The man knows his stuff,im fitting all types of flooring for 40 years ,watch,listen and learn he is honest and is really trying to help you ,slan mo cara
A year ago before I did all the floors in my house I watched your videos on how to lay laminate flooring. The most important thing I learned was with your vid on how to lay out your floor before you start. I did all the measurements and laid down chalk lines and my floor turned out perfect. It wouldn't have without your help. They are a must watch for anybody who has never done flooring before like me.
I found a discounted finish of trafficmaster a month ago at Home Depot on clearance for only 43 cents per sq ft. Originally $2.00 per sq ft. I couldn’t even break the locking joint with my hands. Installed very easy. Great finish. Got 580 sq ft for only $249. So happy with the results.
Wow, watching you snap away the locking mechanism on these planks makes me realize just that much more how important it is to make sure the floor is completely flat. There are so many videos out there on how to pick out LVP, but I think this is just about the best one I've seen. Thanks for posting, good useful information.
I installed Quick Step from Lowes and had good success. Passed the scratch test, locks together tight and has a very tough tongue. It also comes with an attached backing. Wish I would of watched your videos beforehand. But, I am getting ready to remodel an entire house and will be using laminate all throughout. Also, as a fellow believer in the Lord Jesus Christ I appreciate your knowledging Him.
did a 1700 sqft modular home. started with NuCore from Floor & Decor. Looks great, pain in the *** to install, a fight all the way. Gave up, took it back, argued for my money back, went to Costco and bought the Mohawk 'misty harbor oak' for about 80 cents less per sqft than the NuCore. It's 5mm vs 6mm but went together almost too easy. So far with work boots, big dogs, and the occasional pitching wedge....so good.
Thanks for your unbiased videos! We bought 4 different type before landing on Mohawk. Did the kitchen a while ago, now extending into dining room. Love love the product, very durable as you mentioned. Love your advice, I'm feeling much more confident this time since finding you and your helpful channel/website & FB page!!! You're awesome,, keep it up! Thanks.
I’ve done a few floors here and there. Used both the Costco Mohawk and H.D. Lifeproof. Much preferred the Lifeproof as far as ease of installation. With the Mohawk you had to angle the small end joint in first the try and angle the long seam joint after and it’s a PIA. With the Lifeproof just angle the board in along the long seam and slide it over tight to previous board tap to lock in then tap the end joint down to lock it in, much easier!
Currently Installing lifeproof luxury planks in large basement and it’s going pretty well. One thing I wish I knew before starting was just how fragile the locking mechanisms are. Extra care should be used when emptying the boxes, don’t just dump them out and let them hit the ground. Also, use care in transporting them, the boxes are large and heavy so depending on how you load them into your vehicle, one pot hole can take out an entire box.
I installed carpet for a living in the 90s and installing vinyl plank is so much easier. I love the durability and installation ease. I just installed Corelux blue pine in my son's apt. It looks great. The subfloor was very uneven and the Corelux went together easy. I didn't have a tapping block or a tapping bar for up against walls. Super happy with Corelux.
I installed Home Depots' Lifeproof vinyl plank in a downstairs laundry room. I did not install a vapor barrier. Installation was easy and it has been in several years now and I am pleased with it. If I do another I will get a quality vapor barrier. I like the vinyl plank you recommend.
I’m planning a floor plan for our other empty house and have been studying your videos among others before I start and rate you 5 huge Stars over all others. Thank you for your time video suggestions, recommendations, positive attitude and rebuilding my confidence to aggressively take on this task. Appreciate you as much as I do Hickok 45 with his gun demonstrations and that is top notch! May God continue to Bless you.
It's nice to see a Minnesotan represent on here! Just want to say thank very much on the reviews. My first replacement was in a rental and went with Costco vinyl planks a couple years ago, no research or anything. I didn't realize it was one of the better vinyl planks. I almost went with Lifeproof or Smartcore until watching this and went back to Mohawk. Installation was smooth, strong locking pieces and best thing of all, the QC for the boxes was impressive, not having one defect on the surface or locking sections in 12 boxes. You can tell the surface is very strong and durable with 20 mil wearing surface. I did watch your underlayment video too, and the manufacturer does recommend a 6 mil vapor barrier, no padding when installing on concrete. If I caught your video before installing, I would've ordered the quiet walk for vinyl planks with attached pad as you recommended but I didn't want to order and wait. Great videos, and thank you sir!
We used Lifeproof and we have been very happy with it. We have two dogs and high traffic areas and it has really held up. It was very easy to install and I liked the fact it has no formaldehyde in the product.
Before I installed 200 sq ft of a certain brand of vinyl plant - I watched your video and I returned it this last weekend and will be using the Mannington product it is worth not having to do it twice and thank you for all the installation videos !
I installed Coretec Plus in living room and it's very tight and still looks like new. I didn't put pads down and got a couple of dents, but ran a wet rag and iron over them and now can't even see them. Scuffs wipe up really easy. Pretty happy with this floor!
Brother thank you for doing this. WE need more of this for all products. Keep the companies honest and help people like me who just don't know. Thank you brother.
I have been installing floors for 23yrs. I started when I was 14 with my dad, and have been doing flooring ever since.(only hard surface). I also am from Minnesota. I subcontract for 2 stores in particular, and have my name on both walls as their top installer.. I do support the mannignton rigid concept. Tuffcore, floorte, and coretec are some close secondary options. The battle between Congoleme and Armstrong and Mannignton still continues.. good vid my dude.. that being said.. if your snapping ends off, consider the way you use a tapping block.. still like your honest opinion, and your dont get shamboozald approach..
Just installed Great Lakes vinyl plank over the last few days. As a first-timer it went pretty smoothly and easily. The worst part was whittling the small corners with a knife to trim it because I didn’t have a dremel. I have no qualms about installing this vinyl plank in the rest of the house by myself. I will say I used a miter saw to cut with. Great Lakes suggests score and snap, but the thickness of the vinyl means too much effort to use for a whole room’s planks. I would suggest the perfect setup would be miter saw, table saw (for long and straight cuts), Dremel (for minor details), rubber mallet, speed square, spacers, pencil, and a thin-line marker. My tool list excludes specific flooring tools like a vinyl cutter or a vinyl floor installation kit which are great but also not absolutely necessary for anything other than this specific type of work. Have an awesome day and rock on 🤘.
I install LVP for a living, i have my own small business, I am recommending Style Selections brand to everyone who will listen! It's only sold at lowes from what ive seen, its only $2.29-$3 a sq ft and it is extremely easy to install, and very durable. I have never broken a tab using a tapping block.
I had Adura Max Meridian in Stucco installed in our kitchen about three years ago. The installer said we made a very good choice and he enjoyed installing it. With stainless appliances it looks stunning and we have gotten many compliments on it. It is easy to keep clean. We have bar stools on it with traffic every meal time. No issues with wear or buckling. It has been worth every penny!
I have 2 high energy dogs and scratch resistant flooring was a high priority for me when I was shopping for flooring material. Everything I read about the various flooring options claimed that laminate is more scratch resistant than LVP, so to test that, I used my house key rather than a butter knife. I had to really dig in with the key to scratch both the Mohawk and Shaw laminates, but the same test on the LVP was a real eye opener to it's poor scratch resistance. It took very little effort to make highly visible scratches on the LVP. I still had one concern with the laminate however, and that was how well the laminate material would hold up to standing water. For that test, I again used samples from both Shaw and Mohawk laminate, as drink coasters for a week. I also placed laminate samples in my kitchen sink and left them there to be exposed to my everyday sink usage. Both the Mohawk and Shaw samples that were used as coasters held up fine and showed no sign of water damage what-so-ever. The samples I placed in the sink were a different story however. The Shaw flooring sample was twice as thick as the Mohawk so I expected it to be an unfair comparison; but the Shaw sample swelled and warped within the first day. The Mohawk sample held up for 2 and a half days before I saw visible signs of water damage. The Shaw sample swelled and warped at both the joint and face, and it was completely ruined. The Shaw flooring would have to be replaced if it were on a real floor. The Mohawk sample curled slightly at the joint and a crack developed, but to my surprise, the joint remained very rigid and easily snap together with the other Mohawk samples, and there was no noticeable gaps where the samples snapped together. From my layman experiment, I believe the water damage to the Mohawk was not severe enough to require it be replaced if it had occurred in a low traffic area. A high traffic section of flooring would have most likely caused the cracked joint to break off completely, so replacement would have ultimately been required in that scenario. I didn't try to snap the locking system to see how strong it was, but the Shaw's was much thicker and I expected it to be much stronger that the surprising thing Mohawk locking system, but that was not the case, the Mohawk was superior. The flooring company where I obtained the samples, really promoted the Shaw flooring as being the superior quality, but my simple tests proved different. Long story short, my tests gave me peace of mind about going with laminate flooring made by Mohawk. It looks great and is holding up very well and best of all, Mohawk was less expensive than Shaw. I'm happy with Mohawk and will purchase this brand again in the future.
Currently installing 2000 sqft of coreluxe ultra from LL Flooring, heavy plank, strong locking tabs, durable finish. Installs easily with no gaps. Super happy!!!
Started installing Coretec today. On the second row, we noticed the edges began peeling up or chipping. Boxing it all back up and returning it tomorrow. Wishing we would have found this video before buying, but at least we noticed issues as soon as we did. This is my first time ever commenting on a video, but hopefully this helps others avoid wasting money.
I'm considering that as well. My only concern is it possible not laying flat in a big room. I saw some other reviews saying don't use these lock systems in larger rooms cause you don't use glue. I actually don't want to use glue in case I have to take it up, but don't want it ever to buckle or start lifting up etc. Also, I know you have to make sure the surface is flat and level.
Joe, I so appreciate your forthrightness and honesty about Products, durability, design issues, and brands. I am "still" in the decision stages and did not know how to proceed. These helpful hints have given me new confidence. It is something that they dont tell you about in the store. It will also help me adjust myself to what is affordable and reasonable. Bless you! Press on. Mechelle
I found a camper that I'm turning into a small home but, the linoleum is ugly and worn out and I want do my own floors. You were so helpful and I'm a little intimidated. You've actually given me some confidence.
Thank you so much for this. I'm trying to convince my husband to let me replace a second floor hallway rug with vinyl planks. I know I can do it myself but he wants to hire a professional. Considering how much they are charging I REALLY want to do this myself. Your videos are super helpful!
I just had to stop to thank you. We are currently deciding on new Floors. We are down to a Shaw and a Mannington DuraMax that we like. We were ready to order this past week and I had this gnawing, sick, anxious feeling. Had no Idea why. I like the DuraMax and my husband likes the look of the Shaw better. But they are really close. So that wasn’t it. We went back and got both of the flooring and I started doing some investigating tonight on both floors. Which is how I found your channel. I can’t tell you how much peace I have tonight after hearing your review. I am sure that gut feeling that kept telling me NO! Was due to reason’s stated in your review. Just knowing we will be going with the DuraMax floors now- I feel calm. I am at peace. It’s right. I have spent many sleepless nights and anxious days this past week. You have been an answer to many prayers. I know you had no idea that would be the case when you filmed this. But, I can’t thank you enough. I would feel so ungrateful if I didn’t stop to recognize this fact. You found yourself a new subscriber and a big Thumbs up from me! Thanks again.
Recently did a bathroom in Traffic Master waterproof rigid core from Home Depot. Went together really quick, and cutting it was a breeze. Lock edges didn't break off too quick and it seems to be holding up pretty well. No underlayment required makes for an extremely quick install.
I put mowhawk in my hallways and living room 17 years ago...on top of warped 70yo 2" hardwood. To this day its holding up with daily abuse from a 80lb lab running around. Not one chip and the only scratches are from metal pads on a recliner we forgot to replace. I'm looking for more now for the bedrooms. Thanks for the current updates on quality.
We had Mannington Adura Max installed in our home 3 years ago and absolutely love it, our installers were impressed and thankful to install such a quality product. Once you've had that quality it's very difficult to look at anything else. It was recommended by a friend, I recommended it to 5 people, who also had it installed and love it.
In the past 4 months I have done 3 vinyl plank floors. 1 was a cheapo floor, $2/sqft from Home Depot, looked good when done, but took a lot of extra work. The other 2 were Smart core from Lowes, both went together very easy and look great. I have a forth next week, they have not decided what kind yet.
I love your videos. When giving feedback about products, don't apologize. Yes, you want to generally watch your approach when you give feedback about certain products to not make ripples, that's important. It's either they will accept your feedback or not. I really love how you're an expert in your field. You have the attention to detail and service to others that really makes you awesome! Keep on crushing it! :)
Been using your videos the last month installing LVP in 90% of my 1400sq ft house. Thank you for your all your install knowledge 🙏 Even more importantly, thank you for having a similar voice to Ricky from Trailer Park Boys 😂 I installed Mannington Adura Max in Swiss Oak. Incredibly easy Install. Can't say enough good about how easy the install has been. Would recommend Mannington Adura Max. Waiting for my matching nosings to come in next week so I can do my stairs which are currently a hack and glue job with laminate. aka the ankle biter stairs. Looking forward to round nosings on my stairs.
Hey Joe, great video!! Though I would like to advise against using the butter knife test while at home depot. I am now the proud new owner of 1000 sq ft of mismatched vinyl planks, along with a lifetime ban from home depot
I work at Lowe's and needed to put a vinyl plank floor in my kitchen and laundry room. So not wanting to spend a lot of money I chose the Pro Core, big mistake. The butt joints are a pain in the ass to lock together. When I told the supervisor in flooring he said that there has been other complaints, he told me a contractor bought 45 cases and returned 40 cases and said that they had problems getting the butt joints to lay down even.
This is the number one complaint I read on the forums about this floor. It looks good in the store...but nightmare to get joints to lock. Also, it's a thinner floor.
Thanks for your videos, Joe. I just started doing a bedroom with what I thought was a good vinyl laminate. It only took two rows for me to realize it is cheap crap. The joints aren't tongue and groove and they just lay on top of each other. That led me to youtube and I hit your videos. I just wanted to say thanks for what you do. I'm going to abandon the cheap product I bought and find some of the higher quality flooring now that I know what to look for.
Great comments. I’ve installed several floors (5/8” bamboo, other floating floors, and some repairs to oak floors), the Vinyl Laminate from Costco, Mohawk brand, was the easiest and so seems very durable. It locked in very tight, and like you said, the locking system was strong. Thanks to another of your videos I installed a floor starting in the hallway that went right and left before it entered the main rooms; was nit a straight shot to the main rooms. And o worked forward and backwards. I used a laser level/line because I was not confident in my ability to chalk, but it worked great. Glad I started in the hallway. Take care of you’re self, hope you’re not punishing your body too much; flooring is hard on the body. Thanks a bunch.
Tranquility resilient flooring just installed. Tough locking system and no end gap weirdness. I give the scratch durability a C though as we have noticed some scratches appearing and don’t even know what they could’ve come from. My other gripe…… they give you only 5 patterns to mix it up and they put super obvious markings on it like “two knots together that looks like owl eyes” or “a little section that looks like worm wood”. They stand out and it adds a tremendous amount of decision time for someone like me who wants to minimize the duplicates rather than a more mild neutral pattern. Great videos and thanks for all your advice!
Awesome videos mate 👍I had laid some vinyl planks in our home about 8 years ago which where a nightmare to say the least ! After watching your videos I decided to redo the floors with a newer type of SPC plank,have to say the tips I learned from you made the process and the finished product 1000% better!....I even manufactured my own tapping block and heavy duty pull bar after your advise on the cheap rubbish ones 🍻.I pride myself with 30+ years as a tradesman with the ability to do a lot of things, but you sir, with your humility and knowledge sharing ...I tip my hat 🎩 thank you 👍👍👍
This guy is BANG ON when he is mentioning the edge locking system. I am currently going through alot of heartache over a job I did 4 years ago where the floor that was laid over a cement floor now has seams that now have huge flex and ends that have literally cracked off over time. I was informed too late for me to do any void filling before things broke or cracked but in defense of the client how would anyone even think to complain because the floor has some flex?
Been a general contract out here in LA for 40 years, done tile floors but the first time for LVT in my place. I'm going to install Mohawk from Costco. I'll let you know the outcome. Thanks for all the great install info from several of your videos.
Its too bad these days you have to be so apologetic for saying and doing the right thing. That being said. I am a general contractor since the 1970's and plan on redoing my house in Stone, Tile and Wood laminate. I used pergo maybe 20yrs ago on a job and it was trash!! Scratched up real bad so easy. Probably better now. IF my cancer and upcoming surgeries and arthritis shots from the V.A. work good enough I hope to do the work myself. ONE ROOM AT A TIME. Slow and easy. Your videos are EXTREMELY well done and EASY to understand and your love of the Creator of all will always be your rear quard. Psalm 121, Isaiah 58
I did all the research (off/on for months) to make our first big purchase to have nice floors. We purchase restoration oak luxury planks from Lowes and installed it in our kitchen, dinning room, and utility room. We even got the matching doorway transitions and trim. It had the foam sound proof backing and durable locking system on all sides. To make sure it could withstand constant use from kids and pets for years, we paid am;title more for the 1st level of commercial grade (above residential use). Our floors were absolutely beautiful. We were excited to start installing it in our living room once our carpet was removed. However, a too damp swifter pad (made for plank floors) was used one evening. The Swiffer pad wasn’t soaking wet or from the bottom of the package. The next morning, the planks’ edges were rising like cheap particle board. Overnight, our once beautiful floors turned to CRAP- $1,700 worth of crap. We grew up poor, worked 23 years to buy our first house (a cape cod), and purchased the flooring for the entire down stairs. It took us a while to save up for the purchase. I cried. Sadly, Lowes and the manufacturer wouldn’t make it right- only gave us excuses. AVOID the restoration oak luxury planks at Lowes. The next time we buy any plank flooring- the sample had better stay in tact and still look good after sitting in a bucket of water for 3 days. Never again Lowes. Our next purchase will be from another company after some of the flooring product has been fully tested.
Great video I already did a room using Ashland Grove by Hampstead that I purchased at Floor & Decor. This was my first time doing it and it went down very nicely had no issues whatsoever but still a little nervous about doing the rest of the house since this is only about $1.29 a square foot. I did the butter knife test and I tried to break the edge. This stuff passed both tests now I feel much more comfortable about going ahead and doing the rest of the house. Keep doing what you do!
Great videos.I'm learning from your videos the very important questions to ask when buying materiels for my large LVP project. What was especially helpful were all your videos on the smaller details on how to make my LVP look professional and beautiful in my home at the same time. Thank you and God Bless
My wife and I installed Allure Ultra (from Home Depot) in our kitchen about 5 or 6 years ago. Installation was easy and we are very pleased with the product.
I really enjoyed your brutal honesty and straightforward explanations of the products, not just repeating the marketing hype. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I used Costco vinyl plank in my enclosed porch and a bathroom and love it, installed ok from what I recall. I have had some challenges in the past with another non vinyl laminate. I need to watch your install videos again. I’ve been building and repairing homes and stuff over 40 years on and off and to save my life, could not get the non vinyl flooring to install like the instructions said. You have a great channel, thanks for all you do
For those looking for the top wear layer its called the 'MIL' layer. With the MIL layer there's a number associated with it (MIL 6 -20). The higher the number of the MIL Layer the better or 'thicker' the layer. This is the most important layer for wear. Most packages will list the MIL layer but some do not and in those cases do your research before purchase. You need to google that exact make/model for the MIL layer #. If you go to a big box store and it's not on the package chances are its a low MIL # 6-8. IMO any MIL that's lower than an 8 can expect to wear quicker. Anything that's above a 12 MIL can expect to last longer. Vinyl flooring MIL numbers can go as high as 20 MIL and may go higher. Also IMO with pets you're going to want a higher MIL #.
The top layer - known as the wear layer - comes in different thicknesses and is usually a major factor in determining the performance, warranty length and cost of the product. The reference to “mil” is literally a unit of measurement. 1 mil = 1/1000 of an inch. The higher the “mil”, the thicker the wear layer and the longer the product will resist wear. Anything below 12 mil should be considered base grade and 20 mil and above is normally required for Commercial use.
I installed 22 mil vinly plank in my basement, nearly impossible to score and snap with a utility knife. Had to resort to putting a utility knife blade in an oscillating tool, or use a circular saw.
I am not a fan of most of the life proof floors , being a installer. My favorite lvp is the Johnson hardwood Skyview series , it has a tip and lock end awsome milling and a 30 mil ware layer , but it's definitely not the cheapest. Nice video you can tell this guy cares. Just thought I would share
I bought the "COARtec Plus" direct from the factory in 2018. Kitchen and main bath. My remodeling crew said they would have to put an underlayment down. I told them it was not recommended because the planks had a layer built in. I have very solid floors. House build in 1963. They loved the stuff. They told me it was the best and easiest locking floor type the ever used. I very happy with the product. I did buy their higher end with 7 mil.
Just wanted to tell you how much I love and appreciate your work. Thank you for taking your most valuable possession..your time and sharing it with us. You have a beautiful little family, may the great spirit bless each one of you .
I did my kitchen with corlux from lumber liquidators got about 8 different samples of different brands did the butter knife test with a steak knive ( wife thought I was crazy) said I was going to ruin them and I did ruin 7 of them gouged as hard as I could on them the corlux has been didn’t for 3 years and still looks like the day I installed it,a bit more pricey the some of the others but well worth it and the locks I could tap together with a hammer and not damage them.
I noticed the same thing..I prefer corelux from LL it is my go to. The locking tab is very durable, other locking systems are brittle like pro-core from lowes, life proof seams to be ok
The locking system is KEY folks. Listen to this guy. I put a $2/SF VP in my house and the first winter during contraction of the cold, it started coming apart in several places. The locking system just failed and it looks like trash. I had to glue down some boards that simply wouldn't lock any longer. It was terrible. Get a good VP brand and avoid my mistakes.
Thanks so much for this video. Super helpful. It has armed me (someone who knows 0 about LVP flooring) with some great info and knowledge for when we pick out our new flooring for our remodel today.
Currently installing 1,100 sf of Lifeproof woodacres oak. It has gone together tight and square. So far happy with it. I noticed the locking edges are somewhat fragile and can break if you step on them or accidentally kick them before installing the next row.
I so glad I found this video. I'm getting quotes to install stuff and now I know what to look for when I select what I want in my house. Thanks for the great information.
I REALLY enjoy your videos and especially this one, thank you! The one vinyl plank type flooring you didn't mention (and with good reason and probably on purpose) was the peel-and-stick lines. I let someone talk me into installing and I will never do again. There are too many issues to be worth mentioning them all but just thought I'd bring up. Thank you so much for the fantastic video!!
I’m a diy homeowner. Decided to try a flip as a hobby. Roughly 1000 sf. Just finished and sold it. Only prior experience was 600 feet of laminate a few years ago. Did the whole flip house in Lifeproof Sterling Grey. Was around $3 a foot. Used a utility knife and jigsaw for cuts and a multi tool to cut jams. Took about 1/2 the time I allowed for and zero rework. Joints were great. Tapping was a bit more like hammering the ends, but once seated they stayed. Looked amazing when finished and was nice to walk on.
Thanks for taking so much of your time over the past few years. I learned most of my hard to do skills for vinyl plank from your videos. We are about to do it again in our first rent house and need to get this right the first time. We got lucky with Global GEMs the first time (tri plank design), and this video helped point out the other quality checks we were missing. Keep the honesty flowing. When you spend 5K you don't need to be basing decisions on anything less then honest experience for those that do it every day. I would like to suggest a pressure test. We took several different brands home the first time, got our dining room 4 legged chairs on it, and my 240 pounds leaned the chair back on 2 legs, just like we all do when we have company at the table. The "dentabiltiy" told another part of the wear/quality story for us as well. Loved the butter knive test and sand under foot wear tests you mentioned! Keep up the great work!
I’ve installed plank a lot and one of the better ones I’ve used is called Engage it has the pad attached to it. Which I think is another great point because typically they put the pad on the better quality flooring. So that’s something to keep in mind. But that Engage vinyl plank installs very easy and has a great locking system unfortunately I’m not sure who makes it but it stays tight and has a very durable surface! It’s one of my favorites! Good luck and God Bless!
Thank you for making this video! Thank you for your unbiased opinion, I'm currently shopping around for flooring and I had no idea what to look for! Thank you
We just did about 1,000 sq/ft of Shaw's Floorte Pro Series. It has the hard grey core, not the softer white core featured. The locking system is super tough, and surface seems durable to scratch tests. It was also one of the most realistic textures that we could find. We were very happy with the install process and finished product.
Great info! We installed Shaw Montana (Madrid shade) in 3 bedrooms. The locking system was pretty thin. So far no problems, but light wear with just two adults, no kids/pets in house. Will definitely remember your tips for any future installations. Thank you so much for your videos!
I've put in three apartments now using Traffic Master from Home Depot. I had a learning curve to put this stuff together, especially the first few rows. Once out in the field, things were easy. That isn't a traffic master thing, that is me learning. The product itself has a super durable locking mechanism, as I hammer right on it using a piece of wood and a hammer, and never once has it broken. I haven't been back in the apartments since installing it, so can't comment on the wear and tear.
Nucore tongues are as brittle as a dead leaf on a crisp autumn morning. Also although it has a "22 mil" wear layer, a 6 mil wear layer on a HD lifeproof floor stood up much better to scratches and heavy weight. Watch out for Nucore, very hard to find reviews, made in China. Although I hear great things about Nucire Performance planks.
We installed Calibamboo Seaboard Oak long boards. For the most part they are amazing. Very strong! The quality is top notch. But possibly because of the long length and wide width (9" x 71") combined with our imperfect subfloor we have a couple spots of separation (3 spots over our entire 2nd floor) Can't get them to tap into place. Don't know how this is gonna work out over time. Don't know if I am going to regret installing it ourselves. It was pricy at $4.19 per square foot. Overall I LOVE the look and feel of it. Has a great wear layer. We had to be careful not a speck of dust was in the locking system or it wouldn't lock in correctly. But the parts that locked in did so PERFECTLY. I am still not sure what to do about those 3 problem areas...
I installed flooring from Flooret that was 9" wide single strip and 6 foot long. Really tough to put together but I'm impressed with durability and water proofing. Installation instructions from Flooret really didn't work well and eventually I discovered a much better way to install...it sped up the process by at least 2X. Extremely tight joints so I imagine it's got to be incredibly water proof.
Joe, thank you for your channel and sharing your knowledge and skill. Your videos have me the confidence to install my floor. Your video where you showed how to cut off the locking lip and glue it with clear gorilla glue was indispensable in my installation. Everything came out beautiful I could not ask for a better result. Also your video showing how to deal with angles was the key For me to take on this job myself. From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you sir! God bless!
I tried Aquarepel from Lowes. @ About $2.50/sq.ft. it looked good, ANYthing under it will crunch, even with the built in underpaid. I refused to proceed if there was a gap. I had to beat every piece in to close the gaps completely. ...but they closed. Be sure to run a 6 foot strait edge across the floor to look for a gap under it. There is a floor leveling compound that mixed with water. Mix it to the consistency of thick paint. When it dries it will be like concrete! I'll opt for better quality next time.
thanks for the tests. im looking at some off brand chinese planks because of the price (i can't pay 5$/sqft). now i know how to test them and a feel of how good they are..
![[FAIL PROOF GUIDE] for Any Size Vinyl Plank Installation|DIY Friendly](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6eZHHSzI7Qo/mqdefault.jpg)
![[FAIL PROOF GUIDE] for Any Size Vinyl Plank Installation|DIY Friendly](/img/tr.png)
The man knows his stuff,im fitting all types of flooring for 40 years ,watch,listen and learn he is honest and is really trying to help you ,slan mo cara
Thanks Sean!
A year ago before I did all the floors in my house I watched your videos on how to lay laminate flooring. The most important thing I learned was with your vid on how to lay out your floor before you start. I did all the measurements and laid down chalk lines and my floor turned out perfect. It wouldn't have without your help. They are a must watch for anybody who has never done flooring before like me.
Thank you for this!!
JOE .. you have one of the most informative and honest channels about LVP flooring. God bless you sir and great videos!
I found a discounted finish of trafficmaster a month ago at Home Depot on clearance for only 43 cents per sq ft. Originally $2.00 per sq ft. I couldn’t even break the locking joint with my hands. Installed very easy. Great finish. Got 580 sq ft for only $249. So happy with the results.
Wow, watching you snap away the locking mechanism on these planks makes me realize just that much more how important it is to make sure the floor is completely flat. There are so many videos out there on how to pick out LVP, but I think this is just about the best one I've seen. Thanks for posting, good useful information.
I installed Quick Step from Lowes and had good success. Passed the scratch test, locks together tight and has a very tough tongue. It also comes with an attached backing. Wish I would of watched your videos beforehand. But, I am getting ready to remodel an entire house and will be using laminate all throughout. Also, as a fellow believer in the Lord Jesus Christ I appreciate your knowledging Him.
did a 1700 sqft modular home. started with NuCore from Floor & Decor. Looks great, pain in the *** to install, a fight all the way. Gave up, took it back, argued for my money back, went to Costco and bought the Mohawk 'misty harbor oak' for about 80 cents less per sqft than the NuCore. It's 5mm vs 6mm but went together almost too easy. So far with work boots, big dogs, and the occasional pitching wedge....so good.
Most sincere, guy trying to help other people get it done right,wow that’s incredible.
Thank you!
Thanks for your unbiased videos! We bought 4 different type before landing on Mohawk. Did the kitchen a while ago, now extending into dining room. Love love the product, very durable as you mentioned. Love your advice, I'm feeling much more confident this time since finding you and your helpful channel/website & FB page!!! You're awesome,, keep it up! Thanks.
I’ve done a few floors here and there. Used both the Costco Mohawk and H.D. Lifeproof. Much preferred the Lifeproof as far as ease of installation. With the Mohawk you had to angle the small end joint in first the try and angle the long seam joint after and it’s a PIA. With the Lifeproof just angle the board in along the long seam and slide it over tight to previous board tap to lock in then tap the end joint down to lock it in, much easier!
Currently Installing lifeproof luxury planks in large basement and it’s going pretty well. One thing I wish I knew before starting was just how fragile the locking mechanisms are. Extra care should be used when emptying the boxes, don’t just dump them out and let them hit the ground. Also, use care in transporting them, the boxes are large and heavy so depending on how you load them into your vehicle, one pot hole can take out an entire box.
I installed carpet for a living in the 90s and installing vinyl plank is so much easier. I love the durability and installation ease. I just installed Corelux blue pine in my son's apt. It looks great. The subfloor was very uneven and the Corelux went together easy. I didn't have a tapping block or a tapping bar for up against walls. Super happy with Corelux.
I installed Home Depots' Lifeproof vinyl plank in a downstairs laundry room. I did not install a vapor barrier. Installation was easy and it has been in several years now and I am pleased with it. If I do another I will get a quality vapor barrier. I like the vinyl plank you recommend.
I have Coretec + and find it quite durable as well as beautiful. Extremely tight fit. Did a direct install to concrete slab.
I’m planning a floor plan for our other empty house and have been studying your videos among others before I start and rate you 5 huge Stars over all others. Thank you for your time video suggestions, recommendations, positive attitude and rebuilding my confidence to aggressively take on this task. Appreciate you as much as I do Hickok 45 with his gun demonstrations and that is top notch! May God continue to Bless you.
happy wife happy life lol!
It's nice to see a Minnesotan represent on here! Just want to say thank very much on the reviews. My first replacement was in a rental and went with Costco vinyl planks a couple years ago, no research or anything. I didn't realize it was one of the better vinyl planks. I almost went with Lifeproof or Smartcore until watching this and went back to Mohawk. Installation was smooth, strong locking pieces and best thing of all, the QC for the boxes was impressive, not having one defect on the surface or locking sections in 12 boxes. You can tell the surface is very strong and durable with 20 mil wearing surface. I did watch your underlayment video too, and the manufacturer does recommend a 6 mil vapor barrier, no padding when installing on concrete. If I caught your video before installing, I would've ordered the quiet walk for vinyl planks with attached pad as you recommended but I didn't want to order and wait. Great videos, and thank you sir!
We used Lifeproof and we have been very happy with it. We have two dogs and high traffic areas and it has really held up. It was very easy to install and I liked the fact it has no formaldehyde in the product.
Does it have formaldehyde?
Before I installed 200 sq ft of a certain brand of vinyl plant - I watched your video
and I returned it this last weekend and will be using the Mannington product
it is worth not having to do it twice
and thank you for all the installation videos !
I installed Coretec Plus in living room and it's very tight and still looks like new. I didn't put pads down and got a couple of dents, but ran a wet rag and iron over them and now can't even see them. Scuffs wipe up really easy. Pretty happy with this floor!
Brother thank you for doing this. WE need more of this for all products. Keep the companies honest and help people like me who just don't know. Thank you brother.
No doubt!
I have been installing floors for 23yrs. I started when I was 14 with my dad, and have been doing flooring ever since.(only hard surface). I also am from Minnesota. I subcontract for 2 stores in particular, and have my name on both walls as their top installer.. I do support the mannignton rigid concept. Tuffcore, floorte, and coretec are some close secondary options. The battle between Congoleme and Armstrong and Mannignton still continues.. good vid my dude.. that being said.. if your snapping ends off, consider the way you use a tapping block.. still like your honest opinion, and your dont get shamboozald approach..
Just installed Great Lakes vinyl plank over the last few days. As a first-timer it went pretty smoothly and easily. The worst part was whittling the small corners with a knife to trim it because I didn’t have a dremel. I have no qualms about installing this vinyl plank in the rest of the house by myself. I will say I used a miter saw to cut with. Great Lakes suggests score and snap, but the thickness of the vinyl means too much effort to use for a whole room’s planks. I would suggest the perfect setup would be miter saw, table saw (for long and straight cuts), Dremel (for minor details), rubber mallet, speed square, spacers, pencil, and a thin-line marker. My tool list excludes specific flooring tools like a vinyl cutter or a vinyl floor installation kit which are great but also not absolutely necessary for anything other than this specific type of work. Have an awesome day and rock on 🤘.
I put the Mohawk lvp from Costco in my kitchen and it looks good, went in easy and changed the room completely.
I install LVP for a living, i have my own small business, I am recommending Style Selections brand to everyone who will listen! It's only sold at lowes from what ive seen, its only $2.29-$3 a sq ft and it is extremely easy to install, and very durable. I have never broken a tab using a tapping block.
I had Adura Max Meridian in Stucco installed in our kitchen about three years ago. The installer said we made a very good choice and he enjoyed installing it. With stainless appliances it looks stunning and we have gotten many compliments on it. It is easy to keep clean. We have bar stools on it with traffic every meal time. No issues with wear or buckling. It has been worth every penny!
Thanks for sharing!
I installed Smartcore Ultra in my house a few years ago and so far so good. It was easy to install and has held up well to our big dog.
I have 2 high energy dogs and scratch resistant flooring was a high priority for me when I was shopping for flooring material. Everything I read about the various flooring options claimed that laminate is more scratch resistant than LVP, so to test that, I used my house key rather than a butter knife. I had to really dig in with the key to scratch both the Mohawk and Shaw laminates, but the same test on the LVP was a real eye opener to it's poor scratch resistance. It took very little effort to make highly visible scratches on the LVP. I still had one concern with the laminate however, and that was how well the laminate material would hold up to standing water. For that test, I again used samples from both Shaw and Mohawk laminate, as drink coasters for a week. I also placed laminate samples in my kitchen sink and left them there to be exposed to my everyday sink usage. Both the Mohawk and Shaw samples that were used as coasters held up fine and showed no sign of water damage what-so-ever. The samples I placed in the sink were a different story however. The Shaw flooring sample was twice as thick as the Mohawk so I expected it to be an unfair comparison; but the Shaw sample swelled and warped within the first day. The Mohawk sample held up for 2 and a half days before I saw visible signs of water damage. The Shaw sample swelled and warped at both the joint and face, and it was completely ruined. The Shaw flooring would have to be replaced if it were on a real floor. The Mohawk sample curled slightly at the joint and a crack developed, but to my surprise, the joint remained very rigid and easily snap together with the other Mohawk samples, and there was no noticeable gaps where the samples snapped together. From my layman experiment, I believe the water damage to the Mohawk was not severe enough to require it be replaced if it had occurred in a low traffic area. A high traffic section of flooring would have most likely caused the cracked joint to break off completely, so replacement would have ultimately been required in that scenario. I didn't try to snap the locking system to see how strong it was, but the Shaw's was much thicker and I expected it to be much stronger that the surprising thing Mohawk locking system, but that was not the case, the Mohawk was superior. The flooring company where I obtained the samples, really promoted the Shaw flooring as being the superior quality, but my simple tests proved different. Long story short, my tests gave me peace of mind about going with laminate flooring made by Mohawk. It looks great and is holding up very well and best of all, Mohawk was less expensive than Shaw. I'm happy with Mohawk and will purchase this brand again in the future.
Currently installing 2000 sqft of coreluxe ultra from LL Flooring, heavy plank, strong locking tabs, durable finish. Installs easily with no gaps. Super happy!!!
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Started installing Coretec today. On the second row, we noticed the edges began peeling up or chipping. Boxing it all back up and returning it tomorrow. Wishing we would have found this video before buying, but at least we noticed issues as soon as we did. This is my first time ever commenting on a video, but hopefully this helps others avoid wasting money.
George, what brand did you end up using?
Thank you! I was looking to spend a ton extra for Coretec. They are almost 7-10$ a sq foot!! Will go with Mohawk or his top pick.
Installed Mohawk throughout my house.I have installed other brands over the years and Mohawk was the easiest of the all. Love it.
Thanks ,I'm a installer for 33yrs and you are correct
Watched about 10 of your videos.... You're a genuine person. Just subscribed. Thank you for the integrity.
I appreciate that!
I have Lifeproof sterling oak throughout my house. I absolutely love it. Easy to install, wears well, and easy care. Highly recommend it.
Thanks for sharing
I'm considering that as well. My only concern is it possible not laying flat in a big room. I saw some other reviews saying don't use these lock systems in larger rooms cause you don't use glue. I actually don't want to use glue in case I have to take it up, but don't want it ever to buckle or start lifting up etc.
Also, I know you have to make sure the surface is flat and level.
I had a team install Lifeproof in my whole house (1300 square feet) and I am absolutely pleased. Little pricey but well worth it.
Joe, I so appreciate your forthrightness and honesty about Products, durability, design issues, and brands. I am "still" in the decision stages and did not know how to proceed. These helpful hints have given me new confidence. It is something that they dont tell you about in the store. It will also help me adjust myself to what is affordable and reasonable. Bless you! Press on.
Mechelle
Thank you for sharing that!
I found a camper that I'm turning into a small home but, the linoleum is ugly and worn out and I want do my own floors. You were so helpful and I'm a little intimidated. You've actually given me some confidence.
Thank you so much for this. I'm trying to convince my husband to let me replace a second floor hallway rug with vinyl planks. I know I can do it myself but he wants to hire a professional. Considering how much they are charging I REALLY want to do this myself. Your videos are super helpful!
I just had to stop to thank you. We are currently deciding on new Floors. We are down to a Shaw and a Mannington DuraMax that we like. We were ready to order this past week and I had this gnawing, sick, anxious feeling. Had no Idea why. I like the DuraMax and my husband likes the look of the Shaw better. But they are really close. So that wasn’t it. We went back and got both of the flooring and I started doing some investigating tonight on both floors. Which is how I found your channel. I can’t tell you how much peace I have tonight after hearing your review. I am sure that gut feeling that kept telling me NO! Was due to reason’s stated in your review. Just knowing we will be going with the DuraMax floors now- I feel calm. I am at peace. It’s right. I have spent many sleepless nights and anxious days this past week. You have been an answer to many prayers. I know you had no idea that would be the case when you filmed this. But, I can’t thank you enough. I would feel so ungrateful if I didn’t stop to recognize this fact. You found yourself a new subscriber and a big Thumbs up from me! Thanks again.
Recently did a bathroom in Traffic Master waterproof rigid core from Home Depot. Went together really quick, and cutting it was a breeze. Lock edges didn't break off too quick and it seems to be holding up pretty well. No underlayment required makes for an extremely quick install.
Just installed lifeproof in a bathroom. Easy to put down and love the result.
I put mowhawk in my hallways and living room 17 years ago...on top of warped 70yo 2" hardwood. To this day its holding up with daily abuse from a 80lb lab running around. Not one chip and the only scratches are from metal pads on a recliner we forgot to replace. I'm looking for more now for the bedrooms. Thanks for the current updates on quality.
Which selection from mohawk?
We had Mannington Adura Max installed in our home 3 years ago and absolutely love it, our installers were impressed and thankful to install such a quality product. Once you've had that quality it's very difficult to look at anything else. It was recommended by a friend, I recommended it to 5 people, who also had it installed and love it.
Thanks for sharing
I personally recommend the Black Lab test. Also known as the Tasmanian Devil.
In the past 4 months I have done 3 vinyl plank floors. 1 was a cheapo floor, $2/sqft from Home Depot, looked good when done, but took a lot of extra work. The other 2 were Smart core from Lowes, both went together very easy and look great. I have a forth next week, they have not decided what kind yet.
What extra work did it take? How did you do it? I got the cheapo one for my rental
I love your videos. When giving feedback about products, don't apologize. Yes, you want to generally watch your approach when you give feedback about certain products to not make ripples, that's important. It's either they will accept your feedback or not. I really love how you're an expert in your field. You have the attention to detail and service to others that really makes you awesome! Keep on crushing it! :)
Thanks!
Been using your videos the last month installing LVP in 90% of my 1400sq ft house. Thank you for your all your install knowledge 🙏 Even more importantly, thank you for having a similar voice to Ricky from Trailer Park Boys 😂
I installed Mannington Adura Max in Swiss Oak. Incredibly easy Install. Can't say enough good about how easy the install has been. Would recommend Mannington Adura Max. Waiting for my matching nosings to come in next week so I can do my stairs which are currently a hack and glue job with laminate. aka the ankle biter stairs. Looking forward to round nosings on my stairs.
Hey Joe, great video!! Though I would like to advise against using the butter knife test while at home depot. I am now the proud new owner of 1000 sq ft of mismatched vinyl planks, along with a lifetime ban from home depot
Haha
Here's your sign Andrew.
Locking system is my number one selling point to my clients. Thank you for hammering this home.
You bet
I work at Lowe's and needed to put a vinyl plank floor in my kitchen and laundry room. So not wanting to spend a lot of money I chose the Pro Core, big mistake. The butt joints are a pain in the ass to lock together. When I told the supervisor in flooring he said that there has been other complaints, he told me a contractor bought 45 cases and returned 40 cases and said that they had problems getting the butt joints to lay down even.
Thx for sharing
This is the number one complaint I read on the forums about this floor. It looks good in the store...but nightmare to get joints to lock. Also, it's a thinner floor.
Just installed traffic master rigid core in my tiny house. Turned out awesome easy to install product and looks sharp
I got kicked out of Home Depot because of the butter knife test and I was snapping their products. 😂
Lol!
Thanks for your videos, Joe. I just started doing a bedroom with what I thought was a good vinyl laminate. It only took two rows for me to realize it is cheap crap. The joints aren't tongue and groove and they just lay on top of each other. That led me to youtube and I hit your videos. I just wanted to say thanks for what you do. I'm going to abandon the cheap product I bought and find some of the higher quality flooring now that I know what to look for.
Great comments. I’ve installed several floors (5/8” bamboo, other floating floors, and some repairs to oak floors), the Vinyl Laminate from Costco, Mohawk brand, was the easiest and so seems very durable. It locked in very tight, and like you said, the locking system was strong. Thanks to another of your videos I installed a floor starting in the hallway that went right and left before it entered the main rooms; was nit a straight shot to the main rooms. And o worked forward and backwards. I used a laser level/line because I was not confident in my ability to chalk, but it worked great. Glad I started in the hallway. Take care of you’re self, hope you’re not punishing your body too much; flooring is hard on the body.
Thanks a bunch.
Thanks for sharing
Tranquility resilient flooring just installed. Tough locking system and no end gap weirdness. I give the scratch durability a C though as we have noticed some scratches appearing and don’t even know what they could’ve come from. My other gripe…… they give you only 5 patterns to mix it up and they put super obvious markings on it like “two knots together that looks like owl eyes” or “a little section that looks like worm wood”. They stand out and it adds a tremendous amount of decision time for someone like me who wants to minimize the duplicates rather than a more mild neutral pattern. Great videos and thanks for all your advice!
Awesome videos mate 👍I had laid some vinyl planks in our home about 8 years ago which where a nightmare to say the least ! After watching your videos I decided to redo the floors with a newer type of SPC plank,have to say the tips I learned from you made the process and the finished product 1000% better!....I even manufactured my own tapping block and heavy duty pull bar after your advise on the cheap rubbish ones 🍻.I pride myself with 30+ years as a tradesman with the ability to do a lot of things, but you sir, with your humility and knowledge sharing ...I tip my hat 🎩 thank you 👍👍👍
THANK YOU!!
This guy is BANG ON when he is mentioning the edge locking system. I am currently going through alot of heartache over a job I did 4 years ago where the floor that was laid over a cement floor now has seams that now have huge flex and ends that have literally cracked off over time.
I was informed too late for me to do any void filling before things broke or cracked but in defense of the client how would anyone even think to complain because the floor has some flex?
Been a general contract out here in LA for 40 years, done tile floors but the first time for LVT in my place. I'm going to install Mohawk from Costco. I'll let you know the outcome. Thanks for all the great install info from several of your videos.
How did it go Tom?
Its too bad these days you have to be so apologetic for saying and doing the right thing. That being said. I am a general contractor since the 1970's and plan on redoing my house in Stone, Tile and Wood laminate. I used pergo maybe 20yrs ago on a job and it was trash!! Scratched up real bad so easy. Probably better now. IF my cancer and upcoming surgeries and arthritis shots from the V.A. work good enough I hope to do the work myself. ONE ROOM AT A TIME. Slow and easy. Your videos are EXTREMELY well done and EASY to understand and your love of the Creator of all will always be your rear quard. Psalm 121, Isaiah 58
I did all the research (off/on for months) to make our first big purchase to have nice floors. We purchase restoration oak luxury planks from Lowes and installed it in our kitchen, dinning room, and utility room. We even got the matching doorway transitions and trim. It had the foam sound proof backing and durable locking system on all sides. To make sure it could withstand constant use from kids and pets for years, we paid am;title more for the 1st level of commercial grade (above residential use). Our floors were absolutely beautiful. We were excited to start installing it in our living room once our carpet was removed. However, a too damp swifter pad (made for plank floors) was used one evening. The Swiffer pad wasn’t soaking wet or from the bottom of the package. The next morning, the planks’ edges were rising like cheap particle board. Overnight, our once beautiful floors turned to CRAP- $1,700 worth of crap. We grew up poor, worked 23 years to buy our first house (a cape cod), and purchased the flooring for the entire down stairs. It took us a while to save up for the purchase. I cried. Sadly, Lowes and the manufacturer wouldn’t make it right- only gave us excuses. AVOID the restoration oak luxury planks at Lowes. The next time we buy any plank flooring- the sample had better stay in tact and still look good after sitting in a bucket of water for 3 days. Never again Lowes. Our next purchase will be from another company after some of the flooring product has been fully tested.
Coreluxe from LL flooring. AMAZING quality and easy to install especially after watching this video. Hits all the marks. We love it!
Great video I already did a room using Ashland Grove by Hampstead that I purchased at Floor & Decor. This was my first time doing it and it went down very nicely had no issues whatsoever but still a little nervous about doing the rest of the house since this is only about $1.29 a square foot. I did the butter knife test and I tried to break the edge. This stuff passed both tests now I feel much more comfortable about going ahead and doing the rest of the house. Keep doing what you do!
Great videos.I'm learning from your videos the very important questions to ask when buying materiels for my large LVP project. What was especially helpful were all your videos on the smaller details on how to make my LVP look professional and beautiful in my home at the same time. Thank you and God Bless
My wife and I installed Allure Ultra (from Home Depot) in our kitchen about 5 or 6 years ago. Installation was easy and we are very pleased with the product.
Thanks for sharing
Me too, was great. Wish they still sold it.
you know your stuff man and bring up issues that are important and i would not even known to be worried about them! thanks
I really enjoyed your brutal honesty and straightforward explanations of the products, not just repeating the marketing hype. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I appreciate that!
I used Costco vinyl plank in my enclosed porch and a bathroom and love it, installed ok from what I recall. I have had some challenges in the past with another non vinyl laminate. I need to watch your install videos again. I’ve been building and repairing homes and stuff over 40 years on and off and to save my life, could not get the non vinyl flooring to install like the instructions said. You have a great channel, thanks for all you do
Thanks for sharing!
For those looking for the top wear layer its called the 'MIL' layer. With the MIL layer there's a number associated with it (MIL 6 -20). The higher the number of the MIL Layer the better or 'thicker' the layer. This is the most important layer for wear. Most packages will list the MIL layer but some do not and in those cases do your research before purchase. You need to google that exact make/model for the MIL layer #. If you go to a big box store and it's not on the package chances are its a low MIL # 6-8. IMO any MIL that's lower than an 8 can expect to wear quicker. Anything that's above a 12 MIL can expect to last longer. Vinyl flooring MIL numbers can go as high as 20 MIL and may go higher. Also IMO with pets you're going to want a higher MIL #.
Great stuff my friend!
The top layer - known as the wear layer - comes in different thicknesses and is usually a major factor in determining the performance, warranty length and cost of the product. The reference to “mil” is literally a unit of measurement. 1 mil = 1/1000 of an inch. The higher the “mil”, the thicker the wear layer and the longer the product will resist wear. Anything below 12 mil should be considered base grade and 20 mil and above is normally required for Commercial use.
Exactly don’t go lower than 8 mm. 12mm should be standard
I installed 22 mil vinly plank in my basement, nearly impossible to score and snap with a utility knife. Had to resort to putting a utility knife blade in an oscillating tool, or use a circular saw.
This is great information. Thanks.
I am not a fan of most of the life proof floors , being a installer. My favorite lvp is the Johnson hardwood Skyview series , it has a tip and lock end awsome milling and a 30 mil ware layer , but it's definitely not the cheapest. Nice video you can tell this guy cares. Just thought I would share
I bought the "COARtec Plus" direct from the factory in 2018. Kitchen and main bath. My remodeling crew said they would have to put an underlayment down. I told them it was not recommended because the planks had a layer built in. I have very solid floors. House build in 1963.
They loved the stuff. They told me it was the best and easiest locking floor type the ever used. I very happy with the product. I did buy their higher end with 7 mil.
Thanks for sharing!
Just wanted to tell you how much I love and appreciate your work. Thank you for taking your most valuable possession..your time and sharing it with us. You have a beautiful little family, may the great spirit bless each one of you .
Wow, thank you!
I did my kitchen with corlux from lumber liquidators got about 8 different samples of different brands did the butter knife test with a steak knive ( wife thought I was crazy) said I was going to ruin them and I did ruin 7 of them gouged as hard as I could on them the corlux has been didn’t for 3 years and still looks like the day I installed it,a bit more pricey the some of the others but well worth it and the locks I could tap together with a hammer and not damage them.
I noticed the same thing..I prefer corelux from LL it is my go to. The locking tab is very durable, other locking systems are brittle like pro-core from lowes, life proof seams to be ok
Thanks for sharing
thanks
The locking system is KEY folks. Listen to this guy. I put a $2/SF VP in my house and the first winter during contraction of the cold, it started coming apart in several places. The locking system just failed and it looks like trash. I had to glue down some boards that simply wouldn't lock any longer. It was terrible. Get a good VP brand and avoid my mistakes.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much for this video. Super helpful. It has armed me (someone who knows 0 about LVP flooring) with some great info and knowledge for when we pick out our new flooring for our remodel today.
Very welcome!
This was useful. I never even thought about the locking system being rubbish. Thanks
Currently installing 1,100 sf of Lifeproof woodacres oak. It has gone together tight and square. So far happy with it. I noticed the locking edges are somewhat fragile and can break if you step on them or accidentally kick them before installing the next row.
I so glad I found this video. I'm getting quotes to install stuff and now I know what to look for when I select what I want in my house. Thanks for the great information.
I REALLY enjoy your videos and especially this one, thank you! The one vinyl plank type flooring you didn't mention (and with good reason and probably on purpose) was the peel-and-stick lines. I let someone talk me into installing and I will never do again. There are too many issues to be worth mentioning them all but just thought I'd bring up. Thank you so much for the fantastic video!!
Yep..
I’m a diy homeowner. Decided to try a flip as a hobby. Roughly 1000 sf. Just finished and sold it. Only prior experience was 600 feet of laminate a few years ago. Did the whole flip house in Lifeproof Sterling Grey. Was around $3 a foot. Used a utility knife and jigsaw for cuts and a multi tool to cut jams. Took about 1/2 the time I allowed for and zero rework. Joints were great. Tapping was a bit more like hammering the ends, but once seated they stayed. Looked amazing when finished and was nice to walk on.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for taking so much of your time over the past few years. I learned most of my hard to do skills for vinyl plank from your videos. We are about to do it again in our first rent house and need to get this right the first time. We got lucky with Global GEMs the first time (tri plank design), and this video helped point out the other quality checks we were missing. Keep the honesty flowing. When you spend 5K you don't need to be basing decisions on anything less then honest experience for those that do it every day. I would like to suggest a pressure test. We took several different brands home the first time, got our dining room 4 legged chairs on it, and my 240 pounds leaned the chair back on 2 legs, just like we all do when we have company at the table. The "dentabiltiy" told another part of the wear/quality story for us as well. Loved the butter knive test and sand under foot wear tests you mentioned! Keep up the great work!
good stuff!
You are freaking awesome! Thank you for all your tips and tricks, can’t wait to start my massive project at home!
Great video, big help as I plan a house. Never apologize for telling it like it is.
I am so thankful I found you today. I am getting ready to do my house and I am not aware of anything thing you talked about. Thank you.
Thanks for the “real guy on the street” approach.
You bet
I have 2000 square feet of Mannington Adura Max for my townhome. You can't know how happy I am to hear that it's going to be easy to lay. Woohoo!!
You will love it!
I’ve installed plank a lot and one of the better ones I’ve used is called Engage it has the pad attached to it. Which I think is another great point because typically they put the pad on the better quality flooring. So that’s something to keep in mind. But that Engage vinyl plank installs very easy and has a great locking system unfortunately I’m not sure who makes it but it stays tight and has a very durable surface! It’s one of my favorites! Good luck and God Bless!
Thanks just getting started
Thank you for making this video! Thank you for your unbiased opinion, I'm currently shopping around for flooring and I had no idea what to look for! Thank you
You are welcome!
Same here!
We just did about 1,000 sq/ft of Shaw's Floorte Pro Series. It has the hard grey core, not the softer white core featured. The locking system is super tough, and surface seems durable to scratch tests. It was also one of the most realistic textures that we could find. We were very happy with the install process and finished product.
Glad to hear this!!
Great info! We installed Shaw Montana (Madrid shade) in 3 bedrooms. The locking system was pretty thin. So far no problems, but light wear with just two adults, no kids/pets in house. Will definitely remember your tips for any future installations. Thank you so much for your videos!
Thx for sharing
I've put in three apartments now using Traffic Master from Home Depot. I had a learning curve to put this stuff together, especially the first few rows. Once out in the field, things were easy. That isn't a traffic master thing, that is me learning. The product itself has a super durable locking mechanism, as I hammer right on it using a piece of wood and a hammer, and never once has it broken. I haven't been back in the apartments since installing it, so can't comment on the wear and tear.
Nucore tongues are as brittle as a dead leaf on a crisp autumn morning. Also although it has a "22 mil" wear layer, a 6 mil wear layer on a HD lifeproof floor stood up much better to scratches and heavy weight. Watch out for Nucore, very hard to find reviews, made in China. Although I hear great things about Nucire Performance planks.
I can tell you are genuine with your criticisms and observations. Thank you :)
We installed Calibamboo Seaboard Oak long boards. For the most part they are amazing. Very strong! The quality is top notch. But possibly because of the long length and wide width (9" x 71") combined with our imperfect subfloor we have a couple spots of separation (3 spots over our entire 2nd floor) Can't get them to tap into place. Don't know how this is gonna work out over time. Don't know if I am going to regret installing it ourselves. It was pricy at $4.19 per square foot. Overall I LOVE the look and feel of it. Has a great wear layer. We had to be careful not a speck of dust was in the locking system or it wouldn't lock in correctly. But the parts that locked in did so PERFECTLY. I am still not sure what to do about those 3 problem areas...
Thanks for sharing
I installed flooring from Flooret that was 9" wide single strip and 6 foot long. Really tough to put together but I'm impressed with durability and water proofing. Installation instructions from Flooret really didn't work well and eventually I discovered a much better way to install...it sped up the process by at least 2X. Extremely tight joints so I imagine it's got to be incredibly water proof.
Joe, thank you for your channel and sharing your knowledge and skill. Your videos have me the confidence to install my floor. Your video where you showed how to cut off the locking lip and glue it with clear gorilla glue was indispensable in my installation. Everything came out beautiful I could not ask for a better result. Also your video showing how to deal with angles was the key For me to take on this job myself. From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you sir! God bless!
Glad to help
Don't worry about it man! Your still a hall of famer in my book! Keep it up!
I am really happy with the Lowes Smartcore Ultra. Your videos are great!
Thanks so much!
Very great video. People who buy flooring shall not only pay attention to the surface, shall also know its real inside
I tried Aquarepel from Lowes. @ About $2.50/sq.ft. it looked good, ANYthing under it will crunch, even with the built in underpaid. I refused to proceed if there was a gap. I had to beat every piece in to close the gaps completely. ...but they closed. Be sure to run a 6 foot strait edge across the floor to look for a gap under it. There is a floor leveling compound that mixed with water. Mix it to the consistency of thick paint. When it dries it will be like concrete! I'll opt for better quality next time.
Thx for sharing!
Fabulous Video! I'd hire you in a heartbeat to do the floors just because you're very honest and knowledgeable. Thank you👍😊
thanks for the tests. im looking at some off brand chinese planks because of the price (i can't pay 5$/sqft). now i know how to test them and a feel of how good they are..