints in water sensitive areas. Laminate flooring products are recommended.

My son recently asked for help installing vinyl flooring in his bathroom. So we took a trip to the local home center to pick up materials and supplies. What I found surprised me.

I knew that vinyl flooring had come a long way since the days when I was a young father, but even within the past few years, there have been eye-popping advancements. No more boring patterns or unconvincing imitations of wood, tile, and stone. The products we saw were virtually indistinguishable from ‘the real thing.’ Even better, all we needed to do the job was a carpenter square and a utility knife.

My son chose a rustic pine plank-style flooring, ideal for areas that get wet. (Did I mention my grandson’s penchant for splashing at bath time?) In addition to being waterproof, the vinyl planks had the texture of real wood grain, were heavy enough to feel solid underfoot, and had a convincing look complete with knots and splits.

The planks were designed to join together at half-lap joints with contact adhesive pre-applied to the mating surfaces. Pressed together and rolled, the planks would form a tight bond.

How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring

STEP 1: Inspect the underlayment

One thing that hasn’t changed about installing vinyl flooring—or any type of flooring, for the matter—is the need for a perfectly smooth and level underlayment. In this bathroom, the existing underlayment, which was covered with adhesive from floors past, also had some water damage due to a toilet-seal leak.

Prying Up Damaged Floor Underlayment. Photo: JProvey

STEP 2: Install new underlayment, if necessary

In our case, we decided with little hesitation to rip out the underlayment and replace it with 1/4″ luan plywood.

Sometimes old underlayment can be reused. This was not one of those times. We tore up the old underlayment using a hefty prybar and banged home the nails left behind.

When installing the replacement luan, careful measuring was necessary to make sure floor penetrations would align with cutouts in the underlayment. The hole for the toilet drain, and notches for for valves and piping, were cut with a saber saw.

The underlayment was fastened to the subfloor with screws 8″ apart in each direction, and all joints and fastener holes were filled with patching compound. Ring shank nails or staples work well, too. Just be sure that fastener heads are set below the underlayment surface; otherwise they will telegraph through to the finished floor.

Screwing Underlayment to Subfloor. Photo: JProvey

STEP 3: Install the vinyl plank flooring.

Perhaps the only tricky part of the job was ensuring that, upon reaching the other side of the room, we didn’t end up with a too-narrow final plank (less than 2″ wide).

Upon dividing the width of the room by the plank width of 6″, we found that the remainder—2-1/2″—would indeed be wide enough. If the remainder had been less than 2″, we would have had to ‘rip’ an inch or two off the first plank we put down.

Of course, there is no sawing involved in vinyl plank flooring. Dvd recorder installation free download. To cut the planks, we only had to measure and then score the flooring the back side with a utility knife. Each break was quite clean.

Installing vinyl plank flooring. Photo: JProvey

Thank you so much for following us at One Project Closer for our most recent pro follow – how to install floating vinyl flooring. Cali Bamboo is providing the materials for this Pro-Follow for free; however, the opinions we express here are our own. Remember, we’ll always be up-front with you when we’re receiving a free product, compensation, or both. And of course, we always strive for objectivity in our articles. Post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting our site to continue providing you with the best free content!

We’re back with another Pro-Follow, and today’s topic is on installing a floating vinyl floor. For this project guide, we’ve partnered with Dave Swann and team. Dave is a general contractor with over 35 years of experience in new construction, remodeling, historic restoration, and design. Check out Dave’s Facebook page to learn more and to contact him.

Dave and his team are installing about 1000 sq. ft. of Aged Hickory Cali Bamboo vinyl flooring. I’m really excited about this product for a number of reasons:

DIY install – the click-lock system makes for an easy installation for even a beginner DIYer
Waterproof – the joints between planks are completely waterproof
Continuous floor – vinyl planks don’t need expansion joints between different rooms
Durable – Cali Bamboo vinyl has a 20mil wear layer

If you’re interested in learning more, check out Jocie’s full review of Cali Bamboo Vinyl Flooring.

Here’s a quick overview video of installing Cali Bamboo floating vinyl flooring. Read on for detailed instructions, pictures, and installation tips.

Acclimate the Flooring

The Cali Bamboo vinyl flooring was shipped directly to the job site about a week prior to installation. It’s important to allow the vinyl planks 24 – 48 hours to acclimate to room temperature and relative humidity before installing. Don’t stack cartons more than 8 high, and open both ends of the carton.

Subfloor Prep

As with all flooring installations, subfloor preparation is crucial. Vinyl planks are flexible enough that you will notice if the subfloor does not meet the requirements.

The general rule is that Cali Bamboo vinyl can be installed over most hard surfaces including:

Concrete
Plywood
OSB
Ceramic tile
Sheet vinyl
Radiant heat systems

The subfloor must be flat to 3/16″ per 10′ radius and completely clean. You need to knock down high spots and/or fill in low spots. Depending on your application, you may even consider pouring a self-leveling compound to achieve a nice, even subfloor.

For this project, the baseboards, carpet, slate tile, and sheet vinyl were completely removed. Dave and his team scoured the subfloor for staples, nails, and screws either removing them or driving them below the surface. They gave special attention to remove any leftover mortar after the tile was gone.

Tip: Slide an old drywall knife across the subfloor to find proud nails, screws, and staples you didn’t notice before.

Wood subfloors must be securing fastened, and this is a good opportunity to eliminate squeaks. Drive screws every 6″ along a joist.

Concrete must be fully cured and at least 60 days old. You can grind down high spots or fill in low spots with a Portland-based leveling compound.

Underlayment

Cali Bamboo vinyl is waterproof; however, moisture intrusions can affect the floor over time. Moisture can also be trapped below the flooring and create mold or mildew. Vinyl planks installed over concrete or a crawlspace must have a moisture barrier, and a vapor barrier is required for plywood subfloors.

For this project, Dave installed Cali Complete. This all-in-one is a moisture and vapor barrier suitable for all subfloor types. Additionally, Cali Complete reduces noise and acts as insulation making floors feel warmer.

Installing the Cali Complete is very simple. Dave unfolded the sheets and connected adjacent sheets with the interlocking, ‘puzzle-piece’ edges. The underlayment cuts easily with a utility knife, and Dave tapped all the seams with a seal tape.

Before Installing

Before you begin, plan out the install. Decide which direction to run the planks, and measure the space at a right angle. You want to avoid the last course of planks being too thin (less than 1/3 of a plank width). If that’s the case, rip the first course of planks to adjust.

Dave measured off the wall and snapped a series of chalk lines. These guides will help ensure the planks are straight throughout the install.

https://dftree.amebaownd.com/posts/23204955. Dave also cut some 1/4″ spacers to leave room for expansion around the walls and immovable objects like fixed cabinetr

Installing Free Floating Vinyl Flooring