How to Install Luxury Vinyl Flooring

There’s a lot to know when it comes to installing flooring. Remember, your local Factory Flooring Liquidators experts are a great resource when it comes to starting your project. They have all the tips, tricks, and overall know-how to help see your home improvement project through to completion.

As luxury vinyl flooring grows in popularity out of the high demand for waterproof flooring and its infamous easy-installation process, we thought it would be a smart idea to give a little insight into the installation process.

As always, before you dive into a home improvement project, you’ll want to create a budget for yourself that you can stick to. There will be obvious costs like tools and materials, but some other costs may not occur to you right away, like removal and disposal of your old floor. Problems may arise that you cannot see until the project is started, like a subfloor needing repairs before a new floor can be installed. Things like moving furniture can cost you unless you are able to take care of that yourself. When calculating how much flooring you’ll need, factor in more than the square footage you’ve measured. This will cover you in the case of a flooring defect, mistakes in installation, or replacements you may need to do in the future.

Installation can vary by type of luxury vinyl flooring. Be sure to check the product page of the style you’re interested in to see what is listed in the details. We highly recommend hiring our skilled installation team at Flooring America to perform your luxury vinyl installation as they are familiar with our brands and products. DIY installation can be tricky and can put your floors out of warranty.

Some luxury vinyl flooring comes with a self-adhesive that you peel off and then stick the flooring where you want it. This sounds easy, but be careful of bubbles that may occur if the vinyl is not laid out smoothly during installation. Other styles can come with a locking system, where each tile or plank will snap into one another, and the vinyl will sit above your subfloor. In other cases, the vinyl flooring will simply be glued directly to the subfloor, which can potentially get a little messy.

When installing new luxury vinyl flooring, you should always explore an underlayment. An underlayment can help smooth out any minor defects in your subfloor, add cushioning to your new floor, dampen sound, and act as a moisture barrier. There are a lot of different types of underlayment, so make sure you find one that is compatible with the luxury vinyl you are installing.

If you’re set on DIY’ing this floor, consult your floor’s warranty guide to make sure that you are following the set guidelines and don’t damage your floors in the process. There are some tools and materials you’re going to need to complete most flooring installations—first and foremost, a good pair of kneepads. You’re going to be down there for a while, and it could get uncomfortable. Kneepads will save you some pain. You’ll also most likely need a tape measure, a miter saw, jigsaw, utility knife, mallet, puller tool, straight edge, tapper, and spacers.

Need Help Installing Floors in Your Home? Ask the Experts at Factory Flooring

What type of underlayment should you use? How many inches thick? How do you install it? And how do you avoid damaging your floors in the process? 

When you work with Factory Flooring, you don’t have to worry about these questions. Our team of professional flooring installers will handle all the heavy lifting for you — literally. All you have to do is relax and enjoy the savings on your energy bill. 

Need to get more flooring ideas first? Our design blog has dozens of articles to help you get started. Whenever you’re ready to tackle your insulation project, we’ll be here to help. Contact us online to get started, or call Factory Flooring at 469-583-7053